Highgate Primary: School writes home to parents to answer claims boy took knife into class

Highgate Primary School, in Goldthorpe, Barnsley, wrote home to parents on February 6 to address rumours “a knife and other unsafe items” were being brought through the gates.

The claims frightened parents this week.

A post discussing the claims in the Barnsley Community Alliance Facebook page accused the school of “a cover up.”

Parents criticised an initial letter sent home on February 5 that did not directly address the claims about the knife and only referred to “a comment made by one child to another.”

Now, Highgate’s principal, Ms Laura Sunley, has again written home in an attempt to quell rumours.

The new letter explains that a knife was indeed brought into school - in November 2024, and accidentally.

The letter reads: “In November, a child had accidentally brought in a penknife that had been used by his parents for wall-papering.

“It was not used to threaten or to harm anybody; it was confiscated immediately.

“The pupil’s parents apologised for the incident.

“Since that time, we routinely check that the pupil has not brought the penknife in again. He has not and there have been no other instances of dangerous prohibited items.

“We have taken this very seriously and we have absolutely mitigated all possibility of this happening again.”

The “comment made by one child to another” that started the rumours was not expanded on.

Ms Sunley added reports of a knife in school would have been “understandably worrying following the tragic events in Sheffield this week.”

On February 3, Harvey Willgoose, 15, died after an alleged stabbing at All Saints Catholic High School. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.

Highgate Primary School, which was rated Good by Ofsted in its last inspection in November 2022, is operated by Astrea Learning Trust.

A spokesperson for Astrea said: “Up and down the country families are concerned about the tragic events in Sheffield this week, and schools are doing what they can to provide reassurance.

“As made clear in the letter, a small penknife was accidentally brought into school in November and was dealt with immediately. As ever, our number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of our pupils and we work closely with our families to ensure our schools are nurturing places where children can thrive.”