Teenager charged over attempted murder of school welfare officer

The teenage girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to appear at Grimsby Magistrates tomorrow.

She is also charged with carrying without good reason, a blade or sharply pointed article on school premises.

Joy Simon, 61, is “as well as can be expected” following the incident at Winterton Community Academy, near Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, on Monday morning, police said.

Chief Superintendent Christine Wilson, of Humberside Police, said: “Our inquiries are continuing and a police presence remains in the school as reassurance to pupils and staff.”

On Monday, Ms Wilson said the school had no history of violent incidents and remained open.

She said her officers responded to reports of a fight in an office in the school and stressed the incident did not happen in a class.

Headteacher Gareth Morris described the incident as horrific and said it was believed Mrs Simon was attacked with a small kitchen knife which was brought into school.

He said Mrs Simon is “a very well regarded member of staff - a very important member of our pastoral team”.

In a statement on the school website, Mr Morris said: “I am, however, happy to report that her injuries are not life-threatening and she is as comfortable as she can be under these circumstances.

“Our thoughts are with her and her family at this time.”

The incident comes after Spanish teacher Ann Maguire was fatally stabbed by 15-year-old Will Cornick while teaching a class at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds in 2014.

And Vincent Uzomah was stabbed in the stomach by a 14-year-old boy in a racially motivated attack in front of pupils at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford in 2015.