Gordano School apologises after pupils hurt in crush

The school where pupils were injured in a crush after staff did not unlock a gate has said it is "deeply sorry".

Gordano School in Portishead, near Bristol, said the gate was not open in time at the end of the school day on Monday due to "human error".

The incident was first reported by the BBC after videos were shared on social media.

A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive said it was making enquiries.

The executive said it wanted to "to ensure the school has taken action".

North Somerset Council said: "We have been in close contact with the school following Monday's incident and are confident they are taking the matter seriously and conducting a thorough investigation into what happened while also putting measures in place to ensure it can't happen again."

Writing to parents and carers in a letter dated 27 March, the school's head teacher Louise Blundell said students were being shown where to get support.

She said "things clearly went wrong" and an investigation had begun.

Oliver, in Year 9, was injured in the crush, his father said

One Year nine pupil, Oliver, sustained two black eyes from the crush and print marks on parts of his body from other students' shoes, his father Glyn said.

Ms Blundell said the gate should have been opened before the end of the school day, and pupils had surged forward when it was opened after a member of staff with keys arrived.

She added the videos showing the crush were "upsetting to watch".

The crush happened at Gordano School in Portishead

"On Monday due to human error, the gate was not unlocked before the end of school," Ms Blundell said.

"Discovering that, staff on duty immediately sent for a member of the premises team with keys but by the time that the gate was unlocked a crowd of students had built up and when the gate was opened pupils surged forward, with the consequences that we have all seen.

"Things clearly went wrong, and I apologise that our students had to experience that situation."

An external health and safety advisor had been brought in to oversee the school's review of the incident, she said, adding that the outcome would be communicated to parents.