Pupils at Co-op Academy Walkden in Salford were kept inside at lunchtime on Wednesday as a precautionary measure following reports of an individual with a knife in the local area. This incident comes just a day after a teacher and two students were stabbed at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley.
Precautionary Lockdown
Parents were notified shortly before 1pm that police had been alerted and were dealing with the situation. The school stated there was no known threat to the academy but kept all pupils indoors during lunch as a safety measure. Greater Manchester Police confirmed they responded within 10 minutes of the call, but initial enquiries found no confirmation that a knife was actually seen. The informant later said they had heard about the weapon through friends rather than seeing it themselves.
Previous Day's Stabbing
On Tuesday, a male staff member was stabbed in the neck, a 14-year-old girl suffered knife injuries to her shoulder, and a 14-year-old boy sustained injuries to his ear at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley. A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault and remains in police custody. The Co-op Academies Trust confirmed the incident occurred shortly after the start of the school day, praising staff for acting bravely to detain the pupil before emergency services arrived.
School Response
In a message to parents on Wednesday, Co-op Academy Walkden 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. We will update you as soon as we know more information from the police.' Parents were asked not to contact their children directly. The trust also addressed security concerns, stating the academy follows Department for Education guidance but had no reason to conduct a search on any student that morning.
Parents and relatives expressed shock at the events, which have raised concerns about school safety in the area. Police continue to investigate both incidents.
