A ‘CARING’ teacher has died after she was stabbed to death at her school in front of horrified pupils.
Pupils leave Corpus Christi Catholic College where teacher Anne Maguire was stabbed[MAIN - PA & INSET - MERCURY]This afternoon tributes have flooded in for the 61-year-old Spanish teacher, who was referred to as the ‘mother’ of the school.
The attack happened this morning at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds, west Yorkshire.
Ms Maguire was treated by paramedics at the scene but taken to hospital, where she later died from a number of stab wounds, police said.
A 15-year-old male pupil was arrested in connection with the incident after being detained by other members of school staff and is currently in custody.
Officers are still at the school interviewing staff members and a knife has been recovered.
The victim was named locally as 61-year-old Anne Maguire [ROSSPARRY.CO.UK]I don't know anyone who didn't like her. She was spot on. You couldn't ask for a better teacher
Former pupil Kerrianne Ayward, 17, said: "She was just lovely. She was helpful and caring and you could have a laugh with her.
"She was always there for you, even if she didn't know you very well. No one had a bad word for her - I mean no one."
Kerrianne, who left the school two years ago, added: "There's no one else you would go to who's better. She was the heart of the school."
Another former pupil, Peter Masefield, 18, said: "I just can't understand why her. Of all people. She was the school's figurehead."
Pupil Georgina Kilroy, 16, said the woman had been a teacher for 40 years.
Speaking outside the school, she said: "I don't know anyone who didn't like her. She was spot on. You couldn't ask for a better teacher."
Flowers are left outside Corpus Christi Catholic College after the death of Anne Maguire [PA]"As long as we were happy, she was happy. She would do anything for you.
"She helped me personally a lot. She's going to be such a loss to the school. Hers were one of those lessons you didn't want to miss.
"She was just lovely. She was wonderful. I am devastated."
Paying tribute on social media, one schoolgirl posted: "Rip miss maguire (sic) by far the most caring teacher in that school, she's now a star in the sky".
While another wrote: "Absolutely disgusting and sickening to think someone could act in that way to such a lovely, funny and caring lady! Rip Mrs Maguire."
Writing on the website RateMyTeachers.com, before today’s tragedy one former pupil said: "She's like the school's own mother! Can be very strict but if you're nice to her she will always be there for you, a great woman!"
Another added: "I think she's a good head of year, she's always there if you need someone to talk to :)"
Tributes poured in on social networking sites after the death of Anne Maguire [MERCURY]It was judged as "good" in its Ofsted report earlier this year and its website said it has "a strong Christian and community ethos".
The website adds: "The school has a very good pastoral structure, which it is committed to keeping and teachers receive very good back-up support."
Police said they were called this morning to a “shocking” but “isolated incident.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "At 11.48 am this morning West Yorkshire Police were contacted by Yorkshire Ambulance Service who were attending a report of a member of teaching staff having been stabbed at Corpus Christi Catholic College here in Neville Road in east Leeds.
"There alarm was raised by students in the school, some of whom witnessed the offence. The 61-year-old female member of staff was treated by paramedics at the scene then taken to hospital for treatment but subsequently, tragically, lost her life."
An aerial view of Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds where a teacher was stabbed today [SWNS]"Specially-trained family liaison officers have been assigned to support the family and our sympathies are with them at what must be an incredibly difficult time for them.
"In addition, detectives well versed in supporting children who have witnessed traumatic events will be supporting those students as we look to establish the full facts as quickly as we can.
"Whilst the incident itself was over very quickly and no other pupils or members of staff or members of the public were threatened or injured, this has clearly been a shocking event for everybody.
"Indeed, this is clearly an unprecedented event here in Leeds and a shocking incident, the likes of which I've not seen in over 25 years of police service."
He added: "The incident will understandably have had a massive impact on the family and loved ones of the lady who has tragically lost her life today as well as staff and pupils at the school in this very close-knit community in east Leeds.
"Indeed, I've just been into the school to talk very briefly with staff members who were here today and it is no exaggeration to say that they are all in shock."
The school was judged as "good" in its Ofsted report earlier this year and has nearly 1,000 pupils [EXPRESS]Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "This is a truly awful thing to have happened to a teacher in the course of her work to educate the next generation.
"Appalling events like this are thankfully very rare indeed but the death of any teacher in her place of work, which should be a place of safety, is devastating. Our condolences go to the family and friends of this teacher, and to students and colleagues at the school.”
David Cameron said: "My thoughts are with the family of Anne Maguire, as well as the staff and pupils of Corpus Christi school, where she was stabbed to death."
A collection of flowers has already begun to build outside the school gate.
He had gone to the aid of one of his pupils who was being attacked with an iron bar at the gates of St George's RC School in Maida Vale, west London.
The 48-year-old intervened in a fight and was stabbed through the heart by 15-year-old killer Learco Chindamo.
The respected teacher staggered bleeding to the school reception, where paramedics desperately tried to save him, but he died from his wounds.
Chindamo was later convicted of murder at the Old Bailey and served 15 years behind bars.
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