Pupils 'assaulted with weapons'

The poll for G4S Security Services said the figure extrapolated to the whole country would be the equivalent of 530,000 youngsters of primary or secondary school age.

It also said nearly one in seven children had seen another child with a weapon such as a knife or air pistol in the last year.

Three quarters of parents questioned by pollsters said they believed the threat to their children had increased in the last 12 months.

A majority of parents backed increasing security at schools, with 67% supporting use of metal detectors and scanners.

A further 15% wanted to see private security officers permanently based in schools, said the poll for G4S, a company which provides security guards and other security services.

G4S's Douglas Greenwell said: "Although thankfully the number of fatal incidents in schools involving knives is relatively low, this research shows that the number of dangerous weapons taken to schools is still unacceptable.

"We fully support the Government's decision to allow random searches and screening of pupils as this will deter many children from taking weapons to school and should have a positive benefit outside the educational environment."

He added: "It's clear that there is overwhelming support among parents for greater security at schools. We are currently in talks with local authorities, police forces and head teachers' associations to provide random screening, searches and in some cases amnesties on behalf of schools in a way which will ensure the safety of pupils and teachers. Although we will train teachers to conduct searches where necessary, these tasks are better done by trained security officers."

Research company TNS conducted an online survey of 1,000 British children aged eight to 15 in May this year, and an online survey of 192 British parents.