Worthing: Youth arrested after walking into school with knife

Durrington High School went into lockdown this morning at around 9.30am after the girl was reported to have a knife in the school.

The school went into lockdown with parents reporting their children hiding under tables in classrooms.

Nobody was harmed in the incident and the school said students have returned to their normal timetables.

The school has previously addressed concerns of youth antisocial behaviour (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

In an email to parents seen by The Argus, the school confirmed that it had to go into lockdown because of someone with a knife.

The email from co-headteachers Shaun Allison and Chris Woodcock said: “As you will be aware there was a serious incident in school this morning where a young person came onto the site in possession of a knife.

“We immediately went into lockdown and within five minutes the police were on site and assisted staff to bring the incident under control.

“No one was harmed. We would like to thank our students and staff for their excellent response. The young person has been arrested and we are assisting the police with enquiries.

“We would also like to thank you for your support and cooperation. If any student would like further support we have advised them to speak to a member of staff. Students were quickly and calmly back onto their normal timetable.”

The school has not confirmed whether the person with the knife was a pupil.

Durrington High School was one of 11 in the Worthing area to write to parents about “ongoing reports of violence and antisocial behaviour” in December last year.

The school previously refuted claims in January that people had jumped over its walls “in balaclavas with knives”.

At the time, it said it would have gone into “full lockdown procedures and the police would have been called” if an incident such as this had taken place.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "At 9:37am on Thursday, July 20, police were called to Durrington High School to a report of a teenager believed to be in possession of a knife.

"Officers attended and at 9:43am a teenage girl was safely detained.

"She has been arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a bladed article in a public place and remains in police custody at this time."

Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter said: “I would like to thank Durrington High School staff for promptly reporting their concerns to the police, which allowed us to respond swiftly and take an individual into custody.

Police at the school this morning (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

“We will now work with the school to establish the full circumstances of the situation.

“I would like to reassure the public that this was a fast-moving, contained situation in which no-one was harmed, and there is no wider safety risk.”

Co-headteachers Shaun Allison and Chris Woodcock told The Argus: "This morning a young person with a small kitchen knife came on to the school site. 

"Our staff and students responded brilliantly, as we immediately initiated our lockdown procedures. This ensured all students were kept safe in a locked room, with a member of staff.  Police were also on site quickly to assist. 

"As a result of this response and with the support of the police, the incident was under control within five minutes and everybody was kept safe.  Parents and carers were kept updated throughout the incident. 

"Nobody was harmed or injured during the incident and the young person is now in police custody.  There is no further threat and the school day has continued as normal. 

"We would like to express our thanks to staff, students and parents for their support and cooperation and the superb way in which our whole community responded to this incident."