A JUNIOR school pupil took a knife into school.

Parents alerted Staff at Stanford Junior School in Stanford Road, Brighton after children arrived home and told them they had seen the boy with the knife

One child told a parent said their child came home and told them the blade was the size of a paring knife.

“I was alarmed, why did the pupil bring a knife to school?” the parent said.

In a letter sent to parents of children in the pupil’s class on Thursday headteacher Paul Davis said staff were alerted at the end of the school day.

He wrote: “Yesterday, we were alerted to a serious matter involving a pupil in your child’s class. We understand that other children in the class had been aware of the situation and did not speak to school staff but may have spoken to you about it.

"Staff were first alerted to this at the end of the school day and took immediate action, speaking to both the pupil and their parent.”

Yesterday he sent a further message confirming the knife.

He said: “The incident I referred to was that staff were made aware, just before home-time on Wednesday, of claims that a pupil had brought a small knife into school which the child kept in his school bag.

“We very quickly established that this was indeed the case, and took immediate and appropriate action in line with school policy and guidance from specialists within the local authority.”

“I would like to underline that no child was harmed.

“I have also been made aware of a further rumour that the child who brought the knife in did so as a response to being attacked/threatened with a pair of scissors by another pupil.

“I have spoken to both families about this, and on their behalf I would like to make it absolutely clear that this rumour is completely untrue.”

The school has children aged seven to 11.

He said the school has sought specialist advice from the city council.

Mr Davis said the matter had been dealt with “in line with school policy”.

He wrote: “The children have had an opportunity to meet with me to share their thoughts and feelings, and I have met with all of the children that requested this.

“The children have been reassured that measures have been taken to keep them safe. They have also been reminded of the importance of sharing any worries or concerns immediately with a trusted adult in school and also at home.”

Parents at the school gate were shocked and worried by the revelation. On being told of the reports on Wednesday one parent said: “It is shocking.”

“I had not heard that anything had happened.”

Another parent said: “I did not expect it to happen, especially in an area like this. It is shocking. We are hoping to hear more about it with a newsletter from the school.”

A spokesman for Stanford Junior School told The Argus: “We would like to reassure parents that their children were not put at risk.

"The incident was dealt with effectively and immediately by the class teacher in line with the school’s behaviour policy, and support was offered to any children or parents who required it.

"Our priority is to ensure a safe learning environment for all our children.”