Staffordshire teachers can help #DitchTheBlade
In your role as a teacher, you have a vital part to play in helping tackle and prevent knife crime. You have a unique position and a relatively captive audience, who you can influence and guide to make the right decisions.
Talking about knife crime should be something done by schools, either within timetabled PSHE education lessons or other relevant subject areas, such as Citizenship.
It isn’t something that should only be discussed after an incident nearby or a specific concern about a pupil. Prevention comes from understanding, and this comes from education, which is of course where you come in.
Nationally, and locally, there are tools and guidance to help you approach this topic in an effective way.
On this page you’ll find everything you need to plan your lesson, but should you need more help and guidance you can contact SASCAL PSHE co-ordinator Vicki Spall - [email protected]
Knife crime needs to be talked about; it is happening in all areas of the country, your town, your street and potentially in your school. Your pupils could easily be involved. You have a duty to help them avoid this, to help them #DitchTheBlade
_#knifefree guidance notes for teachers
These PSHE lessons for key stage 3 and 4 students have been designed to help reduce knife crime by equipping teachers to challenge the myths and communicate the realities of carrying a knife among young people. The lesson plans use the Home Office’s #knifefree campaign as stimulus for discussion and activities.
Whilst it is important to raise the issue of knife crime, it is also important to emphasise that the vast majority of young people in this age range (99% of 10 - 29 year olds) do not carry a knife and this campaign focuses on celebrating those young people who, through their experiences, have chosen to live knife free.
Knife free teacher guidance pack
These guidance notes can be used alongside the presentations, lesson plans and resources listed below. The presentations can be adapted to suit your class.
The above role model presentation features Dean's story but there are others that you can consider using from the _#knifefree youtube channel. A couple others we’d recommend include:
#Knifefree Aliya's Story - Aliya saw someone get repeatedly stabbed and it affected her deeply. Copy this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/yirhxlgkqnu
#Knifefree Ben’s Story - Ben’s friend died from a stabbing and Ben was stabbed too. Copy this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/i2vd0-i_ndk
Through this page and your local contact we hope you’ll have everything you need to help tackle knife crime. However, should you need more help and guidance you can contact:
- PSHE Coordinator for Stoke on Trent, Miss E Chesterton, [email protected]
- PSHE Coordinator for Staffordshire, N McGrath, [email protected]
For specific concerns about a pupil please speak to your safeguarding officer initially, they can give you advice about speaking to the young person and/or put you in touch with the right agencies and support as needed. Remember, it’s better to do this sooner rather than later as young people are vulnerable and can be easily influenced.