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Teenager collapses and dies at top boarding school in 'unexplained' death

'The school has been deeply shocked and saddened by this incident,' spokesman says

Peter Walker
Thursday 28 January 2016 13:41 EST
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Gordon's School in Woking, Surrey.
Gordon's School in Woking, Surrey. (Google Street View)

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A 15-year-old boy collapsed and died at one of Britain’s top state boarding schools, in a death police are treating as "unexplained".

The teenager was treated by emergency services following his collapse on Monday evening at Gordon’s School in Woking, Surrey, but was later pronounced dead in hospital.

A spokesman for the school said: "It is with great sadness that we advise you that one of our pupils died on Monday after collapsing at school.

"The school has been deeply shocked and saddened by this incident and asks that the whole school community, students, staff and parents, are left to come to terms with this tragedy.

"All out thoughts and prayers are with the family as the school continues to support the family at this time."

A Surrey Police spokesman said it sent officers to the school following concerns “for the safety” of a pupil.

"His death is being treated as unexplained but at this stage there is not believed to be any third-party involvement," he said.

“A file will be passed to the coroner in due course."

A South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) spokesman said ambulance crews in two ambulances and two cars attended the scene.

"Attempts were made to resuscitate the boy at the scene and en route to hospital but they sadly proved unsuccessful," he added.

The non-selective boarding academy, which has approximately 730 pupils and was established in 1885 by Victorian soldier Major-General Charles Gordon, was ranked outstanding in its latest Ofsted inspection.

Day boarders pay around £6,500-a-year and full boarders pay just under £15,000-a-year at the school, which is supported by The Gordon Foundation.

It is regularly placed inside the top 20 non-selective state schools in Britain in the Government league tables, while 41.8 per cent of sixth-form students last summer earned A*-A grades.

It has a 50-strong pipes and drums band and the school claims to be the only school permitted to march through Whitehall.

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