Schoolboy suspended over knife

From the archive, first published Monday 5th Mar 2007.

A 12-year-old boy has been suspended after bringing a penknife into school.

A member of staff spotted the youngster showing the knife to another pupil at Hanson School, in Bolton, Bradford, during a fire drill in the playground.

The pupil has now been excluded by the school for a fixed term pending further investigations.

Head teacher Susan Horsley said the boy had found the penknife in the street during the lunch break and showed it to another boy during the fire practice.

Mrs Horsley said: "As he was doing that, a member of our staff saw something she took to be suspicious. She spoke to the boy and he gave her a knife. The knife was immediately confiscated.

"We have done a thorough investigation of the circumstances in which it was brought into school and I have got statements to corroborate the boy's story that he found it on the street."

Mrs Horsley added: "The boy has been excluded from school for a fixed term because bringing a dangerous weapon into school, whether or not it was ill-judged or immature, is inappropriate and potentially dangerous behaviour. His parents are fully aware of it and supportive."

She said the knife should have been handed in to staff immediately.

Mrs Horsley said she had discussed the matter with a police schools liaison officer.