Pupils at Co-op Academy Walkden in Salford were kept inside at lunchtime on Wednesday as a precautionary measure following reports of a potential knife threat outside the school. This incident occurred just one day after a teacher was stabbed at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley.
Parents Alerted and Police Response
Parents were notified shortly before 1pm, with the school stating that police had been alerted and were dealing with the situation. Greater Manchester Police confirmed they responded within 10 minutes to reports of a person with a knife near the school. However, after initial enquiries, there was no confirmation that a knife was actually seen.
School's Message to Parents
In a message to parents, the school said: "We have been alerted to an unknown individual in the local area who reportedly has a knife. Police have been alerted and are dealing with this. In the meantime there is no known threat to our academy. As a precautionary measure all pupils are being kept indoors during lunch." Parents were asked not to contact their children directly.
Previous Day's Stabbing Incident
On Tuesday, two pupils and a male staff member were injured at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley. The staff member was stabbed in the neck, a 14-year-old girl suffered knife injuries to her shoulder, and a 14-year-old boy suffered injuries to his ear. A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault and remains in police custody.
School Security and Trust Response
Co-op Academies Trust confirmed that the Tuesday incident occurred shortly after the start of the school day. Staff acted bravely to quickly detain the pupil before emergency services arrived. The trust stated that the academy follows Department for Education guidance on screening and searches but had no reason to conduct a search on any student that morning. Parents and relatives expressed shock at the events.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "We were called at around 12.20pm today following reports of an individual seen near a school with a knife. Officers attended promptly and were on scene within 10 minutes. Following initial enquiries, there is currently no confirmation that a knife was seen. The informant has since stated they did not see a weapon themselves but instead heard it through friends. Officers continue to carry out enquiries to establish the full circumstances."
