An Edenham High School pupil has been arrested after an assault on another boy.

It is understood the incident at the Orchard Way School, Shirley, took place shortly before 2pm when a year 10 pupil was stabbed in the left side of his head with scissors.

The incident happened as pupils were changing lessons.

The school's headteacher, Jacinth Downes, said the boy was sitting up and although hurt was talking to her after the incident.

The injuried boy's mum is understood to have been called to the school and accompanied her son to hospital in the air ambulances.

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service (LAS) said an air ambulance had been sent to the secondary school at 1.54pm but could not confirm any other details.

She said: "We sent an ambulance as well as the air ambulance. A teenage male was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition."

Ms Downes said: "This sort of thing just doesn't happen here. We had a local authority inspection yesterday they were very happy with our progress.

"This sort of thing could have happed anywhere. The reactions of staff have been absolutely superb," she added.

An Ofsted report published on January 14 gave the school notice to improve and an inspection team noted pupil's were not learning as well as they could.

But in a letter to pupils Her Majesty's Inspector, Anne Duffy, said student's behaviour was satisfactory and improving.

A police spokesman confirmed a boy aged 14 or 15 had been arrested in connection with the incident and was in custody at a south London police station.