Daily police reports reveal dozens of child sexual offences in UK schools

A series of freedom-of-information requests to 43 police forces in England and Wales uncovered that police receive nearly five reports of sexual offences against children aged 12 and younger each day. From 2021 to 2025, at least 8,500 offences involving children 13 or under were recorded, including about 2,000 alleged rapes or attempted rapes, equating to one school-based rape allegation daily. Over one-third of the rape victims were younger than 13, and girls accounted for almost two-thirds of victims where gender was noted.

Most reports did not specify the accused's age, but they are likely fellow pupils, and many offences involved indecent images of minors. Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, warned that child-on-child sexual abuse in schools is pervasive and often concealed, calling for broader societal action.