Parents and Pupils at Liverpool Schools Face Closures After Credible Threats
Parents and pupils at LIPA School and other local families face sudden closures and disrupted routines after malicious messages; Monday at 9: 00 a. m. ET the school told families to stay away following a threat. The letter and police response have left liverpool schools on heightened alert while enquiries continue.
LIPA School parents told to stay away as Merseyside Police respond
Families of pupils at LIPA School were told the school would be closed for the day on Monday, March 9, after the headteacher, Claire McKendrick, said the site received both a bomb threat and a threat to cause harm. The headteacher’s letter warned that, although such messages are often hoaxes, heightened media attention around the school made the incident a credible risk and advised families not to enter the building until it was confirmed safe.
Liverpool Schools and Merseyside Police: scope of malicious communications
Merseyside Police have announced there have been reports of malicious communications sent to a number of Merseyside schools and said a number of establishments have received similar email communications; enquiries are ongoing. In an official statement, Chief Inspector Phil Thompson said: “We understand that parents and carers will be concerned and as a result we are liaising with all schools and providing advice and reassurance as enquiries continue. ” He added that, based on the information received and assessed, there has been no requirement for all those schools to close.
Still, officers were seen inside LIPA School on the morning it closed, and the force said it is looking to identify those involved and take appropriate action because the communications are currently being treated as malicious. The incidents add to a string of malicious communications aimed at liverpool schools, with police making enquiries into each separate report.
Claire McKendrick and LIPA School confirm closure amid permanent-shutdown news
Headteacher Claire McKendrick told parents the closure would mean disruption for pupils, staff and families and apologised for the inconvenience while stressing pupil safety as the priority. The morning threat came after earlier announcements that the school would close permanently this year following an agreement between the school’s trustees and the government.
Earlier this year another Liverpool-area school closed for a day after a report of a malicious communication; police later assessed that incident was likely a hoax. That prior disruption and the recent permanent-shutdown news for LIPA School were cited by the headteacher as part of the reason the latest threat had to be treated as a credible risk.
For now, Merseyside Police have urged anyone with information to contact 101, message the force’s neighbourhood contact channel, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on the number provided by police.
If enquiries identify those responsible, the police say they will take appropriate action and parents should expect further updates by email as schools confirm safety and reopening plans.
