Sheffield MP questions Home Office on implementation of safety measures after Harvey Willgoose murder
A local MP has addressed Parliament as she calls for a national panel’s findings to be implemented to ensure that no schoolchild faces the same tragedy as Harvey Willgoose.
At the House of Commons this week, Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh raised concerns around the implementation of safety policies to protect school pupils from violent crimes.
The Labour MP has previously been working with the family of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed by a fellow pupil at All Saints Catholic High School earlier in the year.
Her work has helped implement a new National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel to carry out a local Child Safeguarding Practice Review, as part of efforts to ‘identify learning from this tragedy’.
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However, there are still concerns that the findings and recommendations of this panel won’t result in any meaningful change.
Ms Haigh told Parliament: “15-year-old Harvey Willgoose was murdered earlier this year when attending his school by a fellow pupil.
“His murderer has now been convicted and a National Child Safeguarding Review Panel has been set up.
“But time and time again, these panels make the same recommendations that fail to implement the kinds of learnings and culture change that will ensure another tragedy like this doesn’t happen again.
“Will the Home Secretary reassure Harvey’s family that she will make sure that those panel recommendations are implemented and that we can avoid any family like Harvey’s suffering that same tragedy again?”
Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, was appointed to the role of Home Secretary earlier this month following a Cabinet shake-up.
But MP Sarah Jones, Minister of State for the Home Office, responded to Ms Haigh on behalf of the government department.
She added: “Of course we offer our sympathies to the family of Harvey, whose death is a heart-breaking tragedy that has devastated, I think, the entire community and our thoughts remain with his family and friends.
“And of course we recognise that pattern - I’ve seen it too many times in my own constituency. That’s why we are creating a Child Protection Authority as recommended in the previous inquiry, to ensure that there is effective national oversight and to ensure lessons are learnt.”
Harvey’s killer, who cannot be named due to his age, was found guilty of murder on Friday, August 8, 2025, following a five-week Sheffield Crown Court trial.
He pleaded guilty to Harvey’s manslaughter, along with a charge of possessing a bladed article whilst on school premises, prior to the trial beginning - but had denied murder.
He is due to be sentenced on October 22, while the panel review is expected to reveal their findings in Spring 2026.