Air ambulance on the playground at Taverham High School where a pupil fell from a pommel horse during a PE lesson. March 2013

Taverham High pupil remains in “critical condition” after fall

Victoria Leggett, Education correspondent Tuesday, March 19, 2013
1:14 PM

A Norwich schoolgirl who fell during a PE lesson last week remains in a critical condition, it has been confirmed.

The year eight pupil, who attends Taverham High School, landed on her head during the accident involving a pommel horse at the Beech Avenue site last Tuesday.

Her heart had stopped beating but had re-started before paramedics took her to hospital.

Today, Norfolk County Council said an update from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where the pupil was transferred last week, confirmed she was currently in a “critical condition”.

Health and safety investigators from both Norfolk County Council and the Health and Safety Executive have visited the school.

A spokesman for the HSE said: “The HSE is aware of the incident and an investigation is ongoing in liaison with Norfolk Police.”

At the time, headteacher Ron Munson said the girl’s injuries were “severe” and that the accident, at about 2.45pm last Tuesday, had taken place during a “routine PE lesson”.

He added: “She fell onto the PE mats from a vaulting horse about half a metre high. She caught her foot as she went over the horse and landed head first.”