17-Year Old School Girl Hanged Herself Feeling Pressure Of Studying 5 A-Levels

A 17-year-old schoolgirl hanged herself because she felt under pressure at having to study five subjects at A-Level. Lisa Wilks was due to sit 15 exams in five different subjects at her sixth form college as part of her plan to become a scientist. But in the weeks leading up to her death last May, she told her mother, Christine, 55, she wanted to kill herself.

And just days before she was set to sit the exams she was found dead by her father, Derek, 46, at the family home in Thornton-Cleveleys, near Blackpool, after he noticed she had not got up to attend college that morning. An inquest in Blackpool heard the teenager had been upset because she had initially had to study six subjects because there was a dispute over whether she could read chemistry at Blackpool Sixth Form College.

Before entering sixth form, she wanted to study chemistry, but had been one mark off the required grade in her GCSE exam for entry, which she had done at St Aidan's Church of England Technology School, in Preesall.  After negotiation, she was allowed to study the subject on a six-week trial period, before choosing to do it full-time.

She was also studying biology, maths statistics, psychology and general studies for sixth-form and had also studied religious education as well. The hearing in Blackpool yesterday heard she ended up feeling pressurised into sitting numerous A-Level subjects.

Her mother, Christine, told the hearing: 'Lisa was very clever at a lot of things and very good at religious education. 'They expected her to carry on with RE which she was going to be good at, but when it became clear she could do chemistry properly she was put into the very top class with very clever people.
'She felt she'd done all she could do and was getting to the point where she was sick of chemistry. A B grade would have been good enough for most, but not for Lisa.'I think she was unhappy at college. We had a discussion saying she didn't have to be at college, she didn't have to do that.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Alan Wilson said: 'It is a very sad set of circumstances involving a young lady of 17. 'It hasn't gone particularly smoothly in terms of sixth form life. 'She wanted to do chemistry and there was some dispute as to her being able to do it. It got to the point where she was feeling as though she felt pressured into doing quite a number of A-Levels.' 

Felicity Greeves, principal of Blackpool Sixth Form College, said: 'The entire Blackpool Sixth Form College community was deeply shocked and saddened by Lisa's death.  'She was a bright and ambitious student who was doing well academically in college and was a valued member of the choir.

'She immediately showed herself to be a gifted, hardworking and conscientious student and impressed all of her tutors with her commitment to her studies. 'We always ask students to let us know if they need support and are always on the look-out for signs that support is needed. 

'Tragically, in Lisa's case there was no indication that she was having any difficulties either within college or outside. 'We have liaised closely with Lisa's family in the past months since her death. Our thoughts remain with them.'

Source: DailyMail UK