 In September 2001 racial tensions escalated at the school following the racist murder of former pupil Ross Parker in the city shortly after the September 11th Attacks.Three Asian pupils were suspended in October 2001 following an attack on another pupil but the school and headmaster Chris Hilliard were later praised in Parliament for the way they managed to overcome such problems.On 16 January 2012, the school received a hoax call stating that a bomb had been planted on the premises.