Brent School Incident
11 February 2026
Dear Parents/Carers
Following the very disturbing events at a local secondary school, you will obviously and very reasonably be concerned about the safety of your children. I write now to reassure you of what is in place to maintain a safe and calm learning environment here at St James’ and to ask that we keep all affected by these events in our thoughts and prayers.
In line with all schools, we have clear policies and procedures in place to ensure your child and the wider school community is safe. Staff are on duty, outside of school, at the beginning and end of the day, and this includes supervision at the bus stops. Additionally, we have an urgent in school response system and a very secure site.
To support this we adhere to Department for Education (DFE) guidance that supports Searching, Screening and Confiscation. This guidance permits me as the Headteacher or those designated by me to carry out the search of a pupil or group of pupils where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a prohibited item may be about their person or persons. This guidance sets out the scope of any search that may be undertaken and is in place both to ensure the school environment and all within it are safe and safeguarded.
It is important that you understand we are not required to request parental consent to undertake such a search, but we will always endeavour to advise you after the event. Should your child refuse to permit us to undertake a search, we have no choice other than to place them in our internal exclusion facility. If this refusal occurs on a second occasion, a suspension will be issued. In circumstances where a search is being carried out due to a concern that the prohibited item may place our school community at serious risk, the refusal of a search may require a police intervention.
I trust you understand this DfE guidance and our execution of it, is in place solely to ensure and maintain a safe learning environment for your children. I trust and require your full support in this matter.
If your child has been affected by these events, or if they have any other related concerns, please raise those concerns by emailing admin@st-james.barnet.sch.uk and mark for the attention of their Head of Year.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Ellul
Headteacher