St Wilfrid’s R.C College re-opens after pupil’s death

St Wilfrid’s R.C College in South Shields reopened to students after one of their peers died after a ‘medical emergency’ on Thursday (December 18).

Emergency services including the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) helicopter rushed to the site just after 9.15am but the pupil was pronounced dead despite best efforts of medics.

All students were sent home, but the school re-opened on Friday (December 19), where mental health support and counselling was made available.

A statement from headteacher Catherine Lennox said: “Thank you for your support and understanding today, in what has been an incredibly difficult time for our school community.

“The respectful and responsible conduct from all our pupils should be commended.

“I am deeply grateful for your continued support. Please join us in sending heartfelt prayers to the student’s family and friends.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson previously said: “We were called to a medical incident on Thursday (December 18) on Temple Park Road in South Shields at 9.17am.

“We dispatched two ambulance crews, one critical care specialist paramedic, one clinical team leader and were supported by our colleagues at GNAAS.

“Despite the best efforts of all our teams, the patient sadly passed away. This is a particularly tragic incident and we send condolences to all those affected.”

A GNAAS spokesperson added: “Our critical care team was activated at 9.33am to reports of a medical incident at a school in South Shields.

“We had a paramedic and doctor on board our aircraft and they arrived on scene at 9.46am.”