Police probe as school teacher found dead
Class assistant discovered at home:
POLICE are investigating the sudden death of a teaching assistant.
The 31-year-old man, who has not been named, was found dead at a property in the Brackla area of Bridgend on Sunday.
He worked at Ysgol Bryn Castell School, which was closed to pupils on Monday.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said a postmortem examination found no evidence of assault or injury. This followed reports that the man had been struck with a chair in an incident involving a pupil last week.
“Police in Bridgend are continuing to investigate the sudden death of a 31-year-old man who was found dead at a property in the Brackla area on Sunday morning,” the force spokesman said.
“Following the results of a post-mortem carried out today by a Home Office pathologist, there is no evidence to suggest an assault or injury.
“An inquest into the death will be held in due course. South Wales Police request that the family is allowed privacy at this sad time.”
Headteacher Helen Ridout posted a notice on the school’s website on Sunday saying: “Apologies, due to unforeseen circumstances, YBC is closed for all pupils on Monday, December 2, 2019.”
A council spokeswoman said: “Bridgend County Borough Council is aware of the death of a member of staff from Ysgol Bryn Castell over the weekend.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the member of staff at this difficult time.
“Ysgol Bryn Castell School is currently closed and we’re unable to provide any further information at this time.”
Hours before the police statement was released, Councillor Charles Smith – cabinet member for education and regeneration at Bridgend Council – said: “There was an incident with a pupil earlier in the week and the teacher has died later.
“The school is closed today while investigations are made and police are involved.
“Our first concern is the welfare of the teacher’s family. Pupils are getting support.”
A parent of a child who attends the school campus, said: “I am devastated at the news a member of staff has died.
“They are an amazing staff who make our children a part of their family.
“My thoughts are with the family of the member of staff who has died and all the staff at Ysgol Bryn Castell at this time of immense devastation.”
Ysgol Bryn Castell and its Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unit were shut on Monday while police investigated, but the pupil referral unit, The Bridge, remained open.
Ward councillor for Bryncethin, Cllr Gary Thomas, said he was shocked to hear the news and was trying to get more details.
A report by Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, in January rated the school as good.
It described Ysgol Bryn Castell as a maintained special school for pupils aged seven to 19 with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and a range of other needs including autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of the report, there were 147 pupils there.