A 13-school trust has been issued an improvement notice over safeguarding failings after a pupil was murdered at one of its academies. Fifteen-year-old Harvey Willgoose was stabbed to death by Mohammed Umar Khan at Sheffield’s All Saints Catholic High School in February 2025. An external investigation conducted following the attack uncovered numerous failings, including 鈥渕ultiple instances of poor record keeping and communication鈥 in relation to safeguarding matters. And in an official notice to improve, , Department for Education officials told St Clare Catholic MAT, which runs All Saints, it had broken academy rules 鈥済iven the seriousness of the findings鈥. 鈥淚 recognise the cooperation and extensive discussions that have taken place between the trust and officials,鈥 they said. 鈥淗owever, this notice will be in place until such time as I have full assurances that there are appropriate and compliant safeguarding controls at the trust.鈥 鈥極versights and assumptions鈥 Khan, also 15, had deliberately concealed and taken a hunting knife into the Sheffield school, the . He had also ignored a friend鈥檚 plea to hand over the weapon that day to avoid doing 鈥渟omething stupid鈥. The teen stabbed Willgoose, a fellow All Saints pupil, twice, once in the chest and once to the abdomen. Khan was found guilty of murder and carrying a bladed knife onto school premises. He was sentenced to life, with a minimum of 15 years detention. The notice to improve stated the subsequent external investigation found 鈥渨eaknesses in the school鈥檚 organisational structure and systems which contributed to a series of oversights, assumptions and misjudgements鈥. This 鈥渁ffected safeguarding decision-making鈥. Guidance 鈥榥ot followed鈥 Government guidance for off-site provision also wasn鈥檛 followed, nor was 鈥済uidance for arranging managed moves鈥. The probe highlighted 鈥渕ultiple instances of poor record keeping and communication with relation to safeguarding matters鈥 and 鈥渁t least one instance of an unlawful suspension鈥. Other guidance around the possession of weapons and searching, screening and confiscation was not followed. 鈥淕iven the seriousness of the findings of the external review, it is clear that the trust board has failed to comply with the safeguarding measures outlined in鈥 the academy trust handbook,鈥 the notice added. 鈥淚 understand that this decision may be disappointing and want to assure you that I recognise the positive action the trust has taken to date to address the concerns.鈥 Notices to improve are issued when the DfE has concerns about financial management or governance in an academy trust. The documents describe what a chain must do to to address the concerns. Failure to comply with the terms of a notice can trigger the termination of a trust’s funding agreement and the rebrokerage of one or more of its schools. Metal detectors The trust told Schools Week it has introduced handheld metal detectors to be used by trained staff if they suspect a pupil of 鈥渃arrying any banned objects鈥. Refresher sessions 鈥渙n safe student restraint鈥 have been held for staff and a bleed kit donated by a charity connected to Harvey鈥檚 mother, Caroline, has been installed. South Yorkshire Police is also holding a monthly drop-in session 鈥渢o allow students to share any concerns and learn more about knife crime in a safe space鈥. Oasis Community Learning Trust has also provided St Clare with 鈥渁dvice and support on student mental health and safety鈥. The trust has also worked with Unravel, a children鈥檚 psychological support charity, to help staff spot signs of trauma among pupils and to manage youngsters鈥 welfare at 鈥渄ifficult times鈥. An on-site educational psychologist has also been brought in. Safeguarding 鈥榦ur highest priority鈥 The notice ordered the trust to 鈥渞eview and update (where necessary) its current safeguarding policies and establish a process for regular updates and compliance checks鈥. It must commission another external review 鈥渢o identify any gaps and recommendations for improvement鈥 and ensure 鈥渁ll arrangements for transfers, offsite directions, managed moves and reintegration meetings following suspensions鈥 comply with statutory guidance. A St Clare spokesperson stressed the trust is 鈥渨orking closely with the DfE鈥 and has made progress on each of the seven actions the department has asked to be delivered. 鈥淔rom the outset, we have proactively engaged with the statutory safeguarding agencies and will continue to do so with a clear focus on providing the best possible environment for students. 鈥淪afeguarding will always be our highest priority, and we remain fully committed to supporting our whole community as we move forward together.鈥