School praised for speedy response to knife threat

Police are praising Hamilton Girls' High School's emergency procedures after a girl threatened other students with a knife late this morning.

Senior Sergeant Pete Van De Wetering said police were called to the school grounds shortly before lunch. They were now interviewing a 15-year-old student about the incident.

The school had been put into lockdown to ensure the safety of all students.

Principal Mary Anne Baxter told NZPA a Year 11 student walked into a classroom with a knife "looking for another student" and "threatening classmates".

The incident seemed to be in response to bullying.

"We are not able to tolerate in any way the way she approached the situation.

"There may still have been some girls who felt in danger. The purpose of the lockdown was to make sure all the girls felt safe."

Police credited the high school's effective emergency procedures in playing a major part in de-escalating the incident.

"That the matter was able to be resolved with a minimum disruption is a testament to the emergency procedures in place and obviously some very good work by the teacher involved.

"Though no injuries were suffered this was still a very serious incident," said Mr Van De Wetering.

He said police had yet to speak to the teacher who so far had been too upset to talk about the incident.

It was the second incident involving a knife at a school this week, after Te Puke High School teacher Steve Hose was stabbed in the back and shoulder by a student on Monday.

Mr Hose's injuries were not life-threatening.

- NZPA