Two teachers injured in a stabbing at a Welsh school have said they are struggling to comprehend what happened, and spoke of the “enormous impact” the incident has had on their “wonderful” pupils and colleagues.
Fiona Elias and Liz Hopkin paid tribute to emergency services workers and NHS staff after the stabbings in the playground at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire. The pair and a student were taken to hospital but have been discharged.
Elias, the assistant headteacher, said: “From the bottom of my heart, my family and I would like to say a huge thank you for all the messages we have received from far and wide over the past few days. I am deeply indebted to the police, ambulance service, and the NHS staff in Morriston [a hospital in Swansea] for their excellent care and quick response.
“Many thanks also to the air ambulance for their excellent care of my colleague, Liz. This is another example of how vital this service is to us in Wales. Three of us were taken to hospital with injuries, but this incident has had an enormous impact on my colleagues and the wonderful pupils we have at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
“I cannot comprehend what staff and pupils experienced on Wednesday. I would like to thank all members of staff for prioritising the welfare and safety of pupils at the school and the pupils for responding so maturely and sensibly in a situation that no one expects to happen.
“One of our school’s core values is resilience, and there is no doubt that pupils have demonstrated this value in coping with a situation they should never have experienced. The last few days have shown that there is no other community quite like the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman community, and we will be working to support each other in the coming days and weeks.”
Hopkin, the school’s additional learning needs coordinator, said: “I am deeply indebted to all the emergency services for their quick response and for the care provided to me and others who were admitted to hospital.
“Ysgol Dyffryn Aman is a big part of my life, and it is hard to comprehend that this has happened. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our school community for all the support and kind messages that I have received. I have been overwhelmed by the kindness from the close community that we have here. I believe what we need now is time to reflect on what has happened.”
A 13-year-old girl appeared in court on Friday accused of attempting to murder the two teachers and a fellow pupil.
The girl, who cannot be named because of her age, appeared at Llanelli magistrates court and was remanded into secure youth detention accommodation. She is due to appear at Swansea crown court next month.
During a brief hearing before a district judge, Mark Layton, on Friday, the teenager was also charged with the possession of a bladed article.
Dyfed-Powys police have also been investigating threats allegedly made by a 15-year-old boy that alluded to the incident.
Part of another Welsh school, the secondary campus at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Ebbw Vale, south Wales, was put into partial lockdown at about 10.20am on Friday after a teenage pupil allegedly received threatening messages. A boy was arrested away from the campus. He was released on police bail with conditions that prevent him from entering certain educational establishments, or the Amman and Gwendraeth Valley areas. Bail restrictions also include a curfew, and prevent him having unsupervised access to social media.
