The headteacher of a Welsh school where three people were stabbed has commended the calm and measured response of the staff and students to the incident.
Two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at Amman Valley School, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Carmarthenshire on Wednesday morning (April 24). Detectives are continuing to question a teenage girl on suspicion of attempted murder.
Emergency services, including the police, paramedics, and air ambulances, responded to the scene. The school went into lockdown just after 11:20 AM after the stabbing occurred at the end of the morning break. READ MORE: Detectives Continue to Quiz Girl After Teachers and Pupil Stabbed at Welsh School
Dyfed-Powys Police reported that two teachers and a teenage student were taken to the hospital with stab wounds. The injuries sustained were not considered life-threatening.
The school remains closed today (Thursday, April 25) as police continue their investigations. Students have been given the choice of continuing their classes online.
In an update posted on the school’s website, headteacher James Durbridge expressed his appreciation for the calm and mature response of the staff and pupils during the lockdown. He stated, “We are proud to have witnessed pupils embodying the school’s core values while supporting their peers and staff.”
According to Jonathan Edwards, the Independent MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, who spoke to Channel 5 News, the teachers were stabbed while attempting to intervene in an attack on a student. He mentioned that one teacher had been released from the hospital with injuries to their arm and hand, while the other was transferred to Cardiff due to more serious injuries.
It has been reported that Darrel Campbell, a teacher, intervened and disarmed the girl before the emergency services arrived. It is believed that he was not harmed during the incident.
At approximately 3:20 PM, after several hours under a “Code Red” lockdown, students were authorized to leave the school. Parents who had gathered outside the school were seen embracing their children with tears in their eyes as they exited through the gates.
Investigators in white forensic suits were observed examining an area near the main building of the school, with police stationed at the main entrance and surrounding streets. Police have requested that any footage of the incident shared on social media be removed to avoid causing distress to those involved.
The force has also urged the public to refrain from speculating while the investigation is ongoing. Dafydd Llywelyn, the police and crime commissioner for Dyfed-Powys, expressed his shock at the incident. Llywelyn extended his sympathies to those affected, including the pupils, teachers, and staff who witnessed or were involved in the ordeal, as well as the families and friends of the injured.
Llywelyn praised the individuals who brought the situation under control, as well as the emergency responders who ensured the scene’s safety and reassured the public. He emphasized the ongoing nature of the police investigation and the commitment of officers and staff to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Politicians across Wales and the UK expressed their shock and concern regarding the घटना. First Minister Vaughan Gething posted on X, formerly Twitter, acknowledging it as a “deeply worrying time for the school, families and community.” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, also using X, expressed gratitude to the police and emergency services for their efforts.
Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and a former student at the school from 1980 to 1987, described the incident as a “bolt from the blue.” He told the PA news agency that lessons should be learned to minimize the likelihood of such an event occurring again.
Mair Wyn, a governor at Amman Valley School for 34 years, remarked on the changing times and the growing risks associated with teaching. She expressed concern for the safety of teachers and acknowledged the shift in attitudes towards discipline in schools. She said, “It is a complete shock for the community. It’s an excellent school, the pupils are such lovely children and I can’t understand why this issue has happened, it’s unbelievable really.”
She added, “It’s a very big concern what the future will hold. The discipline has gone from schools. Times have changed. Things are happening now, a teacher’s job is very dangerous. I fear now for these two teachers that have been injured.”
“Times have changed in the last 10 years. You looked up to a teacher in my time, you were afraid of a teacher. But I think every school is under danger really when you think about it, you don’t know what’s around the corner.”
