School to hold review over stabbing

STAFF at a Suffolk school will be conducting a review into their response to a stabbing incident involving two pupils.

And the head of Stradbroke High School, Dave Shorten, today spoke of the "fantastic" support being received from the local community and further afield.

The head master said the school had received hundreds of messages of support in letters, cards, e-mails and telephone calls following the incident on May 9 in which 15-year-old pupil Ben Goddard received stomach wounds.

The boy, who was initially in a critical condition, has made such a good recovery that he was discharged from Ipswich Hospital on Monday but was re-admitted within 24 hours and is still being treated.

Another 15-year-old pupil has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and has been bailed to make a further court appearance in July.

Mr Shorten said the incident had been a shock to the whole community, including pupils, staff and governors, and to many other schools but the response had been most heartening.

"Flowers have been delivered to the school and we have had some wonderfully supportive messages, not only from parents but from schools throughout Suffolk and even as far away as Peterborough.

"One of the schools had also experienced a critical incident and could particularly sympathise because they knew what we were going through," he said.

Former headteachers and staff of Stradbroke High had also been in touch with expressions of support.

"It is obviously a very difficult time for the school but we are getting 100 percent support from everyone. It has been absolutely superb," Mr Shorten said.

"We will be undertaking a review to see if we can learn any lessons from our response to this incident but the initial conclusion is that staff reacted with the highest standard of professionalism," Mr Shorten said.

He added that the outcome of the review would be shared with other schools.