Sara Sharif: smiling, singing and dreaming of The X Factor

Sara Sharif Experienced “daily life hell” At dwelling she was by the hands of her father and stepmother, however at college she was a caring, cheerful “chatter” who liked to sing and dance, stated her head instructor.

Jackie Chambers advised the BBC that Sarah was a much-loved pupil at St Mary's Primary School who would “sing to anyone who would listen” and that she had desires of showing on The X Factor.

Sarah attended faculty in West Byfleet, Surrey, till just a few weeks earlier than she was discovered useless in her bunk at dwelling after being murdered by her father and stepmother final yr.

Despite struggling, Ms Chambers stated she was a “cheerful little soul” within the classroom and would all the time assist youthful pupils on the playground.

“She used to write songs all the time and sing to anyone who would listen,” he stated.

“She came into my office, and I remember saying to her, 'Sarah, what do you want to do when you grow up?' She said, 'I want to be on The X Factor. I want to win it' and she stuck to it.”

Ms Chambers stated Sarah's classmates had created a buddies bench and a particular award in her honor after her demise.

The faculty's All Singing Prize was established to seek out St Mary's “singing stars”.

He stated, “We've got a beautiful music trophy to give that guy a year-end award, and it's going to be something we do every year to remember him by.”

The faculty additionally organized a memorial ceremony after his demise.

During the emotional occasion, a white feather fell from the sky, which Ms Chambers took as an indication that Sarah was trying down on her.

“Part of the service was the children sharing memories, and the theme that ran through all their memories was their singing,” Ms Chambers stated.

“His favorite songs were Maroon 5's Memories and Bruno Mars' Count on Me.”

Both songs have been sung within the service.

Sarah's closest buddies additionally created a reminiscence field in Ms Chambers' workplace, stuffed with images, messages and white feathers.

At the service, every member of her class additionally adorned a part of a bench, which is now used as a part of the varsity's 'Bench Buddy' scheme.

“She was often called mother hen,” Ms Chambers stated.

“She would love to take care of all the little kids on the playground, and that's why she thought of the Buddy Bench.”

Sarah attended St Mary's from yr two till yr 5, when she was withdrawn to dwelling education in April 2023.

In March 2023, academics on the faculty observed bruises on Sarah's face and knowledgeable Surrey County Council Children's Services.

Children's Services' investigation into the accidents took six days and the varsity was requested to watch Sarah.

This ended when Sarah was expelled from faculty the next month.

Ms Chambers was unable to remark in her interview because of the official overview into the involvement of social providers, the police, the NHS and training providers in Sarah's life.

Sara was discovered useless on a cot in her household dwelling on 10 August.

His father Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother Binash Batool, 30, have been discovered responsible of homicide.

Sarah's uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was convicted on the Old Bailey of murdering or allowing the homicide of a kid.

The head instructor stated Sarah can be remembered as an “extreme chatterbox” who was “full of energy and life”.

“We're quite a big school, but every adult knew Sarah. I think that's why we're so affected by his death, because everyone knew him,” Ms Chambers stated.

He stated that listening to the information of Sarah's demise was “the saddest time of my life”.

“The shock was huge. Personally, speaking as a head teacher, I don’t think you are ever prepared for something like this,” she stated.

“Sarah had the sweetest, biggest smile on her little cheeks. “We don’t have any school photo where he doesn’t have a smile on his face.”