Anti-knife crime education programme
Knife crime is becoming a concerningly common occurrence, often involving school aged children or even happening on school grounds. Many schools are unsure on how to approach this topic, which is why we have curated a programme of work for teachers to use. Our lessons are innovative, impactful and focused on the root causes of knife crime as well as many vital life skills.
The programme
Suitable for primary and secondary school ages.
Anti-knife crime education programme: £25. As part of the programme you will receive a booklet containing an introduction and five fully planned lessons for teachers to use, as well as corresponding PowerPoints for each lesson. Since the programme is teacher-led, it can therefore be adapted to suit the individual needs of your class. We have found teacher-led sessions to be most impactful, as students engage more with familiar members of staff they can trust. However, we are happy to provide as much support as possible on your delivery of the programme, and head of trustees, Alison, is happy to provide a complimentary teams call to answer any questions or concerns you may have before using the programme, as she has 34 years of experience in education.
NEW! Parent booklets: 1-50: £10, 51-100: £20, 101-150: £25, 151-200+: £30. Optional to be purchased alongside the education programme. Our brand new parent booklets are designed to be sent home with students. They contain information about our charity and the work that their child will be part-taking in, as well as our contact information to respond to any questions or concerns. They contain guidance and advice regarding continuing the conversation surrounding knife crime in their home life, as well as ways to safeguard their child onto the happiest and safest path to their future. They also contain contact information for multiple charities and organisations that can provide guidance and support for parents who may be concerned that their child is heading down the wrong path.
To purchase, please email below with the resources you wish to purchase, option to pay either via invoice or payment link. Feel free to also get in touch with any questions you may have about the programme.
The lessons
Introduction
In this lesson, students are presented with a range of statements that relate to certain facts, statistics and laws surrounding knife crime, in response to which they must state whether they think they are true or false.
The purpose of the introduction is to gauge your students' current perspectives on knife crime, so you can therefore tailor the following lessons to suit, and target any areas of concern.
Peer pressure and friendships
In this lesson, students are encouraged to think about the purpose of friendships through tasks such as listing the qualities of a 'good/bad' friend, the impact of positive and negative friendships, and thinking about what they would do in different scenarios involving peer pressure or concerns a friend was carrying a knife.
Part two of the lesson is targeted towards older students, where they are presented with the UK's biggest case of joint enterprise and are encouraged to think about what they can learn from it, considering topics such as social media, peer pressure and the desire to fit in, snitching/reporting and the impact of negative friendships.
I am not a statistic
In this lesson, students are presented with Danny's story and are shown elements of his life, such as his family, his friends, his pet, his hobbies and passions etc., all of which would have been unknown to the stranger who took his life through knife crime. Students are then encouraged to list elements of their own lives that have meaning and make them who they are, which they will then share with those around them and discuss how each element would be impacted should they choose to be involved with knife crime.
The idea of this lesson is to make students see the value in their lives, and how they have too much to to lose to become a statistic of knife crime. It also aims to build empathy, as they can also see the value in their peers' lives around them.
Timelines
In this lesson, students are presented with the timeline of the life of a perpetrator, including an arrest, a prison sentence and the poor quality of life upon release. Then they are encouraged to create their own timeline of things they would like to achieve in life, such as going to on holiday, buying their dream car or starting a family.
Students are then asked to compare elements of their timeline to the perpetrators to see how much they would miss out on, e.g. travelling abroad on their timeline, which wouldn't be possible for a perpetrator who may be in prison or have restricted travel due to a criminal record. The purpose of the lesson is to allow for students to see the beautiful lives they can create for themselves that should not be thrown away for the sake of carrying a knife.
Impact
In this lesson, students are taught about the 'ripple effect,' then are shown videos of discussions surrounding the impact of knife crime from different perspectives, such as a victim, family of a victim or family of a perpetrator. Students are asked to make notes of the emotions and consequences these people may face. They are then asked to choose one of the perspectives and write a creative piece of writing surrounding the impact of knife crime from this point of view.
The purpose of this lesson is for students to develop empathy for those that knife crime impacts and see the substantial devastation it causes not only for a victim and their family, but for the perpetrator and their family's lives too.
Futures
In this lesson, students are encouraged to see the fulfilment of a successful career. They are shown the life of a 'Harry Potter' actor who threw away his career for carrying a knife, as well as a video of a local successful boxer and friend of Danny's who has achieved great things. Then students are tasked with researching a potential future career, and the qualifications and characteristics it requires. Their final task includes creating a mock CV of their own qualities.
The purpose of this lesson is to motivate students for a successful future in which they can support themselves and feel fulfilled, as well as encouraging them to see they have valuable qualities to offer the working world and boost their self-esteem, which may eradicate any temptation to head down the wrong path.
Work produced by students
Staff feedback
I was blown away by the work my students produced as a result of this project. The creative writing I read from students who normally find English very challenging was fantastic. It just shows how immersed they were in the programme.
At the year six leavers assembly, the students were asked what was the most valuable topic they learnt at their time at Newlands. They chose this programme of work. I think that says it all.
It was incredibly concerning to see how many of my students thought it was okay to carry a knife for self defence, or that you are allowed out of prison at Christmas! I'm very glad my students were able to partake in this programme and be informed of the reality of knife crime and its consequences.
Why should you use our programme?
It aligns with Ofsted's values
As per the School Inspection Handbook, during their time in education pupils should develop into responsible, respectful and active citizens who are able to play their part and become actively involved in public life as adults.
Through different means such as assemblies, wider opportunities or visits, pupils' understanding of the fundamental British values, such as The Rule of Law, Mutual Respect and Tolerance should be developed thoroughly.
Police data revealed the most common month for knife crime incidents was March, and the most common time was 4pm.
This piece of data highlights the close link between knife crime and schools, since March is the only month of the academic year with no holidays, and 4pm is the average time children are commuting home from school.
Children as young as 5 have been recorded carrying knives into school.
It is a common concern that children in schools are too young to learn about this topic, yet the average age of children carrying, and using, knives is lowering everyday.
Almost 70% of knife crime cases recorded last year were committed by first time offenders.
This proves how many new young people are getting involved with knife crime.
Knife attacks are the primary cause of homicides amongst 16-24 year olds, with 82% of teenage homicide victims being murdered with a knife in the previous year.
The number of homicides of young people would decrease drastically with a strong initiative to reduce knife crime.
During the trial of our programme, a class of students were asked if they would carry a knife for self-defence. 100% raised their hands.
A very common misconception held by a concerningly high number of students, that carrying a knife will keep you safe.
Statistics show you are 3x more likely to be stabbed if you are carrying a knife. 70% of knife injuries admitted to A&E are caused by the victim's own knife.
Shocking statistics that emphasise the dangers of carrying knives, even under the premise of self defence. It is essential students are educated away from the idea that carrying knives keeps you safe.
There were 738 reports in England and Wales last year of students bringing weapons into schools.
With the recent tragic murder of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose in Sheffield, who was stabbed to death by a classmate at school, amongst far too many other serious incidents and deaths, it is time schools tackle this severe issue head on.
Schools that have purchased so far
Newlands Junior School - Nottinghamshire
King Edward Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Morven Park Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Crescent Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Priestic Primary School - Nottinghamshire
North Wheatley Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Meden School - Nottinghamshire
Ramsden Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Farmilo Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Wainwright Primary Academy - Nottinghamshire
Djanogly Strelley Academy - Nottingham
The Grange Primary School - Lincolnshire
Navenby C of E Primary School - Lincolnshire
University Academy Holbeach - Lincolnshire
Ashfield Primary School - Leeds
Morley Victoria Primary School - Leeds
Hunslet Moor Primary School - Leeds
Glory Farm Primary School - Oxfordshire
St. John the Evangelist Primary School - Cheshire
Weaverham Primary School - Cheshire
St. Mary's College - Hull
Crow Orchard Primary School - Lancashire
Lighcliffe Academy - Halifax
Pioneer Secondary Academy - Buckinghamshire
Bilton Secondary School - Warwickshire
Yardley Wood Primary School - Birmingham
Mount Pleasant Primary School - Huddersfield
St. Finbar's Primary School - Liverpool
Dame Alice Owen's Secondary School - Hertfordshire
St. Patrick's Primary School - London
Wycliffe Primary School - Bradford
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School - Lincolnshire
Edgar Sewter Primary School - Suffolk
Outwood Academy Carlton - Barnsley
Healing Academy - Grimsby
Middleton St. Mary's Primary School - Leeds
North Ormesby Primary School - Middlesbrough
Chiltern Teaching School Hub - Luton
West Walsall Academy - Walsall
Kingfisher Primary School - Kent
Coombe Wood School - London
Perrymount Primary School - London
Queensmead School - London
Haydon School - London
Eastern Green Junior School - Coventry
Little Heath Primary School - Coventry
Kings Rise Academy - Birmingham
Plover Primary School - Doncaster
Shaw Wood Academy - Doncaster
Weston Point College - Cheshire
Egregmont Primary School - Merseyside
Hovingham Primary School - Leeds
Sharlston Community School - Wakefield
Christ Church Primary School - Bristol
St. Margaret's Primary School - Essex
St. Gabriel's Primary School - Middlesbrough
Percy Shurmer Academy - Birmingham
Hayes Primary School - Kent
Ainsdale St. John's Primary School - Southport
Havelock Academy - Grimsby
St. Paul's Primary School - Salford
Our Lady and St. Bede School - Stockton-on-Tees
St. Peter's Primary School - Wirral
The Royal Liberty School - Essex
Malet Lambert School - Hull
Maharishi School - Lancashire
Colden Junior School - West Yorkshire
Angmering School - West Sussex
Peacehaven School - West Sussex
Endike Academy - Hull
Laygate Community School - South Tyneside
Outwood Academy Freeston - Wakefield
Mayflower High School - Essex
Queen Elizabeth's School - Dorset
Sheffield Springs Academy - Sheffield
Jubilee Primary School - London
Ocean Academy - Dorset
Pudsey Waterloo Primary School - Leeds
The Oaks Primary School - Birmingham
Ferndown Middle School - Dorset
St Andrew and St Francis Primary School - London
Birchensale Middle School - Worcestershire
Alec Reed Academy - Middlesex
St Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy - Derby
All 36 schools of the Our Lady of Lourdes Multi-Academy Trust
Charnock Hall Primary Academy - Sheffield
Bristol Brunel Academy - Bristol
Morley Place Academy - Doncaster
Jacksdale Primary School - Nottinghamshire
Leas Park Junior School - Nottinghamshire
Mo Mowlam Academy - Redcar
Langold Dyscarr Community School - Nottinghamshire
Pitsford School - Northampton
Riversdale Primary School - London
SS Mary and John Catholic Primary School - Birmingham
Barnhill Community High School - London
North Halifax Grammar School - Halifax
We are a newly registered charity dedicated to tackling knife crime.