Counselling and support for Northland College staff and students after assault

Security at Northland College after an assault last week. Photo/Supplied

The principal of Northland College says staff and students have been offered support and counselling after a student, tutor, and teacher were attacked.

Two security guards have been manning the entrance of the Kaikohe school since Monday and will remain there for three weeks after a teacher and tutor were assaulted while trying to remove a person who was attacking a young man at the school last Friday.

In a statement, principal John Kendal said he was unable to comment on the incident as he did not want to jeopardise any police investigations or court proceedings, but said the school had been working with police and the Ministry of Education.

"We can also confirm that we have received a lot of whānau and community support and, contrary to some reports, have not had any staff resignations.

"All students and staff have been offered support and counselling and we have put in place additional safety measures (including security).

"At the same time our staff are working very hard to ensure that there are no ongoing distractions from our core business of educating our students, particularly at this busy time of year for learning and assessment," he said.

Northland College has offered counselling to staff and students after an assault at the school. Photo/Supplied

Police received a report of a group of males entering Northland College grounds just before 12pm last Friday.

A spokeswoman said one person received medical treatment at the scene but police were not aware of any weapons being used.

A 17-year-old male appeared on Tuesday in Kaikohe District Court charged with two counts of assault and is next due to appear on August 22 in Kaikohe.

Meanwhile, Katrina Casey, Ministry of Education deputy secretary of sector enablement and support, said the Ministry's education manager and traumatic incident team supported the school after it contacted the Ministry asking for help.

"We advised on support to help senior leadership manage their communications to the community. We also provided funding for security at the school, and additional counsellors to support students and staff. We remain in daily contact with the school," she said.

Casey said schools are required to have emergency management policies and procedures in place to manage emergency events, including a lock down procedure.

"If a school identifies a potential or actual incidence of violence toward students and staff that could/or has compromised their safety, the school should call the police immediately," she said.

While the Ministry of Education was unable to provide statistics on intruder assaults, figures show over the past five years in Northland there have been 1344 physical assaults on students by students, 1170 of which have resulted in a student being stood down and 174 in a student being suspended.

Meanwhile, in the same time frame, there have been 147 physical assaults on staff by students, 112 of which have resulted in a student being stood down while 35 ended in a student being suspended.

Casey said while an event like the attack at Northland College was hugely traumatic for the school and their community, it is comparatively uncommon.

"In this situation the school worked closely with the appropriate agencies and support networks to ensure student safety was re-established quickly, with mechanisms in place to ensure it stays this way.

"Parents should have confidence that schools have child safety and wellbeing as a high priority, and will do everything practically possible to ensure this," she said.