Inquest examines care at elite boarding school after pupil Georgia Scarff was killed by a lorry

An Ipswich inquest into the death of 16-year-old Georgia Scarff heard that a nurse who assessed her weeks before she was struck by a lorry described worrying whether staff had missed warning signs amid exam pressures and boarding life.

Georgia Scarff died on the westbound carriageway of the A14 near her home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on the night before she was due to return to the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook for the start of the summer term and GCSE examinations. The inquest at Suffolk Coroner's Court was told that the pupil, who joined the school in 2022, had been on a watch list after the loss of her father and had faced anxiety and panic in the months leading up to her death. Although she was described as a hardworking teenager who excelled in sports such as hockey and rugby and was pursuing the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, she continued to board while dealing with exam stress and a lengthy bus journey from home.

Sister Deborah Sweeney, who oversees the school's health centre and has training in self-harm prevention and mental health first aid, testified on the final day of the hearing. She recalled assessing Georgia weeks before the tragedy and engaging in conversations about anxiety. Georgia reportedly described herself as a “very chilled person,” yet indicated concern about where she would study for A-levels and expressed that she wanted someone to make decisions for her. Sweeney said Georgia appeared confident, articulate, and polite during the meeting and that there was nothing in the discussion to raise immediate concerns. She later reflected on the experience, saying: “I’ve gone through this so many times in my head and thought, ‘How have we missed this?’ It could torment you, if you allowed it.” She added that there was no obvious red flag in that particular meeting.

The inquest has been told that Georgia, who had joined Royal Hospital School as a Year 10 student, initially boarded three nights a week before gradually staying five nights a week. School staff interpreted this as a sign that she was coping with life at the boarding school, located in Holbrook, near Ipswich. The deputy head and safeguarding lead, Zoe King, described a system in which staff used “mapping techniques” to identify children in need and tailor healthcare plans. Some pupils are placed on a watch list to ensure awareness of issues that require monitoring. King testified that Georgia’s name appeared on the list because of the loss of her father, whose death had a profound impact on the teenager.

Records presented to the court showed that Georgia had begun experiencing panic attacks in Year 11 and had visited the school nurse, followed by three sessions with a school counsellor. In January 2020, her mother, Jennifer Scarff, discovered an entry in Georgia’s journal referring to self-harming if she returned to school. The family has said Georgia had been making progress and that the school supported her as she prepared to board more regularly in 2022. Georgia’s mother told the inquest that she had been worried about her daughter’s anxiety and the stress of exams, and that Georgia had written to her form tutor in January 2024 describing her anxiety and its impact on boarding.

The inquest heard that the morning after Georgia’s death, her mother received a call at 1:20 a.m. informing her that Georgia had died on the A14. About 40 minutes later, Mrs. Scarff learned that Georgia had died after being hit by a truck near their home. The family’s recollections painted a portrait of a daughter who was both a devoted student and a devoted family member. Her mother described Georgia as “my best friend, my right-hand woman, my little helper and comforter,” noting she was “wise beyond her years” and possessed a “tough and resilient persona.” The household had moved to Bury St Edmunds from Shelland in 2010 after the death of Georgia’s father.

Georgia was a member of the Royal Hospital School, a historic institution founded in 1712, and she had aimed to complete her GCSEs and continue with A-levels. The inquest heard that she had performed well in sports and was working towards her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Her family provided a tribute praising her athleticism and dedication, describing her as a star in every sense and noting she had already earned Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh awards and was well on the way to completing Gold.

The inquest has explored the practical realities of boarding life at the Royal Hospital School. Georgia initially boarded three nights a week and later began staying five nights, a trend that staff said signified that she was coping with school life. Her mother told the hearing that Georgia had described anxiety that left her feeling sick and had limited her ability to board comfortably. The form tutor, Tereza Shopova Mireva, testified that although anxiety is common among GCSE students, she did not view the issue as one requiring formal safeguarding escalation, suggesting that Georgia visit the health centre instead. Shopova Mireva added that the stress of exams is a common context in which students with a strong work ethic may feel unwell and anxious, and she indicated that she did not see an issue requiring immediate safeguarding intervention at that time.

The inquest also heard personal recollections from Georgia’s grandparents, who described their granddaughter as a true tomboy who could often be found climbing a tree in their garden. They recalled a girl who was kind and thoughtful, who helped at home when staying with them, and who had a bright future ahead. A posthumous acknowledgement of Georgia’s GCSE results was noted by the court, alongside the family’s description of her as a keen sports person who excelled in hockey, tchoukball, fitness training, and rugby. The family statements emphasized her potential and promised future contributions, as well as the sadness of her absence for friends, teammates, and teachers.

The inquest also touched on the cost and structure of boarding at the Royal Hospital School. Three-night boarding is listed at about £39,735, with weekly boarding at £45,774 and full boarding at £49,851. The institution’s long history and notable alumni, including exploring and naval figures and Olympic athletes, were cited as context for the school’s stature and the pressures exerted on pupils in a demanding, tradition-steeped environment.

Throughout the hearing, legal counsel and family representatives sought to balance the school’s safeguarding initiatives with the lived experience of Georgia Scarff—an accomplished student facing severe exam pressure and the trauma of bereavement. The coroner has indicated that the inquest will continue to consider whether there were missed opportunities to recognize the early signs of distress and to intervene more decisively.

As the inquiry progresses, authorities underscored the importance of mental health support for adolescents navigating boarding environments during a pivotal academic term. The inquest’s conclusion will likely influence how schools monitor at-risk pupils in similar settings and may inform future safeguarding policies within elite boarding schools across the country.

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress, confidential support is available from the Samaritans at 116 123 or samaritans.org.