Year 7 boy dies after collapsing at school in ‘medical emergency’ as air ambulance lands on sports field

EMERGENCY services were scrambled to an Essex school this afternoon after a pupil collapsed. 

Essex Police, paramedics and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance attended a ‘medical emergency’ at Shoeburyness High School. 

The school’s headteacher Clare Costello e-mailed parents to confirm the distressing event had happened

The East of England Ambulance service was called to the academy-run school at about 1pm. 

They sent two ambulances, three ambulance officers and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance to the scene. 

The ambulance service said the person was taken to hospital for further care. 

Last night the school said it would not be providing any additional details about the incident other than to say it had been ‘a medical emergency’. 

The school’s headteacher Clare Costello e-mailed parents to confirm the distressing event had happened. 

She said: “At lunchtime today there was a medical emergency that involved one child. 

“No other individuals were involved. 

“The ambulance and air ambulance service supported the child and were assisted by the police who then remained on site as part of their protocol 
and to support staff and students. 

“Out of respect to the family, we will not be commenting further at this stage.

“School be will open tomorrow and there will be specialist support in place as children will be spoken to about the situation first thing by their tutors.”

The school is run by Southend East Community Academy Trust (SECAT)

A spokesman also confirmed the details and said: “There was an issue at the school, it was a medical issue involving one student. 

“No-one else was involved and the ambulance and air ambulance attended along with Essex Police and, as is protocol, police remained on the scene. 

“I can’t give any details of the outcome as I don’t know at this moment in time.”

The East of England Ambulance Service confirmed it had attended. 

“We were called at 1.16pm with reports of a child with a medical emergency in Caulfield Road, Shoeburyness.

“We sent two ambulances, three ambulance officers and Essex and Herts Air Ambulance. The person was taken to Southend University hospital for further care.”

Essex Police said they were treating the event as a medical episode. 

“We are currently on scene with colleagues from the ambulance service at a school in #Shoeburyness, assisting paramedics with a medical emergency. 

We were called by ambulance colleagues just before 1.20pm today following concerns for the welfare of a young person.

“We are treating this as a medical episode. Thank you for your concerns.”