NEW powers could be given to headteachers to search pupils they suspect are carrying weapons.

The Welsh Assembly Government will soon begin a consultation on whether to go ahead with the plans after children as young as five years old were found using dangerous weapons in schools.

According to figures released by local authorities, teachers across Wales have dealt with pupils brandishing items including BB guns, knives and other imitation firearms.

Details of every incident reported to local education authorities in Wales revealed that almost all of the children caught in possession of weapons were under the age of 15.

In cases where the weapons were used to cause harm or injury, teachers called the police to deal with the students. Some pupils were even given a formal caution.

At present schools can search a pupil's desk or locker without their consent, and their bag or jacket with their consent.

Only the police can do a personal search of a pupil. The police can also enter a school to carry out a search without the headteacher's consent or do an unannounced, general search in a school.

An Assembly Government spokesman said: "It is essential that headteachers in Wales have as many options as possible to help them foster an environment in which all members of the school community can thrive and feel respected, safe and secure.

"This includes the powers necessary to run a safe school, along with clear guidance to ensure that these powers are operated safely and fairly. We will shortly be consulting on the introduction of a new power for headteachers to search a pupil whom they reasonably suspect to be carrying a knife or other weapon on his person or in his belonging.

"The consultation on the new power contained in Section 42 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 and associated guidance will take place in autumn 2009.

"It should be noted, however, that this new power is just that - it is not a duty. Any school which suspects knife-carrying will still be able to choose whether to conduct a search, or call the police to do so."

The National Union of Teachers said the threat of students bringing weapons to school was putting teachers under a lot of unnecessary stress.

The union's Welsh secretary David Evans said: "Teachers are going to school to do a job of work and should not expect to be placed under any threat by their pupils.

"Teachers face all sorts of challenging behaviour in schools these days and this just puts a teacher under even more stress.

"And it will put other teachers who are not directly affected by it under stress too because they will be aware that it is going on.

He added: "Personally I can't see any justification for a pupil having a weapon in a school. It is a very serious matter.

"We would expect a school in such circumstances to take the strongest possible line, especially if the students are found to be brandishing a weapon.

"It is my belief that extreme cases deserve extreme measures."

Teacher Support Cymru said teachers could not be expected to be held accountable for the escalating problem in Wales.

Chief executive Patrick Nash said: "It is important to emphasise, however, that teachers cannot be expected to act as police officers in their communities or be responsible for addressing social challenges outside of their control."

Boy, 9, had knife

Almost all the incidents of students taking dangerous weapons to school involved under-15-year-olds, according to responses made under the Freedom of Information Act.

In one case, a nine-year-old primary school pupil took a kitchen carving knife to school. He then brandished the weapon in the playground before running around with it, terrifying his teachers and other students.

But despite calling the boy's behaviour "threatening and dangerous", the school in Flintshire decided to suspend him on temporarily, rather than exclude him permanently. He was then given a place in another primary school in the area.

The youngest pupil found with a weapon was just five years old from the Neath Port Talbot area.

In another incident, a nine-year-old was also found with a knife at Milton Junior School, in Newport, last year.

And at the Lliswerry High School, in Newport, a 13-year-old boy who took a BB gun into school last year was reported to the police, but not suspended as a result.

Just last month a 14-year-old girl at the same school was also searched by the police after she was found with a knife, but then not disciplined.