North Tyneside school opens again today after major incident
A Tyneside school has reopened today after going into lockdown earlier this week.
On Monday, January 26 John SPence Community High School in North Tyneside was closed after reports of a man with a suspected weapon outside the premesis.
This caused the school to close, with no one able to enter or exit the site.
The news was sent as an update to parents just before 2:30pm on Monday.
A statement from the school, released in the hours after the incident, included: “The police will be following up with their enquiries around the area, but there is nothing to suggest there is any direct threat to the school.
“Once initiated, a lockdown can only be ended by the Police meaning that the school day finished 10 minutes later than usual. We were in constant contact with the Local Authority and the Police as the situation developed.
“The decision to go into lockdown was necessary, but I do not underestimate the anxiety that this will have caused some students and parents. We will speak to students tomorrow to reassure them. The priority throughout was to keep your children safe and you updated.”
The school has confirmed to NewcastleWOrld it has reopened as usual today.
Following the closure, a Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 2.15pm today (Monday), we received a report of suspicious activity on Preston Road North in North Shields.
“It is understood a male who was sighted at a bus stop on the road was thought to be carrying a suspected weapon.
“Officers attended to carry out enquiries and offer reassurance to the wider community, however the person in question had left the area.
"A decision was made by some of the schools in the nearby area to go into a voluntary lockdown for precautionary measures which ended a short time later.
“Enquiries remain ongoing, and anyone with concerns is encouraged to speak with an officer on duty."