Knife arches in schools are welcome - but who is going to pay for them?

6 February 2025, 19:17 | Updated: 14 February 2025, 18:05

The Home Secretary has told LBC she supports the introduction of knife arches in schools, but without proper funding, this policy will struggle to become reality.

Too many children are carrying knives, often bringing them into school, putting their classmates and teachers at risk.

Knife arches could be a crucial part of the government’s strategy to make schools safe again - but someone needs to foot the bill.

Yvette Cooper told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC that she supports schools using metal detectors to catch knives being carried by pupils.

LBC listener Lisa Theobald, whose 20-year-old son was stabbed to death in Doncaster, called in to urge the Home Secretary to roll out metal detectors in schools nationwide.

Cooper responded, telling Lisa: “Already, schools can use those sorts of metal arches and things like that, and I would support schools that want to do that, because schools need to be kept safe.”

She’s absolutely right - schools dealing with knife crime should be able to clamp down in this way - but without government funding, it’s simply not feasible.

Metal detector arches cost thousands of pounds. A single walk-through detector could set a school back as much as £7,500 – an impossible expense for most state schools.

The government must provide funding so that headteachers can invest in this vital, life-saving equipment.

Knife arches will only work if every school that needs them has access. They shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for those that can afford it.

The Home Secretary told Nick there’s a need for “proper intervention” to tackle knife crime. She’s right. This is exactly the kind of intervention required.

Cooper also issued a stark warning to children tempted to carry blades: “Do not carry a knife. It’s dangerous, illegal, and makes violence worse.”

Again, she’s right – but strong words alone won’t keep children safe. Proper action is essential.

Schools should be places where children learn and thrive, not spaces where they fear which of their classmates might have a knife in their rucksack.

The most effective way to make schools safe again is to get knives out of the buildings. The Home Secretary knows this. Headteachers know it too - but they can’t afford to make it happen.

Metal detectors could be a game-changer in protecting our children. But someone has to pay for them.

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