Schools set alight weekly

Police are being called into Greater Manchester schools more than once a week to deal with arson attacks.

Figures uncovered by the Conservatives show that, in two years, Greater Manchester Police had to investigate 85 cases in which classrooms had been deliberately set alight.

Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said the statistics were “deeply worrying”.

Across England the police were called in to investigate 1,249 cases between January 2007 and December last year.

Shadow children’s secretary, Michael Gove said: “The large number of arson attacks is deeply worrying.

“A Conservative Government would give teachers the powers they need to deal with violence and remove disruptive pupils.

“We would also abolish the current Government guidance which tells teachers not to search children who refuse to be searched.”

The Tories want headteachers to have powers to ban, search for, and confiscate any item they think could cause violence or disruption in schools, including lighters and matches.

Children’s minister Delyth Morgan said headteachers have already been given the power to search pupils for weapons, and the Apprenticeships Children, Skills and Learning Bill making its way through Parliament would give them additional rights to search for alcohol, drugs and stolen property.

She said: “We are working with the Arson Prevention Bureau to cut the number of arson attacks on schools and local fire and rescue services also run schemes which target vandals or those showing an unhealthy interest in starting fires.”

She added if teachers suspect a pupil may be about to commit a crime they can — and should — call the police.

“Any child attempting to commit arson can expect to be arrested and face the full force of the law,” she added.