Section 1: Understanding Knife Carrying and Serious Youth Violence
Most young people never carry a knife. Those who do often say the main reason is fear: they believe carrying will protect them, especially if they have been threatened, robbed or attacked, or if they believe others around them are armed. Other drivers include status and reputation, pressure from peers, involvement in conflict that has spilled over from social media, and criminal exploitation, where children are given weapons to hold or use by those exploiting them.
Serious youth violence rarely appears from nowhere. It is often linked to adverse childhood experiences, exclusion from school, exploitation and the wider community context in which children live. For this reason a public health approach, treating violence as preventable and addressing its causes, is now central to national and local strategy, alongside enforcement.
Section 2: The Law and Schools' Powers
Knives on school premises. Under section 139A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 it is an offence to have an article with a blade or point, or an offensive weapon, on school premises without good reason or lawful authority. Carrying such an article in a public place is also an offence under section 139.
Sale of knives. It is an offence to sell knives and most bladed articles to anyone under 18.
Crime and Policing Act 2026. The Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, includes new knife crime and offensive weapons measures. These come into force in stages; check the current position before referring to them in policy.
Searching and screening. The Department for Education's "Searching, screening and confiscation" guidance (July 2022) explains schools' powers, and includes statutory guidance schools must have regard to:
- The headteacher, and staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions without consent where they have reasonable grounds to suspect the pupil has a prohibited item, which includes knives and weapons.
- Schools can require pupils to undergo screening using walk-through or hand-held metal detectors, even without suspicion.
- Searches without consent are limited to outer clothing and possessions. School staff must never conduct a strip search. Any more intrusive search is a matter for the police, with appropriate safeguards. The Child Q safeguarding practice review (City and Hackney, 2022) showed the harm caused when this goes wrong.
- Weapons found must be passed to the police.
- The DSL should be informed without delay if a search reveals a safeguarding risk.
Serious Violence Duty. Under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, local partners must collaborate to prevent and reduce serious violence. Schools must be consulted on the local strategy and have a duty to co-operate.
Section 3: Indicators of Concern
Indicators of risk
- Expressing fear of travelling to or from school, or changing routes and times
- Talking about being "beefed", threatened or robbed, or about needing "protection"
- Unexplained injuries, or reluctance to seek medical help for injuries
- Sudden changes in friendship group, association with older young people, or signs of exploitation
- Drill or other music and social media content glorifying violence, particularly where it names real people or rivalries (context matters: liking a music genre is not in itself a concern)
- Being a victim of violence, or close to someone who has been, which can increase the risk of retaliation
High-concern indicators: act immediately
- A report or sighting of a pupil with a knife or weapon
- Specific threats against a named person, in person or online
- Information that violence is planned, for example after school or at a known location
- A pupil disclosing that they are being forced to carry or hide a weapon
Section 4: Staff and DSL Response Protocol
If a pupil is believed to be carrying a weapon
- Staff safety comes first. Do not attempt to disarm or physically tackle a pupil who is holding a weapon. Keep yourself and others at a safe distance, follow your critical incident or lockdown procedure, and call 999 if there is an immediate threat.
- Alert senior staff immediately. Only the headteacher or staff they have authorised should carry out a search, in line with the school's policy and DfE guidance. A second member of staff should normally be present.
- Hand any weapon to the police and do not handle it more than necessary.
- Inform the DSL in every case, and record the search, what was found and what was done.
If a pupil discloses fear, threats or carrying
- Listen and take it seriously. A pupil who says they carry a knife for protection is telling you they feel unsafe.
- Do not promise confidentiality, and explain that you need to share the information to help keep them and others safe.
- Record the pupil's own words and pass the concern to the DSL the same day, or immediately if the risk is current.
For the DSL: assessment and action
- Assess immediate risk to the pupil and others, including risk of retaliation, and share information with the police where there is a threat of violence.
- Look beyond the incident. Consider exploitation, harm at home, bullying, previous victimisation and online conflict. Refer to children's social care where the threshold is met.
- Think carefully about sanctions. A weapon on school premises is serious and the behaviour policy will apply, but consider safeguarding implications before any exclusion, as time out of school can increase risk.
- Plan support. Use mentoring, targeted youth work and specialist violence-reduction services available locally. Agree a safety plan, including safe travel routes where needed.
- Support those affected. After a violent incident, consider the wellbeing of victims, witnesses and the wider school community, including the impact of footage shared online.
- Record all decisions and rationale.
Section 5: Fictional UK School Case Study and Model Response
Background. St Aldric's School is an 11 to 18 school in a busy English town centre. Year 10 pupil Marcus, 15, is a capable student with a good attendance record. Two weeks ago his older cousin was stabbed in the town, though not seriously injured.
The incident. A Year 10 pupil tells her tutor, Ms Reid, that Marcus "has something in his bag" and that there is going to be trouble after school with boys from another area. Ms Reid does not approach Marcus. She immediately informs the deputy headteacher, Mr Grant, who is authorised to search, and the DSL, Mrs Fenwick.
Mr Grant and a second member of staff ask Marcus to come to a private office with his bag. They explain calmly why they are concerned. Marcus becomes upset but agrees to the search. A kitchen knife is found wrapped in a T-shirt. Mr Grant secures the knife, contacts the police, and informs Mrs Fenwick. Marcus's parent is called.
DSL response. Mrs Fenwick sits with Marcus while they wait. He says he has been getting messages since his cousin was stabbed saying he is "next", and he does not feel safe walking home. Mrs Fenwick:
- Records Marcus's account in his own words and shares the information about the planned confrontation and the online threats with the police, who attend the area after school.
- Asks Marcus and his parent for permission to see the threatening messages, and records the account names without copying any images.
- Makes a referral to children's social care, noting the threats, the family's recent experience of violence, and the risk of retaliation.
- Works with the headteacher on the behaviour response. A fixed-term suspension is issued, but with a planned reintegration meeting, a safety plan for travel to and from school, and referral to a local violence-reduction mentoring project.
- Considers the pupil who reported the knife, thanks her privately, and makes sure her identity is protected.
- Records every decision and the reasons for it.
Review. Six weeks later Marcus is attending mentoring sessions, travels to school with a family member, and police have spoken to the young people sending the threats.
Learning points
- The tutor did not confront Marcus but escalated immediately to authorised staff.
- The search followed the guidance: authorised staff, a second adult, privacy, and the weapon handed to the police.
- The DSL saw the fear behind the knife, linking it to his cousin's stabbing and the online threats.
- Sanction and safeguarding worked together. The behaviour response was proportionate and built around a safety plan.
- The reporting pupil was protected.
Section 6: Wider School Actions
Education without scare tactics. Lessons on knife crime should challenge the belief that carrying a knife makes you safer, explore the real consequences and teach how to get help. The PSHE Association advises against shock tactics, such as graphic images, which can increase anxiety and normalise carrying rather than reduce it. Focus on safe choices, peer influence and where to go for help.
A safe culture. Make it easy and safe for pupils to report concerns about weapons, including anonymously, and make sure pupils who report are protected. Pupils can report anonymously to Fearless.
Screening and searching policy. Review your policy against the July 2022 DfE guidance, including who is authorised to search, how searches are recorded, and how screening is communicated to parents and pupils.
Partnership. Build links with your neighbourhood policing team, local violence reduction partnership and youth services, and contribute to the local Serious Violence Duty strategy. The Safeguard Hub's Know the Signs campaign materials and knife crime map can support awareness work with pupils and parents.
Critical incident planning. Make sure your lockdown and critical incident procedures are known, practised and cover an incident involving a weapon.
Useful links