The mother of a 13-year-old girl, assaulted at Oxford Area School, says her daughter won’t be returning for now, as she continues to recover from a concussion sustained during the incident.

Emergency services were called to the North Canterbury school on Bay Road at 2.16pm on Wednesday after the girl was attacked by another student.

The mother told Chris Lynch Media her daughter was now out of hospital and back home, but still suffering from the effects of the assault.

“She’s still quite dizzy and has slept most of the day. She’s suffering from a concussion,” the mother said.

“At this stage, she won’t be returning to school until her concussion symptoms begin to ease, which could take some time.”

The mother said the student responsible for the attack had received a short stand-down, and police had indicated the matter would be left in the school’s hands for now.

She also expressed frustration at how she found out about the incident.

“I was notified by my oldest daughter, not the school. I had to sort out my other four children and drive 20 minutes to the school. When I arrived, my daughter was lying on the floor wrapped in blankets, unresponsive but breathing. Her older sister was with her, and there were a lot of emergency services on scene.

She was initially triaged as a category 3 by first responders.”

A St John spokesperson confirmed they responded with an ambulance, a helicopter, and a rapid response vehicle.

“One patient was assessed at the scene and transported to Christchurch Hospital in a moderate condition by ambulance,” the spokesperson said.

Fire and Emergency crews also responded.

On Wednesday night, Oxford Area School Principal Mike Hart issued a statement.

“We want to inform our school community that an incident occurred at school today, and emergency services were called to assist. A student was transported to hospital by ambulance in a moderate condition.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt support are with the student and their whānau during this time.

“We know this may be unsettling, and we are doing everything we can to ensure the wellbeing of all involved.

“Please be assured that we are following all appropriate procedures as we work through what has happened, and we are committed to keeping our community informed as needed.

“If you have any concerns or questions, we encourage you to contact the school directly,” Hart said.

Several parents of current and former students have also raised concerns about the school’s handling of previous incidents, with some alleging that serious matters were not adequately addressed.