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The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ School community is greatly saddened to hear of the sudden death of Ellie Soutter on her 18th birthday. Ellie joined The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ aged 4 years and moved to France with her father aged 10. Teachers and staff remember her as a bubbly, likeable and enthusiastic pupil.

In her local French school snowboarding was part of the PE curriculum and her love of snowboarding and the outdoors was nurtured. Bordercross and halfpipe were her favourite disciplines. Age 16 years she represented Great Britain winning a Bronze medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival, bringing home the only medal for team GB and carrying the flag in the closing ceremony.

Ellie won the Old Hawthornian Cup for Outstanding Achievement in July 2017 and in December came back to The ºìÐÓÊÓƵ to talk to the pupils and staff in assembly about her life and aspirations for the future. Her ambition was to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Old Hawthornian Association had recently offered her some financial support from their Personal Development Fund to help fund her training and kit.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Ellie’s family at this very sad and difficult time.