Shocking new figures show 484 deadly weapons including knives, axes and a meat cleaver were seized from children in Scottish schools.
Weapon seizures included : a knife from a six-year-old; machetes taken from three 14-year-olds; a meat cleaver from a 13-year-old; an axe from a 15-year-old and sharpened screwdrivers from a gang of 12-year-olds.
Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request to police forces across the UK, revealed that 1,145 weapons were seized on school grounds between 2006 and 2010 of which 484 were seized by officers in schools across Scotland..
Strathclyde was at the head of the list of with 373 weapons (as well as 199 drugs seizures), the highest in the UK. Moreover, 20,841 violent crimes were reported on school grounds – 2,633 in Scotland.
Following these figures, some are calling for head teachers to be given the power to search students suspected of carrying weapons.
The Scottish Government says it is tackling the problem by educating young people with a number of anti-violence projects in schools such as, No Knives, Better Lives.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Possessing any form of weapon in schools is not acceptable nor is violence to staff or pupils. We are working with schools and local authorities through anti- violence campaigns to ensure the level of incidents is further reduced and, if possible, eliminated.”