Metal detector wands being used in Norwich school following stabbing
Staff will use the handheld devices at Thorpe St Andrew School on a random basis, aiming to keep the site safe and check for prohibited items.
Metal detector wands are being brought in at a school near Norwich after a pupil was stabbed last month.
Thorpe St Andrew School says staff will use the handheld devices randomly as part of new safeguarding measures.
The school went into lockdown in March following the stabbing of a teenage girl - a 15 year old boy faces a trial for attempted murder in October.
Thorpe School has introduced updated safety measures to ensure students are safe, supported, and supervised at all times.
These measures encompass various areas of school operations, including access control, staff supervision, and student movement around the site.
The school premises are secured with gates and fences, with doors locked using ID cards, code numbers, or key locks.
Additionally, CCTV cameras monitor both internal and external areas.
Students are greeted by staff at the gates every morning, and if they need to leave, they are escorted to the gate.
Within lessons, classroom protocols now require students to remain in class until on-call support is requested.
Once requested, staff escort students to where they need to go, promoting supervision across all areas of the school.
This applies even to those with toilet or timeout passes, ensuring immediate, guided care for students feeling unwell.
During busier times like lesson changes, staff are on patrol to supervise key points both inside and outside, including crossing areas.
The school has also implemented protocols for lunchtime supervision, ensuring staff in high visibility vests monitor open-plan areas like toilets, the field, and canteen.