A CORONER has questioned Windermere School over why they did not respond to a student's 'cry for help' just days before she hanged herself, an inquest heard.

Fionnuala Ryan died in the Windermere area at the age of 14 on Friday, December 13, 2019.

The safeguarding lead and deputy head of pastoral care at Windermere School Joanna Parry was quizzed by coroner Mr Andrew Tweddle over the school’s response after the student made a ligature which he deemed as a potential 'cry for help', Cockermouth Coroner's Court was told.

This comes after Furzana Nazir, detective chief inspector at Cumbria Constabulary at the time of Fionnuala’s death, expressed her belief that quicker action should have been taken after the 14-year-old’s initial ligature.

"If there was a potential that what she did was a cry for help, what she would be looking for is a response, did she get that response?" the coroner asked Ms Parry.

She responded by listing the different responses the school would give including: pulling in a parent about the incident, ringing a parent, or bringing in an adult support. When asked, she confirmed none of these options were used in Fionnuala's case.

"We check on their welfare and I make sure I check them as they come out of the classrooms," Ms parry said.

"I was around in the dining room making sure I was watching them as that is when you see the children as themselves."

She went on to say that the day after the incident, she told Mrs Mel Monk, who the court heard had a good relationship with mum Margaret Taylor, to explain what had happened.

"I asked her if she was alright when I saw her, she said she was fine," Ms Parry continued.

"She was perfectly normal Fi, bright, brazen, and smiley."

She had previously explained to the court that she had complied a list of students that may have been impacted by the suicide of student Pierre DaCosta Noble just a month earlier. Miss Ryan was not on this list of students initially, which Ms Parry explained was because she was following the Public Health England guidance on the matter and wasn’t flagged up.

She responded with 'no' when the coroner stated, "the bottom line is that she didn't come onto your radar of support, care and attention".

School nurse Susan Brown said Fionnuala had gone to see her in the aftermath of Pierre’s suicide and was upset and tearful, the court heard previously.

“She said she couldn’t understand why it happened,” said Ms Brown. “She said she was worried that she would forget Pierre.”

The inquest continues.

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