Norwich school sent security email to parents shortly before pupil stabbing
Thorpe St Andrew School was put into lockdown after the incident in a maths block
Thorpe St Andrew School in Norwich sent a security-related email to parents less than an hour before a stabbing incident involving two pupils.
The message was delivered at 9:27am on Wednesday, just before a 10:25am stabbing occurred in the maths block, near the toilets.
The affected student was stabbed by another young person, reportedly leading the school to initiate a lockdown.
Armed police conducted campus and surrounding area searches following the attack and arrested a suspect, a 15-year-old boy, on a nearby street.
The email asked parents to verify and update their emergency contact details using the Arbor information management system.
Parents have since questioned whether the request was prompted by specific security concerns or any connection to the incident itself.
A spokesperson for the school clarified that the email was part of regular communications sent at least once a year to ensure up-to-date contact details for safeguarding purposes.
The spokesperson said, "One of these scheduled emails was sent out prior to the incident at Thorpe St Andrews yesterday to ensure we have the correct contact numbers for pupils, to support us with safeguarding."
They emphasized, "The safety of all of our students is our highest priority and this was a request to update our parent portal. It was not related to the events that then unfolded during the day."
Norfolk County Council stated it had no involvement with the prior message.
For nearly four hours after the stabbing, no further communication was provided to parents until an email at 1:15pm informed them that the lockdown was lifted and pupils could leave.
During this period, while students hid under desks and teachers used cabinets to barricade doors, over 100 parents gathered at the school gates seeking information.
Parents voiced their frustration at the school's lack of communication and relied on media, police updates, and messages from their children for information.
Reportedly, the school disabled its internet connection as an emergency measure to prevent rumor spread among pupils.
Some students' phones were confiscated during the lockdown.
Police and headteacher Penny Bignell jointly decided to conclude the lockdown.
Bignell described the day as “incredibly traumatic” in a later communication sent to parents.
Norfolk County Police reported the victim sustained minor injuries and the suspect, identified as a 15-year-old white British male, remains in custody at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre.
Authorities confirmed no connection between the stabbing and a separate recent incident of antisemitic abuse involving Thorpe St Andrew students.
The school has since reopened, with parents allowed flexibility on when their children return.