Shooting at a School in France: What Happened and How to Talk About It

A 14-year-old pupil shot the head teacher and a teacher at a school near Marseille on Monday. Both are expected to recover. Here's what we know, and how to talk about it at home.

Campus13 Oct 20264 min read

Updated Tuesday 13 October 2026. This is a developing story, and we'll update this page if important details change.

What happened

At about 10am on Monday 12 October, shots were fired inside Collège Joseph Lakanal, a school for pupils aged about 11 to 15 in Aubagne, near Marseille in the south of France. The head teacher and a teacher were shot in the legs, and a third person was grazed. French officials say their lives are not in danger.

A 14-year-old pupil was arrested. A member of staff disarmed him before police arrived. No pupils were reported to have been physically hurt. Investigators are looking into his motive and how he got hold of a hunting gun. Officials said they had found no link to the pupil protests that have been taking place in France.

France's education minister condemned the attack, and the education and interior ministers travelled to the school. Shootings at schools are rare in France: the last similar case was at a lycée in Grasse in 2017.

Talking with your child

Children may see clips or hear about this from friends. A short, calm conversation helps more than avoiding the subject.

Start by listening. Ask what they've heard and what they're wondering about.
Give the facts simply. Something frightening happened at a school in France. Two adults were hurt, and both are expected to get better. The pupil was stopped quickly.
Point to the adults who keep them safe. Their school has plans for emergencies, and staff practise them.
Keep routines normal. Regular bedtimes, meals and school days help children feel secure.
Watch for signs they need more help. Trouble sleeping, new worries about going to school or changes in behaviour that last more than a couple of weeks are worth mentioning to the school or your GP.

Our guide to talking with children about frightening news has more ideas for different ages.

What UK schools plan for

Shootings at schools are very rare in the UK. Schools plan for many kinds of emergency, including lockdowns, where pupils stay inside a safe room until it's clear. Our post on lockdown, invacuation and evacuation explains what that means. If you'd like to know more, ask your child's school how it practises these plans and how it would contact families.

If you or your child need supportYoung people can talk to Childline for free on 0800 1111. Parents worried about a child can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000. In an emergency, call 999.

Sources

France school shooting: Police detain pupil after two injured (Al Jazeera)
Un collégien de 14 ans tire sur le principal et une enseignante d'un collège (in French) (Euronews)
Two teachers shot at French school as 14-year-old student is detained (Academia Magazine)

Details are as reported on 12 and 13 October 2026 and may change as the investigation continues.

This post is general information. Your school's own plan comes first, so ask the school office for its procedures.