Seven-Year-Old Found in Possession of Knife at Sandwell School

A seven-year-old pupil was discovered carrying a knife at a school in Sandwell earlier this year, highlighting a troubling trend of dangerous items being brought into educational settings across the West Midlands.

West Midlands Police have confirmed there have been numerous incidents involving schoolchildren of various ages, including primary school pupils, found with knives since the beginning of 2025. Among these were the findings of two nine-year-old children carrying knives at schools in Birmingham during the same period.

Official data obtained through a freedom of information request reveals that throughout 2025, 67 knife-related offences involving individuals under 17 years old were recorded on educational premises within the region. So far in 2026, there have been an additional 29 such incidents.

These occurrences span corridors, classrooms, and playgrounds, reflecting a concerning crossover of youth violence from the streets into schools within Birmingham and the wider Black Country area. While many cases involved older children, particularly those aged 15 to 17 attending sixth form or college, authorities have also dealt with younger pupils. Besides the youngest case of a seven-year-old, two 10-year-olds and nine 11-year-olds were also spoken to by police concerning knife-related incidents, and 14 cases involved 12-year-olds.

It is important to note that in the UK, the age of criminal responsibility is 10, meaning that those below this age, including the seven and nine-year-olds involved, are generally deemed not capable of criminal prosecution as they may not fully understand the criminal nature of their actions.

Incidents have been reported across various schools in Birmingham and the Black Country, with Birmingham seeing the highest number due to its larger number of educational institutions. The police continue to work closely with schools to address this worrying trend and ensure the safety of pupils and staff alike.