Pictured: Pupil at top private school who was found hanging in her study bedroom
It's understood the 18-year-old's body was found by staff but students have been banned from talking about it on social media
A STUDENT at a top private school was found hanging in her study bedroom by a member of staff, an inquest heard yesterday.
Tragic Rebecca Haley was found unconscious in her room at around 7.30am last Saturday at Gresham’s School in Holt, Norfolk.
An inquest into the 18-year-old's death was opened at Norwich Magistrates' Court today and adjourned for a full hearing on October 25.
Miss Haley died at Britten House, one of the two houses for girls at the Gresham’s senior school which has 480 pupils and 300 boarders.
The sixth former was a house prefect and a talented artist, known to friends as Becca.
Norfolk’s senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said: “The circumstances leading to her death are that on April 30, a member of school staff discovered Miss Haley hanging in her room.
“Paramedics attended, but sadly Rebecca was confirmed dead at the scene.”
Julie Simms, the school’s matron, identified the body of Miss Haley to PC Anna Rooke of Norfolk Police.
A pathologist, identified only as Dr Ali, conducted a post mortem which gave “the medical cause of death as hanging”.
It is not yet known where the tragic teenager is from but her family are said to be too upset to comment.
Miss Haley’s parents Julian and Patsy are understood to be divorced. Her mother is thought to live near Stowmarket in Suffolk.
Norfolk Police are investigating the death but say there are no suspicious circumstances.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: “Police were called to an address in Cromer Road, Holt, shortly after 7.30am on Saturday 30 April following reports that the body of an 18-year-old woman had been discovered.
“Paramedics attended but the woman was sadly confirmed dead at the scene. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for Her Majesty’s Coroner.”
Pupils at the £31,950-a-year school are understood to have been banned from discussing the death on social media.
A spokeswoman from the school was unable to comment further.
Headmaster Mr Douglas Robb offered condolences to members of the girl’s family when they attended the school later on Saturday.
He added: “We are all devastated by the death of a much loved and cherished pupil. The thoughts and prayers of the whole school are with the family and friends of the young woman.”
It is believed that Miss Haley's artwork was entered in this year's Saatchi gallery schools art prize.
Her installation piece called Circles was described as a "collection of outcomes exploring the relationship between geometry and the human form".
Gresham’s School boasts on its website that it provides “a high quality, fully rounded education to boys and girls.”
It adds: “Young people are prepared for rewarding personal and professional lives with the intellect, personal and social qualities and skills needed to make a positive difference to the communities in which they live.”
The school has seven houses for day pupils and boarders which are currently undergoing a programme of refurbishment.
Younger pupils sleep in small dormitories while older pupils have study bedrooms and most sixth formers have their own room, according to the Gresham’s website.
It states that Britten House is home to 72 girls including full time and weekly boarders and day pupils.
Famous former pupils include vacuum cleaner tycoon Sir James Dyson, actress Olivia Colman and composer Benjamin Britten.
The school occupies several sites in the up-market Georgian town of Holt close to the north Norfolk coast. It was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham who later became Lord Mayor of London.
It has been touted by some locals as a potential future school for Prince George and Princess Charlotte who live nearby at Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate.
The Duchess of Cambridge met young pupils from the school in March when she opened the new East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices shop in Holt.