Children to be taught about dangers of carrying a knife

Schools have been issued with new guidance on teaching children about the dangers of carrying a knife as part of Government efforts to tackle spiralling levels of violence.

Nearly 50,000 personal, social, health and economic and key stage 3 and 4 teachers in England have been provided with lesson plans designed to steer pupils away from knife crime ahead of the summer holidays.

The hour-long lessons aim to educate 11 to 16-year-olds about the dangers of social media, the potential impact of carrying a knife and possible strategies to resist peer pressure.

Last year, forces in England and Wales recorded 39,598 offences involving a knife or sharp instrument - a 22% increase compared with the previous 12 months.