Damning report finds repeated failures before school stabbing that killed Harvey Willgoose
The family of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose have called for a damning school safety report to be published in full after an investigation found repeated failures before he was fatally stabbed at school.
An external review into the killing of Harvey at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield found “several missed opportunities” to act on serious warning signs, including concerns about weapons and violent behaviour.
The report makes 10 recommendations for schools, academy trusts, Sheffield City Council and the Department for Education, aimed at preventing further knife crime in schools.
.jpg?trim=373,35,473,734&crop=&width=640&quality=65)
Harvey died exactly one year ago today - February 3, 2025 - after being stabbed during a lunch break.
Mohammed ‘Umar’ Khan, who was also 15 at the time, was later found guilty of Harvey’s murder at Sheffield Crown Court and jailed for 16 years.
Speaking at a press conference, Harvey’s grandmother Maria Turner said the impact of his death had devastated the entire family.
She said: “A year ago a bomb went off in my family which devastated every single member, every friend, every neighbour. And we’ll never be the same again.”
The review was commissioned by St Clare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school, and was carried out by a former headteacher and schools inspector from Learn Sheffield.
It found weaknesses in leadership, poor record-keeping, gaps in policy and failures to follow government guidance.
One of the most serious findings was that safeguarding and behaviour records were not properly reviewed before Khan moved to All Saints from another school.
Maria Turner said one issue stood out above all others.
“There was one red flag that stood out in particular – Umar’s school records from Silverdale had 130 incidents including violence, gangs, weapons and anger, and the school didn’t seem to pick up on this, and if they did, it was too late,” she said.
She urged All Saints Catholic High School to release the full report publicly.
“I urge the school to publish that report so every school, every parent should get sight of it and make sure that changes are made and that schools are made safer in the future,” she explained.
Harvey’s parents also spoke about their reaction to reading the report.
His father, Mark Willgoose, added: “It’s a damning report, that’s why we want it published.”
The review found that weapons-related concerns were not handled properly.
In October 2024, pupils reported that Khan had previously carried a knife and brought a BB gun on a school trip.
Staff searched him but did not carry out a risk assessment or put a safety plan in place.
In December, an axe was found in his bag off-site. Police were informed, but no follow-up action took place in school.
Despite an open investigation into a fresh knife allegation, Khan was allowed into school on the day of the killing without being searched.
The report described this as a collective leadership failure.
Mum, Caroline, said: “The teacher asked him [Umar] ‘you haven’t got anything you shouldn’t have, have you?, and he said no. If you’ve got a reason to ask, you’ve got a reason to search.”
Harvey’s uncle, Simon Turner, said the recommendations should not be optional.
“We’ve seen reports come and go, to me a recommendation you can choose to take it or not take it. But these are just basics in terms of safeguarding at a school,” he said.
“It’s just shameful.”
He questioned accountability at the school, and whether current staff members should remain.
“Clearly there’s been massive failings on a wide scale at this school, but it’s the same people that are still there, that are going to be following recommendations that should have been in place anyway. Where is the accountability? Is that it? What’s next?”
The family said they were contacted by the school shortly after Harvey’s death.
Mark said: “The school reached out after about two or three days and wanted to meet us, and at that time it was really raw so we declined. We haven’t spoken to them since.”
Caroline said she wants an apology from the school, but that this should go wider than just her.
“I also think school should apologise to all the kids that were there at the time that will never get over it, that are being counselled, that are having problems, and all the parents — it could have been any of them that year.”
Asked whether children are safer in schools today, Caroline said: “No”
She added: “The one place children should be safe is in school.”
Lawyers representing the family said the findings show that existing safeguarding powers and guidance were not properly used, and that the focus must now be on ensuring the recommendations are fully implemented to prevent other families from suffering similar loss.
The family say they will continue campaigning so that no other family goes through what they have endured.