Smiling, singing and dreaming of X Factor | Global News Avenue

Sarah Sharif experienced “Everyday Life Hell” Her class teacher said that at home she was controlled by her father and stepmother, but at school she was a loving, cheerful “chatterbox” who loved to sing and dance.

Jacquie Chambers told the BBC that Sarah was a much-loved pupil at St Mary’s Primary School who would “sing to anyone who would listen” and dreamed of appearing on The X Factor “middle.

Sarah attended school in West Byfleet, Surrey, until a few weeks ago when she was found dead in a bunk bed at home after being murdered by her father and stepmother last year.

Despite the ordeal, Ms Chambers said she was a “happy little soul” in the classroom and would always be on the playground helping younger pupils.

“She would always write songs and sing them to anyone who would listen,” she said.

“She walked into my office and I remember saying to her, ‘Sarah, what do you want to be when you grow up?’. She said, ‘I want to be on the X Factor. I want to win it. She insisted on that.”

Ms Chambers said since Sarah’s death her classmates had set up a Friends Bench and a special award in her memory.

The school established the Sarah Singing Award to find St. Mary’s “singing stars.”

“We put together a lovely music trophy at the end of the year to reward that person and it will be something we do every year to honor her memory,” she said.

The school also held a memorial service after her death.

During this exciting incident, a white feather falls from the sky, which Ms. Chambers believes is a sign that Sarah looks down on them.

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

“Her favorite songs are Memories by Maroon 5 and Count on Me by Bruno Mars.”

Both songs were sung during the ceremony.

Sarah’s closest friends also created a memory box in Ms. Chambers’ office containing photos, messages and white feathers.

During the ceremony, each member of her class also decorated part of a bench that is now used as part of the school’s Bench Buddies program.

“She was often called a hen,” Ms. Chambers said.

“She loved taking care of all the little kids on the playground, which is why they came up with the buddy bench.”

Sarah attended St. Mary’s School from second to fifth grade and dropped out in April 2023 to be homeschooled.

In March 2023, school teachers noticed bruising on Sarah’s face and reported it to Surrey County Council Children’s Services.

An investigation into the bruises by Children’s Services took six days and the school was asked to monitor Sarah.

That will all end when Sarah is taken out of school the next month.

Ms Chambers was unable to comment during the interview because officials were reviewing the involvement of social services, the police, the NHS and the education service in Sarah’s life.

On August 10, Sarah was found dead in her bunk bed at home.

Her father Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of murder.

Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik, 29, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child at the Old Bailey.

The head teacher added that Sarah will be remembered as an “absolute chatterbox” who was “full of life and energy”.

“We’re a big school but every adult knew Sarah. I think that’s why we were affected by her death because everyone knew her,” Ms Chambers said.

She said hearing the news of Sarah’s death was “the saddest moment of my life”.

“The shock is huge. Personally, as a head teacher, I don’t think you’re ready for something like this,” she added.

“Sarah had the cutest, brightest smile on her little cheeks. We don’t have a picture at school of her without a smile on her face.”