Police write to all Sheffield Year Seven school pupils about knife crime after Harvey Willgoose tragedy
South Yorkshire Police have written to all Sheffield’s Year Seven school pupils about knife crime, following the tragic death of Harvey Willgoose in February.
Harvey’s killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to be sentenced next month for murder, after Harvey died in a stabbing at All Saints School, Sheffield.
Now, South Yorkshire Chief Constable Lauren Poultney has written to 16,000 Year Sevens (aged 11 and 12-year-old) and their families about knife crime, to reassure them about the scale of the problem in schools, what police are doing to prevent it, what they can do to help, and how officers respond to reports.
The letters will be sent alongside a leaflet, which advises parents and carers how to approach a conversation with their child about knife crime, and a comic book, which tells a story based on real-life events in South Yorkshire - highlighting the potential consequences of carrying a knife.
Neighbourhood officers will deliver the letters, leaflets, and comic books to all secondary schools in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster, with a request they are sent home with 11 and 12-year-olds during the coming weeks.
Police say knife crime in schools is extremely rare, and that in recent years, less than two per cent of all knife-related crimes in South Yorkshire have happened in schools. Most of these relate to carrying a knife, rather than being used to threaten or cause harm.
We all have a role in preventing knife crime and yours could be as simple as a conversation
Because of community concerns, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has awarded further funding to extend the police’s ‘Knives Take Lives’ campaign.
The campaign was launched in January 2025 to educate young people about the consequences of carrying a knife. It was developed in consultation with Learn Sheffield, education and community representatives, and young people.
In her letter, Ms Poultney said: “Preventing knife crime is a priority for schools, local authorities, and the police. We all want to keep our children and young people safe. We regularly speak to young people across South Yorkshire to understand why they may carry a knife, and to educate them about the potential consequences of doing this.
“When knife crime is reported to South Yorkshire Police, we take the most appropriate course of action based on lots of information. Sometimes this is talking to a young person and helping them to access the right support, sometimes this involves arresting them. If we find a weapon, we will always seize it.
“Most people who carry a knife never plan to use it - only carrying it because they mistakenly think it will protect them and their friends or that it will increase their social status. Together we need to change that mindset. We all have a role in preventing knife crime and yours could be as simple as a conversation.”
Further information and additional resources, including a video which can be played as a starting point in a discussion about knife crime, are available via knivestakelives.co.uk