Birley Academy in Sheffield reopens after attempted arrest

A Sheffield school has reopened for pupils after a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following an attack.

Police were called to Birley Academy at 08:50 BST on Wednesday after two women and a child were injured.

All three suffered minor injuries and one woman is believed to have been attacked with a piece of broken glass.

The school confirmed it had reopened on Thursday. South Yorkshire Police said the suspect remained in custody.

The force said there would be an increased police presence in the Birley area for the rest of the week as investigations continued.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, headteacher Victoria Hall confirmed the school would be open as usual on Thursday morning.

She said: “I just wanted to thank all of our students and staff who helped manage the situation this morning and our staff who prioritized the safety and well-being of all our students.”

Ms Hall added that the students had shown “exemplary behaviour” throughout the incident and thanked families and local communities for their support.

The school was locked down on Wednesday morning after the attack, with pupils not allowed to leave until around 11am BST.

Speaking at the scene, Sophie Jones said she received a text message from her daughter saying the school was “on lockdown, the lights were out, the doors were locked and she was hiding under her desk”.

“It was really scary. I asked her if she was joking because it seemed like a really surreal situation.

“She told me she’s been fine ever since and I’m pretty sure she’s safe.”

Nathan Henderson said he rushed to the school after his daughter texted to say she was “sitting under a table crying”.

“I was a little overwhelmed (when I got here) so I almost scaled the gates at one point,” he said.

One parent thanked the school for protecting the children, saying: “At the end of the day, they kept them as safe as they could.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said MPs’ “thoughts” were with those injured in the Sheffield attack.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she was “disturbed” to hear about what happened.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she said: “We are in touch with the school and my thoughts are with those injured and the entire school community affected by this appalling situation.”

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