Investigation into knife crime and safety in schools

BRIDGEND council has given an update on a strategic group that was set up to investigate knife crime and safety in the county's schools.

- LEWIS SMITH

The group was first set up in February, 2025, to “get to the bottom” of what was happening at schools in Bridgend county after an incident at Bryntirion Comprehensive - where a knife was reportedly found in a boy’s bag after an altercation between pupils.

Following the incident, members of the authority were told the group would be formed in order to help understand why this “worrying behaviour” was taking place.

It also followed a separate report earlier this year which said the number of permanent exclusions in Bridgend schools had trebled since the 2021-22 school year, with data showing “concerning trends” in pupil behaviour.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Martyn Jones, the council's cabinet member for education, said that while work was still at an early stage, the group - which includes teachers’ organisations and South Wales Police - was developing protocols to tackle incidents involving weapons and to establish more efficient ways of sharing information.