Almost one in five teachers have seen students with knives in England’s schools, Sky News survey finds
Almost one in five (18%) secondary school teachers in England have seen pupils with knives in school, according to a special survey commissioned by Sky News.
More than 4,000 teachers responded to our questions, asked via the survey tool Teacher Tapp, which asked about their first-hand experiences of pupils with weapons.
This academic year, 6% of teachers said they had personally seen a child with a knife or bladed article in school. Some told us they had witnessed at least five separate incidents with pupils and weapons in that same time.
“We ignore these results at our peril,” Pepe Di’lasio, from the Association of School and College Leaders, said in response to our findings.
He added there was “no doubt” the survey was evidence of “a growing trend” of the presence of knives in school.
Strikingly, despite recent high-profile knife attacks in UK secondary schools, only 15% of the teachers we surveyed said they had received any formal training or guidance on how to deal with pupils with knives.
And in more deprived socio-economic areas, double the number of teachers said they had seen pupils with knives than teachers in more affluent areas, according to our findings.
Read more:
What are the UK’s knife crime laws?
Pepe Di’lasio says he is ‘no doubt’ that there is ‘a growing trend’ of the presence of knives in schools
One former school teacher, who was stabbed by a pupil in 2015, told Sky News he thought that classroom safety has “got worse” since his attack.
Vincent Uzomah, now a university lecturer, was teaching at a secondary school in Bradford when a male student stabbed him in the stomach.
“Even if [your survey] showed only 1% of teachers had seen a knife – the consequence of that 1% can be huge,” Dr Uzomah said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘The education system needs reform,’ says knife attack victim Vincent Uzomah
Dr Uzomah’s attacker, who was then just 14 years old, received an 11-year custodial sentence.
“The boy that stabbed me told his friends that he was going to stab me that day,” Dr Uzomah said, “But no one reported it.
“I thought I was dying. It was an awful feeling and I’d never want anyone to experience that.”
Dr Uzomah received treatment in hospital for eight days after the attack, which led him to leaving his job in the secondary school sector.
He said: “I didn’t go to school that day thinking I’d be attacked, no teacher does. The education system needs reform, something has to be done.
“It cannot continue like this forever.”
File pic: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
In response to our findings, a Department for Education government spokesperson said that violent incidents in schools “are rare”, but that “all schools should be places of safety and learning”.
“Schools are responsible for setting their own security measures,” the spokesperson said, “and we support them to develop safeguarding frameworks to respond to incidents – including use of metal detectors if appropriate.”
Read more from Sky News:
More than 60,000 waiting 12 hours in A&E in January
Sub-postmasters still going through hell, says Sir Alan Bates
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
From January: ‘We need realistic solutions,’ says victim of knife crime
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, in an interview with broadcaster LBC last week, said she would support schools that wished to use walk-through metal detectors, also known as knife arches.
But these cost thousands of pounds, at a time when the Association of School and College Leaders told us school budgets are “absolutely strung to the very end”.
Crystal Palace are celebrating a historic win in the FA Cup after a 1-0 victory against Manchester City at Wembley.
It’s the south London club’s first major trophy – and third time lucky after losing two previous finals they have played in. The win also means Palace have qualified for next season’s Europa League.
Eberechi Eze put his side 1-0 up with the game’s only goal in the 16th minute.
Man City were given a chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute, but Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson – who had earlier escaped a red card for a handball outside the box – saved Omar Marmoush’s spot kick.
Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze scores. Pic: PA
Man City’s Omar Marmoush after his penalty was saved. Pic: PA
It briefly seemed the south London team had gone 2-0 up after a 58th-minute strike from Daniel Munoz but the goal was quickly ruled offside.
They then held onto their 1-0 lead until the final whistle, which came after an agonising 10 minutes of injury time.
Dean Henderson dodged a red card and saved a penalty. Pic: PA
Oliver Glasner’s team were the underdogs despite Manchester City having had a difficult season in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side also lost to their neighbours and rivals Manchester United in last year’s cup final.
‘It’s all about spirit’
Palace goalscorer Eze said he had “no words” as he celebrated with his team mates.
Eze celebrates after the final whistle. Pic: PA
“I can only thank God,” he told ITV. “This is special, this is what dreams are made of, for this club as well. Who would have thought we could do it?
“We’ve made history today. The tactics were good but it’s all about spirit. That’s energy, that’s everyone fighting together and doing what we had to do today.”
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway