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A young person who misplaced her dad in the midst of per week of GCSE exams has known as for “necessary bereavement help programmes” in faculties after feeling let down by the UK’s schooling system.
Lizzie Palin, 17, from Faringdon, Oxfordshire, discovered herself doing an English Language examination lower than 24 hours after studying that her father, Antony, 49, had suffered a stroke.
Antony was rushed to hospital on Sunday, June 3, 2023, the day earlier than Lizzie was attributable to sit two of her GCSEs, and died three days later.
Within the days earlier than her father’s demise, Lizzie discovered herself crying throughout her exams and having to hurry to the hospital the second they completed.
The day he died she was sitting a maths examination and 48 hours later discovered herself doing a meals and diet paper.
Whereas she managed to cross her GCSEs apart from arithmetic and was awarded particular consideration, a 5 per cent adjustment to all her marks, she mentioned it was not sufficient and believes she would have earned greater grades in sure topics.
After the “gruelling ordeal”, she has launched a petition on Change.org calling on the Authorities to implement necessary bereavement help programmes in faculties for college kids going through bereavement and mentioned she believes particular consideration needs to be elevated.
“Once I was doing my exams, I wasn’t occupied with something other than my dad and the way I’ve to hurry off to the hospital as quickly as I end,” she mentioned.
“I really feel like all the years I spent in major and secondary faculty simply bought flushed down the bathroom over an already extraordinarily upsetting stage in my life.
“I believe there must be extra plans in place for faculties to take care of what occurs when a baby loses a mother or father.
“No little one in an already traumatic scenario ought to really feel failed by the examination system, as a result of that’s how I left faculty feeling.”
Lizzie, who hopes to sooner or later work with kids in sport, had been finding out laborious for her GCSEs in English, maths, science, little one growth, well being and social care, meals and diet and sport b-tech.
The weekend earlier than her English and well being and social care exams, on Saturday June 3, 2023, she was anticipating to satisfy up together with her father, Antony, however he didn’t reply to her messages about timings, which she mentioned was uncommon.
“I simply knew one thing wasn’t proper,” she mentioned.
The subsequent day, her mom Hannah, 49, grew involved and determined to go to her ex-partner’s home, additionally in Faringdon, and ensure the whole lot was okay.
When she arrived on the property, Hannah found Antony slumped on the ground and known as an ambulance.
He was rushed to Nice Western Hospital in Swindon the place docs discovered he had suffered a stroke and feared he wouldn’t make it by way of the night time.
“We obtained a cellphone name in the midst of the night time principally saying we’re undecided how lengthy your dad’s bought left…” defined Lizzie.
“I didn’t sleep as a result of I used to be simply too upset.”
Lizzie questioned whether or not to sit down her two exams the following day after being informed the examination board might use her mock outcomes as a substitute.
However she had been hoping to get higher grades than her mocks after being provided a spot at Hartpury Faculty in Gloucestershire.
“I used to be given a spot at this specialist faculty,” she mentioned.
“I actually needed to go and was like ‘I’m not throwing all of it away.’”
Braving the exams was very difficult for Lizzie although, who discovered herself repeatedly bursting into tears and having to go away early to hurry to hospital.
“I cried by way of my English paper,” she mentioned.
“Clearly none of my faculty pals knew what was occurring at this level.
“I went into the room and the TA (Instructing Assistant) was like ‘Oh, what’s mistaken?’ however I didn’t even know what to say.
“I simply sat in a room typing my English paper, having to try to put so many traumatic emotions apart.
“I might actually end my examination papers and run out of my faculty constructing to get again to the hospital.”
Lizzie additionally realized that she was listed as Antony’s subsequent of kin which she mentioned felt like an added strain.
“They had been doing the whole lot they might to make my dad comfy and to strive maintain him alive,” she mentioned.
“However on the Tuesday (June 6), my dad’s well being deteriorated after which on the Wednesday he handed.”
Regardless of the heartbreak of dropping her father, Lizzie managed to finish and cross her exams apart from arithmetic, however feels she might have performed higher.
“With the precise help system in place, I most likely would have performed higher,” she mentioned.
“If I used to be given the chance to sit down my maths GCSE correctly, I might have handed.
“Total, I used to be pleased with my outcomes given the circumstances, however I might have gotten greater grades in sure topics.”
Lizzie was awarded particular consideration, a put up examination adjustment to her marks of 5 per cent, and pastoral care, which is designed to make sure the bodily and emotional welfare of pupils.
However after what occurred, Lizzie mentioned she feels let down by the schooling system and believes grieving college students ought to obtain extra tailor-made help.
“All faculties can actually supply is placing college students ahead for particular consideration and having one to 1 chats with pastoral help,” she mentioned.
“It’s like there no precise construction or plan in faculties for when one thing like this occurs.
“I simply thought that was unbelievable.”
Lizzie, who’s now in yr 12, made it to her dream faculty however mentioned the ordeal has had a long-term influence and she or he continues to be struggling to return to phrases with what occurred.
“I’m undoubtedly nonetheless affected by it and am within the strategy of getting a PTSD analysis,” she mentioned.
An estimated 46,300 kids, as much as the age of 17, lose a mother or father yearly within the UK, in keeping with the charity Little one Bereavement UK.
Lizzie determined to launch a petition on Change.org calling on the Authorities to implement necessary bereavement help programmes in faculties and improve particular consideration past 5 per cent in sure circumstances.
