Educating Yorkshire school placed in ‘lockdown’ after social media threats
The school that appeared in Channel 4 TV show Educating Yorkshire went into lockdown on Friday after pupils were threatened online.
Thornhill Community Academy in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, took the safety measure after threats were made to students on social media.
West Yorkshire Police officers were called to the school and covered all exits during the incident on Friday afternoon.
At 2.27pm on Friday, it sent a text message to parents that said: “The academy is in lockdown - this is a precautionary measure, all students and staff are safe.
“The academy is in lockdown as a result of information received about the end of the school day. All students are safe and there is no risk to staff or students.
“We are actively communicating with the local police and will be in touch as soon as possible. Please do not contact your child or turn up at the academy.”
Pupils were released shortly afterwards but police are looking into the circumstances that triggered the lockdown.
The school gained fame after it was the setting of the popular Educating Yorkshire documentary which was aired by Channel 4 in 2013.
The school on Valley Drive, which is run by the Share Multi Academy Trust, has so far declined to comment.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “At 2:12pm today [Friday], police were contacted by Thornhill High School [sic] in Dewsbury who advised they were taking security precautions following reported threats to pupils on social media.
“Local officers attended to liaise with staff regarding this matter and the pupils were released without incident a short time later. Enquiries are ongoing.”
The incident comes after several school lockdowns across the UK in recent months.
Just 30 miles away, Birley Academy in Sheffield went into lockdown on May 1 after two women in their 20s and a child were injured.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with three counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
On April 24, the same measure was taken at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, after a 13-year-old girl allegedly stabbed two teachers and a student.
The girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and will appear at Swansea Crown Court on 24 May.
