A courageous teacher allegedly stabbed by a teenage boy in a secondary school had been attempting to break up a fight between two pupils, it was today claimed.
Jamie Sansom has been hailed a hero for his actions by parents, who claimed he was trying to protect a child from being attack at Tewkesbury School, in Gloucestershire.
The maths teacher from Newport, Wales, was allegedly knifed in the corridor, police said, before being rushed to hospital in a stable condition.
The teenage suspect, from Tewkesbury, fled the scene and was later arrested by armed officers in the nearby Stoke Orchard area on suspicion of attempted murder and a knife was recovered.
Mr Samson was praised as a ‘wonderful teacher’ by parents, with one describing him as ‘one of the best teachers I’ve ever met’, before adding: ‘Maths can be a difficult subject to teach and he has had outstanding results with his pupils.’
This morning’s drama took place shortly after 9.10am and triggered a major response from cops, with armed police swarming the secondary.
The school was locked down as the crisis unfurled, while pupils at the adjacent primary school and nursery were also confined to their classrooms.
Maths teacher Jamie Sansom was rushed to hospital this morning after reportedly being knifed by the boy at Tewkesbury School, in Gloucestershire
The maths teacher from Newport, Wales, was allegedly knifed during the clash before being rushed to hospital in a stable condition. Pictured are police outside the school
The nightmare attack took place shortly after 9am today. Pictured are worried parents and guardians outside the school
Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone told reporters outside Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucestershire: ‘Just after 9am we received a call from someone telling us about a threat to a teacher at Tewkesbury Academy.
‘Minutes later we received a call from the ambulance service telling us that a male teacher had been stabbed in a corridor at the school.
‘He was taken to hospital with a single stab wound and remains in a stable condition.’
Terrified parents scrambled to the school gates to find out what happened following the attack, after having been urged to stay away and instead go to the nearby Dobbies Garden Centre, where police would offer assistance.
But many ignored the plea, with at least 100 panicked guardians being pictured outside Tewkesbury. One horrified mother, who rushed to the school in a taxi, told GlouchesterLive: ‘I’m not going to a garden centre when there’s there’s an armed standoff at my children’s school.’
Police were alerted to the incident about 9.10am amid calls a pupil had stabbed a teacher. Armed officers with dogs entered the school shortly after alleged stabbing.
Three ambulances were sent to site, before Mr Sansom was taken to Gloucester Royal Hospital with injuries that are reportedly not thought to be life-threatening.
Mr Sansom has been a maths teacher in Gloucestershire since September 2017, having graduated from Cardiff University, according to his LinkedIn profile. He grew up in Wales and was the former head boy at Duffryn High School, in Newport, Wales.
There were tearful scenes this today as pupils were reunited with their parents following the incident.
Among the parents was Michelle Smith, who was waiting for her 13-year-old son Alex, who is in Year 8.
Speaking outside the school, Alex said: ‘The school had just started, and we went to our first lesson and we didn’t know what was going on but it was alright until the teacher locked the door and we were in that same lesson for four or five hours.
Parents and pupils were seen outside the school after the lockdown was lifted
An adult has been taken to hospital and a teenage boy arrested after a suspected stabbing at a secondary school in Gloucestershire. Police were called to Tewkesbury School in the town of the same name at around 9.10 this morning with a report that a pupil had stabbed a teacher. Above: Police at the scene. Tewkesbury School shares an entrance with the adjacent Alderman Knight School (sign pictured)
About 100 parents and locals reportedly gathered outside the school following reports of a stabbing this morning
‘We didn’t know what was going on, but we weren’t worried, and we weren’t that scared because we were fine.
‘We were in the classroom and couldn’t really see any police cars but when they let us go to the toilet and we went downstairs we could see lots of police cars and we still didn’t know what was happening and people told us what was happening when we went downstairs.
‘Then the assembly happened, and we understood what was going on. It is quite sad, and I don’t know why it happened and I am not sure of much of the details.
‘The police came and just said the incident has happened and they were sorry for the inconvenience. We didn’t get any details until the assembly. In the assembly they told us a member of staff had been hurt.’
The teenager said the teacher who had been injured was one of his favourites at the school and organises a lot of the school trips.
‘He is a nice teacher and he does a lot of events,’ he added.
Speaking to The Telegraph, another relieved parent said: ‘Thank goodness, it’s all over.
‘I hope Mr Sansom pulls through ok. He is a wonderful teacher and I wish him a speedy recovery.’
Sarah Penny texted her daughter, a pupil at the school, to find out if she was safe as armed police headed into the grounds.
She told Sky News: ‘She texts me back and said it’s really scary. And I asked her if she was safe and she said we’re stuck in a classroom.
‘I said just stay put and do what they tell you, we’re coming down to the school. She went ‘Mum I’m really scared’… they had armed police and the dogs were out.’
Armed police were called and the teenage suspect was arrested a short time later on suspicion of attempted murder. Officers are pictured outside the school this morning
The incident left parents and pupils emotional. Pictured are people embracing one another outside the school
Paramedics were scrambled to the scene and transported one teacher to hospital with stab wounds
An officer is pictured speaking to one concerned woman following this morning’s alleged stabbing in Tewkesbury
News of the attack shocked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who expressed his condolences. While Education Secretary Gillian Keegan added she was ‘deeply concerned’ by the alleged attack.
Lockdown has since been lifted and parents have since been told their children can leave, with parental permission.
Lockdown has since been lifted and parents have since been told their children can leave, with parental permission.
Tewkesbury School, which was founded in 1972 and became an academy in 2012, has around 1,400 students aged 11 to 18.
It was downgraded from ‘Good’ to ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted after its last inspection in October.
Headteacher Kathleen McGillycuddy was appointed last year. In a statement today, she said: ‘We appreciate that this morning has been a worrying time for all associated with Tewkesbury Academy.
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‘We are writing to reassure you that all pupils remain safe and well.
‘We were alerted shortly before 9am this morning to reports of a serious incident which left a male member of staff in need of hospital treatment.
‘The school was locked down and police were called immediately when we became aware of this incident.
‘We have since been taking advice from the Police on when and how to share updates with you.
‘In the last few minutes Police have arrested a teenage boy in connection with this incident.
‘In conjunction with Police advice the lockdown remains in place as a precaution. We hope to be able to provide a further update once cleared by Police in the near future.
‘Thank you for patience and understanding at this difficult time.’
Education Secretary Ms Keegan said: ‘I am deeply concerned by reports of a stabbing at Tewkesbury School.
Police at the Alderman Knight School after nearby Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucestershire, was locked down after a teenage boy was arrested following reports a pupil stabbed a teacher
‘We are closely monitoring the situation and remain hugely grateful to the emergency services who are currently on the scene.
‘My department is on hand to support the school as the situation unfolds.’
Rishi Sunak’s thoughts are with those impacted by the incident at a school in Tewkesbury, Downing Street added.
‘He wants to thank the police and emergency services for their ongoing response.’
Meanwhile, Laurence Robertson, the MP for Tewkesbury, said: ‘It’s a very shocking, very sad, very worrying incident which has taken place and my heart goes out to everybody that’s involved.
‘It’s a very shocking incident. Weapons have no place in a school, certainly not in society, certainly not in a school, this is very, very sad, and as I say, this is quite worrying.’
A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service said: ‘We were called at 09:08hrs to an incident in Tewkesbury on Monday 10 July.
‘We sent three double-crewed land ambulances and two operations officers. We conveyed one patient by land to Gloucester Royal Hospital.’
Earlier, at least three police patrol cars were parked on the school grounds while uniformed officers stood on duty at the entrances.
However, a convoy of six unmarked police 4×4 vehicles – believed to contain armed officers – has now left the school.
A Gloucestershire Police spokesman said: ‘An adult has been taken to hospital with a suspected stab wound following an incident at Tewkesbury School. ‘We were called around 9.10am today (Monday) with a report a pupil had stabbed a teacher. A teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the incident’
Police were seen inside the school following the alleged stabbing, which left a male teacher injured
All of the officers in those cars had their faces covered as they drove away.
Parents of pupils at Tewkesbury School were sent a message at 9.30 this morning advising them that the school had gone into lockdown.
It read: ‘A message to all parents and carers: Tewkesbury Academy has gone into lockdown this morning.
‘Please do not attend the site or ring. We will make more information available shortly.’
Some parents have since criticised the school over how they were kept informed about the crisis.
One said: ‘[It’s a] shame Tewkesbury school can’t let us parents know what’s happening.’
Another added: ‘All we were sent was an email to say the school is in lockdown and not to ring or go there.
‘Then everyone’s sees armed police, ambulance, helicopters.
‘Us parents will think the worst, especially those with children either not answering their phone or it’s off.
‘So many people saying what is happening but no facts. And then this post from the police.
‘The school is going to get ALOT of complaints.’
Erica Farley, who has a child attending Tewkesbury Academy, added: ‘As an ex-emergency services member, this is a very sad and worrying time for Tewkesbury School.
Police have arrested one boy following the alleged stabbing. Officers are pictured this morning outside Tewkesbury School
Tewkesbury School in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, is in ‘lockdown’, according to police
‘As a parent, I am obviously concerned for my son, but very happy in the knowledge that the staff at the school and the police have provided an incredible response in keeping our children safe and have brought this to a swift conclusion.
‘It is worrying that these things can happen in any school and all the more important that as parents we take responsibility for teaching our children awareness of the destructive nature of this type of incident.
‘As a family, our thoughts go out to the teacher concerned and hope for a speedy recovery.’
The adjacent Tirlebrook Primary School, which also contains a nursery, was also locked down, according to a statement on Facebook.
The school said: ‘An incident has occurred this morning at Tewkesbury Academy and we have been advised by Tewkesbury Police to put in place a lock down,’ they said.
‘We have a police presence at school and are being fully supported at this time. We would like to reassure all families that children at Tirlebrook and Little Oaks are safe and well.
‘We must ask that families do not come to school during this time as this could compromise the police operation currently underway and also compromise the safety of the children.
‘During this situation all school staff will be supporting the children and liaising with the police so we would ask that you do not attempt to communicate with the school office.
‘We thank you all for your support and will update you as soon as possible when we know more.’
The school lockdowns and police response led to delays on the nearby A438 Ashchurch Road, which was partially blocked in both directions.
