The school community devastated by the death of one of their sixth form students paid warm tribute to her today.
Ellie Hague, 16, died at the scene when the minibus carrying her and eight other students was in collision with a car near Tadcaster Grammar School on Monday.
Ellie, from Sherburn in Elmet, was in Year 12 at the school.
In a letter to all Tadcaster Grammar School families today, Tom Fielden, chair of governors, headteacher Andrew Parkinson, deputy heads Matt Gill and Riain Vernon, and Ian Yapp, chief executive of the Yorkshire Learning Trust, spoke of their shock at the tragedy.
“This loss has shocked and devastated our school community. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy, especially Ellie’s family and friends.”
They also paid a heartfelt tribute to a girl they described as “a lovely, bubbly, young person.
“She was the kind of person who added warmth to any room that she was in. Ellie was well loved by those around her and we all loved Ellie’s fantastic sense of humour.
“To see her with her group of friends, laughing and interacting with each other always brought a lightness to the lessons she was in.
“Ellie will be sorely missed by fellow students, staff and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.”
Tadcaster Grammar was shut yesterday but reopened today, and the school community is ralllying round its wider family.
For the next few weeks the school will be “providing thoughtful, consistent and professional support to students as they navigate this time of grief”.
The letter concludes: “If at any time your child needs to access additional support, please reach out to your child’s year team – so we can offer more guidance.
“Thank you for your support and understanding over the past 48 hours. It means so much to us. The emails and messages from parents and students have all been greatly appreciated.”
One other student was seriously hurt in the crash, and taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life threatening.
The driver of the car involved in the collision, a 40-year-old woman from Leeds, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Following questioning, she has been released on conditional bail.
