Children as young as seven have been caught with knives in schools across the West Midlands, according to a BirminghamLive investigation. Police have been called to educational premises on dozens of occasions since the start of last year, with a total of 96 knife-related offences recorded by West Midlands Police.
The youngest pupil involved was a seven-year-old at a school in Sandwell earlier this year. Police were also alerted to two separate incidents involving nine-year-olds in Birmingham. The figures cover all knife offences at education premises involving children under 17, which could include knives being taken into schools, found on premises, in pupils' possession, or in some cases used or used to threaten children.
Incidents by area
The highest number of incidents were recorded in Birmingham, which has the largest number of schools in the region. There were 57 incidents at Birmingham schools since the start of 2025, followed by 13 in Sandwell, six in Walsall and four in Wolverhampton. The data was obtained through a freedom of information request to West Midlands Police, though further details about specific incidents or schools were not provided beyond the town, city or borough.
Many of the incidents involved older schoolboys and sixth-form or college students aged between 15 and 17. However, there were also alarming cases involving younger children. Two 10-year-olds and nine others aged 11 were spoken to by police, and there were another 14 knife incidents involving 12-year-old pupils.
Age of criminal responsibility
Some of the children involved may have been arrested and taken into police custody. However, the children aged seven and nine were under the UK's criminal age of responsibility, which is 10. This means they could not be charged with a crime. The criminal age of responsibility is generally taken to mean the age when children should know what they are doing is against the law.
The investigation suggests that while knife incidents may be rare in schools overall, headteachers have to be alert to the threat of feuds and disputes spilling into classrooms, corridors and playgrounds. The figures highlight the need for schools to remain vigilant even when dealing with very young pupils.
