CHILDREN were said to have hidden in cupboards as a Kidlington school was placed on lockdown after students reported seeing a 'bladed item' during a lesson.

Parents said they had been contacted by Gosford Hill School shortly after 2pm this afternoon informing them the school had been put on lockdown. Police were also reportedly scrambled to the campus.

Further information has since been emailed to parents, with headteacher Nigel Sellars saying that students reported seeing a 'bladed item' during the lesson before lunch.

Mr Sellars said he took the decision to lock down the school 'to prevent the item from circulating at lunch and to minimise any potential threat to students or staff'. 

No individual was threatened at any stage and no one from 'outside the school community' was on the school grounds, he added.

One parent, who did not want to be named, said: “My daughter was WhatsApping me from inside a classroom cupboard.

“It happened whilst they were all walking between lessons. The warning alarm went off, sort of like an air horn.”

At first, people thought the alarm had been set off by younger pupils, the dad said. Teachers were then said to have told the schoolchildren to get inside their classrooms.

He said: “The whole school went into lockdown. Police turned up – the helicopter and everything.”

The text sent to parents, which has been shared with the Mail, read: “This is a quick text to inform you that we have put the school into lockdown under our safeguarding procedures.

“The reason for this communication is to reassure you in case your son or daughter is alarmed by this.

“If your son or daughter contacts you, please remind them to follow the instructions by the member of staff that they are with.

“We will make arrangements for students to have lunch later in the day.”

Thames Valley Police has been approached for comment.