Exam grades put pressure on pupil to take her own life

Charlotte Thompson, 20, was found hanged hours after hearing her

A-level grades.

The coroner at Norwich, Mr James Hipwell, said: ''The tragic irony is

that this was wholly unnecessary, as I have learned through the media

that her A-level results were unlikely to have stopped her going on the

course she intended.''

Her father, Mr Charles Thompson, 48, said afterwards that he and his

wife were setting up a telephone helpline to help other youngsters. He

said: ''If this prevents any further tragedy, it will be worthwhile.''

Miss Thompson, of Northrepps, Norfolk, had intended going to the

University of Northumbria to take a physiotherapy course and she needed

three Grade Cs for a place.

She had achieved a B and C and two Ds in physics, chemistry, biology,

and general studies which she took at the #3600-a-year Norwich High

School for Girls.

Her cousin, Mr Simon Gurney, of Northrepps Hall, said that on the

morning of August 18 he picked up Miss Thompson and drove her to her

school in Norwich to get her results. She was apprehensive.

He said: ''She went in herself and when she came out she was upset and

crying as her results were not as good as she expected. She didn't think

she would get on the course she wanted.''

He drove her to the cathedral in Norwich to see friends and ''she

seemed to have calmed down'' and chatted with her friends but she was

still upset.

Then he said he left Miss Thompson in Norwich because she wanted to be

alone, and he had driven round for a little while in case she had

changed her mind and wanted to return home.

At 6pm he went to a cottage in Northrepps which she had been helping

him to renovate. He found her hanging from a beam in the living room.

He said her hand was cold and in his view she was definitely dead.

Asked by the coroner why he had not cut her down, he said: ''I thought I

wanted to act rationally. I was very shocked. I returned to Northrepps

Hall and I phoned the police.''

Police Constable Robert Dean said a note had been left for her mother

and father. Mr Hipwell said it was not his practice to read out personal

notes but he said the note ''does provide more than obvious

corroboration of her intent''.

Mr Hipwell said a letter to ''Simon'' was an apology for what she had

done in his house.

Mr Hipwell, summing up, criticised the pressures facing youngsters

when taking their exams.

''It seems to me youngsters today appear to be evaluated nowadays only

on the basis of A-level grades as opposed to their own characteristics,

personalities and abilities.

''Their abilities seem to be based entirely on their academic grades.

Grade levels on exams are nowadays taken into account towards their

academic advancement and these pressures were not there generations

before as they are now. I can see no reason other than disappointment at

the A-level grades she had received for her suicide.''