Plea for exam feedback change after girl's suicide

Glen and Sharon Markey - pictured with their late daughter Helena - are petitioning the government over their call for schools to notify parents if a pupil is distressed by results feedback.

In a woodland glade, in dappled sunshine, Sharron and Glen Markey are arm-in-arm beside the tree they planted in memory of their beloved 17-year-old daughter, Helena, their only child.

The teenager, from Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, loved performing arts, dazzling in the spotlight at her local theatre school, while helping younger children find confidence and their own voice.

But she felt she was losing hers.

In September 2015, Helena Markey took her own life shortly after a meeting at her school – The de Ferrers Academy - to discuss her future studies, following her A-level results.

Her parents say she had become distressed when discussing her options with teachers, particularly over suggestions she might need to change subjects to reach university.

Her dad Glen Markey said: "The first thing was that there wasn't a breakout room for children if they became distressed, there was nobody there that had designated pastoral responsibility.

"So, they were all good senior teachers, but none of them had that sort of specific skill set."

The De Ferrers Academy later implemented pastoral and safeguarding changes and told the BBC those approaches continued today.

But at the time of his daughter's distress, there was no such provision, said Mr Markey, who pointed to an issue that arose during Helena's inquest; a hearing that touched upon protocol, or lack thereof, in circumstances where pupils faced such struggles.

"The most important thing the coroner said was that in law, there was no process for calling parents," Mr Markey explained.

A decade on from Helena's death, and as exam results loom for teens this month, the couple are now petitioning the government for change, asking for "specific statutory guidance" that requires schools, colleges and universities to notify parents if a pupil is distressed by results feedback.

Helena's mum Sharron Markey said she and her husband would have gone straight to the school had they been made aware of their daughter's experience.

"It is really a simple thing, a phone call. Schools ring parents for example if a child turns up at school and hasn't got the correct uniform.

"It's just common sense – a duty of care," she said.

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Helena Markey became distressed after a meeting at the school, said her parents.

The inquest into Helena's death, which recorded a verdict that she had taken her life, heard that staff at the school believed the teenager had calmed down after the meeting, and stated that positive aspects of Helena's school life were also discussed.

One staff member told the inquest that they believed Helena was heading home to discuss it further with her parents.

The de Ferrers Academy said Helena was "a bright, happy and talented pupil" and was regularly in their thoughts.

A spokesperson said: "We support any initiative or conversation that helps raise awareness of the support that young people need – particularly at key milestones in their lives, such as the end of their exams.

"Following this tragedy, we further enhanced how we help students transition through different stages of their education…

"In fact our last independent safeguarding report concludes that children and parents can feel assured that the wellbeing and safety of all pupils is taken extremely seriously [and] there are effective processes and policies in place to uphold this."

Glen and Sharron Markey say young people are under pressure

The Markeys worry that not enough is happening nationwide to support children.

Mr Markey said: "There's a mental health crisis out there with young people, but a new national policy [is] something we think will benefit teachers.

"I think [young people are] under as much pressure these days as they've ever been. This is really important – it could save lives."

Ahead of A-level and GCSE results days this month, their campaign for statutory guidance is being backed by the Burton and Uttoxeter MP Jacob Collier, who attended The de Ferrers Academy in the year above Helena.

"I still remember the smile that Helena had, that lit any room that she was in. And I thank Glen and Sharron for the bravery that they're showing in wanting to make a difference for parents," the MP said.

"The key thing in this campaign is that we see action from the government, so I'll be taking this to the minister and raising the case of Helena and the campaign to hopefully bring about the change that we want to see."

DfE statement

A Department for Education spokesperson said in any circumstances, schools and colleges must carry out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

"Through our Plan for Change, we are rolling out access to a mental health professional in every school, as well as our new [Relationship, Sex and Health Education] curriculum, which has made clear that secondary schools should work closely with mental health professionals to discuss suicide prevention in an age-appropriate way."

Pastoral support across most secondary schools has shifted considerably after the pandemic, with extra investment in mental wellbeing, and more support staff being employed in some cases.

Today, the thought of a phone call home seems an obvious thing, Mrs Markey suggests.

"We don't want this to happen to other families," she said.

"Helena was such a beautiful person. Caring, thoughtful, generous. Just perfect."