A HEADTEACHER has said she is 'extremely proud' of staff and pupils after their calm response to an emergency lockdown.

Oxford Spires Academy kept students inside their classrooms yesterday after an 'intruder' was seen at the corner of its boundary. 

UPDATE: Parents want security guards at school after incident

There were reports that he might have been armed but the school has not confirmed this. 

The East Oxford secondary school's principal Marianne Blake has now confirmed that there was 'an incident with an intruder on the school site.'

READ MORE: School's lockdown after intruder alert

She said: "In line with our ‘Lockdown Procedure’ we put the school into full lock down.

"I am extremely proud of how calmly our staff and students coped with the situation.

"This went well and I would like to thank our parents for all of their support.

"A number of our parents have expressed their thanks already for keeping their children safe."

Parents told the Oxford Mail how their children were crouched beneath tables and asked to keep quiet as police were called to check on the suspicious man.

Thames Valley Police was approached this morning for further information about what happened, but has not yet responded.