Number of knife related incidents at schools from 2020 to 2024

7 April 2025

Our Ref: FOI2025/02180                                                                              

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 Ref No: FOI2025/02180

Request

I write in connection with your request for information received on 10 March 2025.  I note you seek access to the following information:

I’m looking into the numbers of knife related incidents which happen at schools.

I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information Act. Please can you confirm you have received this request.

Please can you tell me the following:

Q1:  For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of offences involving a knife committed at schools?

Q2: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of offences involving a knife at school broken down by offence subgroup as per the Home Office counting rules?

Q3: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of suspects for offences involving a knife committed at schools broken down by age and sex of the suspect?

Q4: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 involving a knife committed at schools broken down by how the suspect knows the victim?

Q5: For the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and 2024 the number of suspects for offences involving a knife committed at schools broken down by age and sex of the victim?

Q6: For the questions above, what method did you use to filter offences down to those committed at schools?

Response

I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

Following searches conducted on the Crime recording system of the Constabulary please see our response below:

Hertfordshire Constabulary
Reported Knife Crimes in schools
January 2020 - December 2024

Please Note: The crimes detailed below were taken from the recorded Crime Location/Address - this was further audited to only include those crimes which occurred on the premises  and/or within the context of the School.

***PLEASE NOTE***

This breakdown has been shown as a total for the period to avoid a blanket exemption of the data due to Section 38 and 40 considerations.

Total crimes

The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter please do not hesitate to contact me quoting the above reference number.

Yours sincerely,
Information Rights

Hertfordshire Constabulary provides you the right to request an independent review of this response under its review procedure. If you require such a review, you must notify us within two months from the date of this letter. After lodging a complaint with Hertfordshire Constabulary if you are still dissatisfied with the decision, you may make an application to the Information Commissioner. For information on how to make a complaint please visit their website or contact them on 0303 123 1113.