Harvey Willgoose: Knife arches at gates are schools' responsibility, says DfE over Sheffield petition

Harvey Willgoose, aged 15, was stabbed to death in a major incident at All Saints Catholic High School on February 3.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.

Soon after, a petition - titled ‘Stop knife crime in our schools/Security is needed’ - was launched on Change.org by an All Saints parent and was publicly supported by Harvey’s mum, Caroline and sister, Sophie.

The petition, which calls on the Government to “act NOW by implementing the following measures,” calls for “mandatory bag checks and metal detectors/airport type body scanners and bag scanners in all schools.”

Now, with the petition growing to over 40,000 signatures, the Department For Education has responded to The Star on if and how metal detectors would be implemented in “all schools.”

In reply, a spokesperson said it is up to schools to plan their own security according to guidance and use their funding as they see fit, which goes for academies and state-operated schools alike.

A Government spokesperson said: “Schools are responsible for setting their own security measures and we support them to develop safeguarding frameworks to respond to incidents – including use of metal detectors if appropriate.

“Violent incidents in schools are rare, but all schools should be places of safety and learning.

“The government is committed to halving knife crime over the next decade, and we have already banned zombie-style knives, are progressing a ban on ninja swords and bringing in stronger age verification checks for the sale of knives online.”

The spokesperson said head teachers who want to see metal detectors or knife arches at school should consult with local police forces who can “provide advice about whether installation of these devices is appropriate,” and referenced the ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ guidance for schools published in July 2022.

When asked if funding was available for schools to implement metal detectors, the spokesperson said the DfE “does not stipulate” how much of a school’s funding should be spent on security - effectively signaling that schools who want to must do so out of their existing budgets.

It comes as this week, Harvey’s school, All Saints Catholic High, submitted a planning application to Sheffield Council to erect an 8ft fence around the grounds.

More than 100 children have reportedly been caught taking knives into schools in South Yorkshire over the last three years.

Other measures stated in the Change.org petition include:

- “Schools must be required to immediately inform parents of any violent threats or weapon-related incidents.”

- “Strict policies must be implemented for handling students caught with weapons, ensuring they do not return without proper intervention.”

- “Parents must be held accountable for their children’s possession of weapons, ensuring that they take responsibility for preventing violent behaviour.”

Since Harvey’s death, several experts have cautioned against the implementation of knife arches, including former children’s commissioner for England, Baroness Anne Longfield, South Yorkshire knife crime campaigner Anthony Olaseinde, and Aspire Boxing Club’s Ronny Tucker.

Meanwhile, Sheffield mums Jayne Mason and Caron Britton have launched their own petition - currently signed by 35 people - calling on Sheffield City Council to roll out £67 ‘bleed kits’ in every school in the city.

The petition argues: “We feel that a bleed kit in every school could prevent deaths like that of Harvey Willgoose. You can’t put a cost on saving a child’s life and for a relatively small cost, a bleed kit could prevent another tragedy.”