School Failed to Act on 130 Violent Incidents Before Pupil's Murder
An independent review commissioned by All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield has uncovered multiple systemic failures that preceded the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose by a fellow pupil. The report, published on the first anniversary of Harvey's death, reveals the school missed numerous opportunities to intervene before the tragedy unfolded.
Missed Opportunities and Systemic Failures
The comprehensive review identifies several critical areas where the school failed to protect Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed outside the school canteen in February 2025. Mohammed Umar Khan, also 15 at the time of the attack, had brought a 13cm hunting knife into school on the day he fatally stabbed Harvey. Khan has since been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years.
The report highlights four primary failures:
- Failure to review previous violent behaviour: The school did not properly review or act upon 130 documented incidents of violent and weapons-related behaviour by Khan at his previous school before his transfer to All Saints in spring 2024.
- Failure to investigate weapon reports: School authorities did not fully investigate claims from other students that Khan had brought both a knife and a BB gun on a school trip in October 2024.
- Failure to follow up on weapon discovery: When an axe was found in Khan's bag at his home in December 2024 and reported to police by the school, no adequate follow-up action was taken.
- Failure to conduct physical search: Despite fresh allegations about Khan carrying a weapon on the day of the stabbing, and a teacher directly asking him if he was armed, no physical search was conducted.
Family's Devastation and Calls for Transparency
Harvey's parents, Mark and Caroline Willgoose, have expressed their profound devastation upon reading the report's findings. "Reading the findings of this report has been devastating," Caroline Willgoose stated during a Sheffield news conference. "To see in black and white the chances there were to step in, the signs that were missed and how many opportunities there were to protect my boy is something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. Harvey deserved better."
The family revealed they have received no formal apology from the school since the report's publication. "We would like one," Caroline Willgoose added. While the full report has been shared with Harvey's family, only an abbreviated version has been made available to the media.
The Willgoose family is now calling on the school's trust, St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, to publish the complete report for full transparency. "No other family should have to sit in court listening to how their child was killed, or have to read a report that lays bare how their child could have been better protected," Caroline Willgoose emphasised.
School Response and National Implications
Steve Davies, Chief Executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, acknowledged the tragedy in a statement to Sky News. "Harvey's death was a profound tragedy for our community and our thoughts remain with his family," he said. "It is clear that the report identifies areas for improvement, including in relation to our processes, information-sharing, and training."
Davies confirmed the school has "already implemented a number of robust measures over the last year" to address the identified shortcomings. The independent review makes ten specific recommendations for improvement, including:
- Mandatory record-sharing at the outset of any pupil school transfer
- Development of a clear weapons-response policy
- Creation of national guidance on how schools should respond to knife possession reports
A Department for Education spokesperson confirmed they will "reflect on the report findings" and encouraged "all schools to do the same." The case has raised significant questions about information sharing between schools and systemic approaches to pupil safety across the education sector.
