A math teacher who was stabbed in a school hallway by a student has vowed to return to class in weeks.
Jamie Sansom, 27, said he hoped to make a full recovery after the attack on Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucestershire on Monday.
Mr. Sansom, who has been working at the school since 2017, was attacked just after 9am and rushed to hospital with a single stab wound.
The academy went into lockdown while two other local schools were told to keep their doors closed as police on the school grounds hunted for the suspect.
The boy suspected of carrying out the stabbing left the school building after the incident and was found two hours later in the village of Stoke Orchard, about four miles away.
He is currently being held on suspicion of attempted murder and Mr Sansom was released from hospital on Monday night.
When the school reopened on Tuesday with a small police presence, Mr Sansom from Newport, Wales, said he was unable to comment in detail due to the police investigation, but wanted to make it clear that no other students were involved.
“It is simply not true to say that I intervened in a brawl between students. In my opinion, there was no time when Tewkesbury students underwent any direct threat.
He thanked the police and hospital staff for looking after him and said he was encouraged by messages of support.
“I’m pleased to say I’m making a good recovery. I was well looked after at Gloucester Royal and by the police and I’m grateful for that. My thanks to everyone who helped me on my way to what can be expected to be a full recovery will be.
“I have received more than a hundred statements of support, which has been a big boost. It was immensely uplifting to know I had that support behind me, and I would like to thank all my colleagues and the parents of Tewkesbury Academy who took the time to reach out. It has meant a lot.”
Mr Sansom added that he wanted to visit the school to thank the students and staff for their support and hoped to be back at work within weeks.
“I hope to be well enough to visit the school again soon to personally thank people. And if the doctors give me permission, I hope to be back in class before the summer holidays. I will be moving to a new school at the end of the year and it would mean a lot to me if I could say goodbye before moving on.”
A Tewkesbury Academy spokesman said it wanted to reopen as soon as possible to give students “a sense of normalcy”.
“It is important to us that our students can return to a sense of normalcy in their school where we will provide a range of additional mental and emotional support to students and staff.”
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