Pupils could be chaperoned on way home from school to cut knife crime

EXCLUSIVE: Pupils could be chaperoned on way home from school to cut knife crimeUp to 250 schools in high knife crime hotspots will receive specialist training and support to divert children from serious violence under a new government-backed planCommentsNewsSophie Huskisson Political Correspondent22:30, 06 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesHeadteachers will be trained on knife crime risk, while chaperones could be deployed on school routes(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)Pupils could be monitored by chaperones on their walk to and from school in a bid to tackle spiralling teen knife crime.‌Up to 250 schools in high knife crime hotspots will receive specialist training and support to divert children from serious violence.‌Headteachers will be trained on knife crime risk, while chaperones could be deployed on school routes. Mentoring for high-risk pupils is also among solutions to be tried.‌The plans are part of a new Safety In and Around Schools Partnership, launched by the Government, that will invest £1.2million to support schools in areas of high knife crime and improve pupils’ safety on their way to and from school. Some 50 of the schools in areas with the highest rates of knife crime will receive more intensive support, including increased access to local support services.OPINIONPatrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust'Murder of teen was senseless and shows knife crime can strike any family'Crime