A school rated “Good” by inspectors just months ago, where pupils were said to feel “valued and safe”, became the scene of a terrifying stabbing attack on Wednesday morning, leading to the arrest of a teenage boy.
Norfolk Police were called to Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form on Laundry Lane near Norwich at 10.24am on 11 March 2026, following reports that a teenage girl had been stabbed. The girl was taken to hospital with what police confirmed were minor injuries.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested nearby on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and taken to Wymondham police investigation centre for questioning.
The Lockdown
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the school of 1,834 pupils was placed into a full lockdown. Pupils were told to hide under their desks, turn off their phones, and teachers barricaded classroom doors—a procedure one staff member described as “one of the things you practice, but never think you’ll do”.
Parents rushed to the scene as multiple police cars and ambulances converged on the gates. Genevieve Raghu, a trusted adult of a teenager at the school, described the situation as “terrifying” after receiving messages about the lockdown. One pupil, able to make contact, texted a family member “I am very scared”, while another simply said they “just want to go home”, according to reports in the Mail.
“When it comes to your child even minor injuries are terrifying. You don’t expect to come to school and get injured,” said parent Adam Howlett, who expressed concern about not being able to speak to his daughter. Children were eventually allowed to leave the school from around 1.15pm.
School Context and a Recent Shadow
The incident has cast a stark light on the mixed secondary school, which includes a sixth form of around 400 students and is run by the Broad Horizons Education Trust under headteacher Mrs Penny Bignell.
In its most recent inspection on 29 April 2025, Ofsted rated the school “Good”, noting that “Pupils enjoy coming to school, where they feel valued and safe.” This marked an improvement from a “Requires Improvement” rating in July 2022. It is worth noting that from September 2024, Ofsted no longer makes an overall effectiveness judgement in inspections of state-funded schools.
Norfolk Police have stated that Wednesday’s stabbing is not believed to be linked to a separate hate crime reported at the school just the previous week. That incident involved allegations of antisemitic chanting during an Under-15 national football tournament hosted at the school, featuring students from London’s Jewish Free School.
Witnesses to that event reported spectators shouting slurs including “Dirty Jews,” “Dirty Zionists,” and “Go back to the gas chambers,” with some repeatedly chanting “Jews”. A mixed-race student also reported experiencing a combined racist and antisemitic insult. Norfolk Police confirmed they were investigating those reports as a hate crime, and both schools involved launched internal reviews.
Adding to the disruption on the day of the stabbing, the school was also experiencing a significant power outage, which affected phone lines, internet access, and the kitchen, forcing a cold lunch service.
The investigation into the stabbing continues, with the suspect remaining in custody for questioning.
