Almost a fifth of secondary school teachers in the UK have witnessed students bringing knives or blades onto school premises, according to a survey commissioned by Sky News.
A third of those teachers have dealt with knife-related incidents this academic year alone, according to the survey conducted by school polling firm Teacher Tapp.
When asked if the teachers had any professional training on how to deal with knife-related scenarios, 90% said no.
The General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di’lasio, who has called for urgent funding to address the rising issue of knife crime in schools, said the research “mustn’t be ignored and the research is shining light and evidencing a growing trend.”
The survey found teachers in deprived areas are witnessing twice as many knives as those in affluent areas. Some teachers reported that, in just the past 5 months, five or more pupils have brought dangerous weapons to school.
Last week, Yvette Cooper the Home Secretary said, she backed schools that want to use walk-through metal detectors, which are also called knife bridges.
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