Weapons seized from schools

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/24/1879

 Version Date: 22/08/2024

The Performance & Analysis Department have provided the following information.

For Q1 & Q2 we have used the data sent on a previous FOI request (24/1797) about weapons in schools. This pulled from Niche all offences with a weapon in school offence code or all offences that have a weapon recorded along with the occurrence location of a school.

For Q6 & Q7 we have searched Niche for all occurrences of ‘violence against a person’ with the location subtype or address name of ‘school’. We have also included data relating to the victim and suspect occupation.

I have filtered out as many occurrences as possible from the downloaded data, such as location type that were not schools, occupations that were not school related. Only a manual review could confirm if the offence took place in a school and wasn’t outside it or reported there.

Also, due to the limited data in the occupation field, a manual review would be the only way to confirm if the occurrence relates to a student on student or student on staff scenario. Due to the large number of occurrences a manual review would exceed the appropriate limit under Section 12 of the FOI act.

Q1. How many weapons were seized from schools in the area covered by Dorset constabulary in the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 (up to Nov)

Q2. What category of weapon were these and how many of each were there?

	Count of occurences
Weapon type	2020	2021	2022 (to Nov)
Knife/bladed article	10	8	7
Metal bar	1
Kitchen knife			2
Total	11	8	9

 Q6. How many reports were received by police of violence by pupils towards school staff in schools or on school property in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 - up to the day you issue your response?

Q7. How many reports were received by police of violence by pupils towards other pupils in schools or on school property in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 - up to the day you issue your response?

 

Recorded occupation*		Year
Victim	Suspect	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024 (to date)
Pupil	Pupil	15	20	43	37	2
Staff	Pupil	5	7	5	5	1
Not stated	Pupil	37	51	81	57	19
Pupil	Not stated	32	31	50	50	14
Staff	Not stated	10	12	14	9	4
Not stated	Not stated	135	152	234	319	165
Total		234	273	427	477	205

 

*Pupil includes occupations of:

• Schoolboy
• Schoolgirl
• Full time student
• Student

*Staff includes occupations of:

• Caretaker
• Chef
• Classroom assistant
• College staff
• Educational welfare officer
• Maintenance employee
• Nursery nurse
• Nursery worker (Education)
• Personal assistant
• Receptionist
• School caretaker
• Secretary
• Teacher
• Welfare worker