Knife crime has featured heavily in the news recently, with some of the youngest-ever offenders being sentenced in Nottingham. As educators and parents, these incidents serve as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in addressing youth violence. Encouragingly, there is growing recognition of the need for knife crime education in schools. In this blog, we’ll explore how teachers can address this issue through lessons and assemblies, and share key resources to help support these efforts.
Why Knife Crime is a Big Concern
You’ve probably seen the headlines about the rise in knife crime, especially involving young people under 25. For schools, this is something they deal with firsthand - either by supporting affected students or helping to prevent incidents in the first place. Some young people carry knives due to social pressure or fear, and often without realising the serious legal consequences.
How Schools Can Help
PSHE lessons are a key way to address this. By talking about personal safety, peer pressure, and what happens if you’re caught carrying a knife, teachers can help students understand the risks. Tying these topics into British Values - like respect for the law and tolerance - can make these conversations even more meaningful.
Assemblies can also be powerful. Talking to students about the right to safety and the dangers of violence, as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), can really drive home why it’s so important to make safe choices.
Useful Resources for Teachers
Thankfully, there are loads of resources out there to help you tackle this tough topic in school. Here are some of the best:
- Fearless is essentially Crimestoppers for young people, and they also have a designated tab with materials for professionals
- Childline has a specific gun & knife crime page on their website to share with young people or use as a basis for an assembly or advice resource
- The Mix provides information about carrying weapons and what a young person should do if they feel unsafe
- No Knives Better Lives offers practical support and information on the effects of knife crime
-
The Ben Kinsella Trust has a range of resources available for young people, educators, and parents & carers
-
The James Brindley Foundation also has information for a range of audiences, as well as information on how to find a knife bin
Empowering Students to Make Safe Choices
Apart from teaching the facts, it’s really important that students have the skills to manage peer pressure and avoid conflict. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programmes can help with this by encouraging empathy, communication, and self-control. Having open conversations about knife crime and signposting local schemes, such as knife surrender programmes, can help students feel more confident about making the right choices. The Youth Endowment Fund has more information on knife surrender schemes and how they work. Many local councils also provide advice, training and resources about knife crime for schools in their local area - make sure to check out what’s on offer where you are.