More than 40,000 people have signed a petition to stop knife crime in schools.
This comes after 15 year old Harvey Willgoose was stabbed and killed earlier this month.
The petition, which was started by Rebecca Phillips calls upon the UK Government and the Education Minister to take immediate and decisive action to address the growing epidemic of knife crime in schools.
Ms Phillips said: “We urge everyone to sign this petition and demand that the UK Government implement these necessary protections before more innocent lives are lost.”
According to The Office for National Statistics, published by The Independent, teenagers are far more likely to be killed by a knife or sharp instrument than other age groups.
They reported 64 deaths where the victim was aged 13 to 19 years in 2024, with 80% of these deaths caused by a knife or sharp instrument—a rate significantly higher than in other age groups.
Furthermore sentencing statistics from the Ministry of Justice state that juveniles (aged 10 to 17) accounted for 17.3% of the 18,500 cautions and convictions for possession of a knife or offensive weapon.
Sheffield parent launches fresh campaign to try & improve security measures in all UK schools:https://t.co/3Cq661bPmz
— Hits Radio News | South Yorkshire (@HitsSYorksNews) February 26, 2025
Nicola Thompson, whose son was friends with Harvey said it has, “sent shockwaves around the community”, stating that this sort of thing, “just doesn’t happen in Sheffield.”
Ms Thompson continued to share concerns over the future safety of her children. She said: “Both my kids have been spooked by the incident, if it can happen once, how can it be prevented from happening again?
“The safety of our children is at risk, and the Government must implement stronger measures to prevent weapons from entering school premises.”
The petition demands that the Government act now by implementing mandatory bag checks and installing metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering school grounds.
This was reiterated by Ms Thompson who said: “We desperately need more security to stop kids taking weapons into schools”.
They also demand accountability for parents whose children are found in possession of weapons, arguing they should take responsibility for preventing violent behaviour.
They urge everyone to sign this petition and demand that the UK Government implement these necessary protections before more innocent lives are lost.
See below for link to the petition: