STATEMENT FROM PENISTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER
Dear Parents / Carers,
Thank you for your patience, understanding and support this morning.
At approximately 8:30am, we made the decision to implement our full lockdown procedures. This was due to an unauthorised adult being present on the school site - outside the building, and at that stage we were unable to confirm that the individual had left the premises. In line with our procedures, we immediately contacted the police and followed their guidance throughout.
Police officers worked alongside senior leaders to carry out a thorough search of the site. Once the police and school leaders were satisfied that the site was safe and secure, we were instructed to end the lockdown and return to normal school operations. There is no threat at all now and nobody unauthorised is on our school site.
We would like to reassure parents and carers that there were no weapons involved and no direct threats made towards the school, staff or students. The decision to initiate lockdown was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone on site.
We understand that incidents such as this can generate speculation and concern. We would respectfully ask parents, carers and students not to post unverified information on social media, as this can cause unnecessary anxiety and may hinder the accurate communication of information. The school will always communicate directly with families through official channels, including text messages and email, and we encourage parents to check these communications for updates.
Our staff are continuing to check in with students throughout the day to ensure they feel safe, reassured and supported. At present, there is no ongoing threat to the school and therefore no reason for students to be collected early. We kindly ask that students remain in school so that learning can continue as normally as possible and we can continue to provide appropriate support should any child require it.
The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our highest priority. Thank you again for your continued support and understanding.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Crook
Principal
Welcome from the Principal
Penistone Grammar School is thriving. With first class teaching, a ‘values driven’ approach to learning and a strong school community, Penistone Grammar School provides an excellent educational experience for students from year 7 through to year 13.
Everything we do is driven by our core values (Aim High; Be Determined; Be Kind; Be Supportive; Be Proud) and is underpinned by honesty, integrity and respect.
We believe the potential our students hold in terms of their personal achievement is limitless and our aim is to empower them so that they can go forward, prepared for whatever challenges they may face with absolute confidence, knowing they have the skills and qualities needed to succeed. Read more...