Kesgrave High School has praised its students for their “exceptional” conduct in the aftermath of a horrific shooting in which a 15-year-old was left in a critical condition.
The shooting at 8.40am on Monday in Friends Walk, on the nearby Grange Farm estate, sent shockwaves throughout the community.
WATCH: Timeline of how Kesgrave shooting horror unfolded
The teenage victim was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries, where he remains in a critical condition several days later.
Naturally, the proximity of the incident to nearby Kesgrave High School - which many young people from the area attend - caused concern for many students and parents, even though police made clear they believed it was an isolated incident with no threat to the wider community.
Suffolk police’s new Kestrel team visited the school this week to carry out high visibility patrols and provide reassurance to the neighbourhood.
MORE: Police Kestrel team remains stationed outside Kesgrave High School
And now the school, which has also welcomed all students back for their first full day at school of the new term, has praised their response to what new headteacher Julia Upton described as a “serious incident”.
A blog post published on Kesgrave High’s website said: “The conduct of our students on the first full day of school for all students has been exceptional.
“In the light of the return to school for the first time in six months and the terrible incident, they have been quite remarkable.”
The school said it had been “struck and heartened by their handling of the most difficult of returns” and thanked the wider community and parents for “supporting them over a difficult 24 hours and encouraging them to come back to school as normal”.
The blog post added: “We have kept school life as normal as possible.
MORE: ‘I heard a gunshot’ - Kesgrave residents’ shock at shooting
“Our thoughts and prayers go to all those closely affected by the incident.”
The school also wants to “continue to provide a secure anchor to all our young people”.
A teenager, also 15, accused of the shooting has appeared in court this week in connection with the incident, charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of injury.
MORE: Second court appearance for teenager accused of shooting boy, 15, in Kesgrave
The boy spoke only spoke to confirm his name and was remanded in custody before his next appearance in court for a plea hearing on December 7.
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