Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Carmen Aguilar García, Sally Weale and Johnny McDevitt

Thousands of child-on-child sexual offences reported at schools in England and Wales

A girl with a ponytail and backpack walks away through a crowd, in blue-tinted monochrome
Girls are more likely to be victims of sexual offences than boys, according to the analysis. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images

Lawyers and campaigners have condemned the “horrifying” scale of child-on-child sexual abuse in schools after a Guardian investigation revealed at least 1,700 sexual offences against under-13s, including multiple rapes, are reported to police every year.

Close to five sexual crimes against children aged 12 and younger were recorded on average by police every day in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales, according to Guardian analysis of police data for 2021-25.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.