Dear Parents and Carers,

Today, you will have seen reports in the media about emails sent to over 400 schools across the country demanding money and making threats to them. North Lakes School was one of the many schools nationally to receive the threat. The details are as follows:

This morning we received an email which demanded money and made a threat to the school. The police were contacted and they advised an immediate evacuation which was carried out calmly as a regular fire drill, with no alarm to the children. Shortly afterwards, we were advised by the police and local authority that it was safe to return to the classrooms and continue with our day. They considered it was a “scam email”, for “phishing” purposes, and had not been sent to North Lakes School alone.

Further contact was made with Cumbria Health and Safety team, and police officers attended the scene to check the email. While we were still following advice and awaiting any further potential developments, a public press release was issued by Cumbria Police at lunchtime, without any prior notification to the schools affected. The information then reported in the press was confusing and not entirely accurate – this is not how we would wish the news to be communicated and we appreciate this will have been distressing. This was beyond our control, and we would have preferred to have contacted parents in a less alarming manner, as needed.

It is now known that the email had been sent to numerous schools across the country, and that differing courses of action were taken in other schools, some choosing to evacuate, and some not to do so. We are grateful that the email did prove to be a hoax and we would like to thank the staff and children for their excellent co-operation today.

We appreciate the professional advice and support of Cumbria Police, and Cumbria LA Health and Safety team, and we would like to stress that the advice of these authorities was followed at all times.

Thank you all for your support.