Smiling, singing and dreaming of X Factor tophyper

Sarah Sharif testified “daily hell” She was raised at home by her father and stepmother, but at school she was an affectionate, cheerful “talkative” who loved to sing and dance, her headmaster said.

Jackie 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.

Sarah attended school in West Byfleet, Surrey, until weeks before she was found dead in her bunk bed at home last year after her father and stepmother murdered her.

Despite the torment she endured, Mrs Chambers said she was a “joyful little soul” in the classroom and would always help younger pupils on the playground.

“She wrote songs all the time and would sing to anyone who would listen,” she said.

“She came into my office, and I remember saying, ‘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 stood by it.

Ms Chambers said Sarah’s colleagues had set up a friends bench and a special award in her honor since her death.

The Sarah School Singing Prize has been set up to find ‘singing stars’ at St Mary’s.

“We have a wonderful music award to give to that character at the end of the year, and this will be something we will do every year to remember her,” she said.

The school also held a memorial service after her death.

During this emotional event, a white feather fell from the sky, which Mrs. Chambers took as a sign that Sarah was looking down on them.

“Part of the service was the children sharing memories, and her singing was the theme that dominated all of their memories,” Chambers said.

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

Both songs were sung at the service.

Sarah’s closest friends have also created a memory box in Mrs Chambers’ office, containing photographs, letters and the white quill.

During the service, each member of her class also decorated part of the bench, which is now used as part of the school’s ‘Friends of the Bench’ scheme.

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

“She loves taking care of all the little kids on the playground, which is why they thought of the buddy seat.”

Sarah attended St Mary’s from Year 2 until Year 5, when she was withdrawn for home study in April 2023.

In March 2023, school teachers noticed bruises on Sarah’s face and told Surrey County Council Children’s Services.

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

This ended when Sarah was taken out of school the following month.

Ms Chambers was unable to comment on this in her interview due to a formal review of the involvement of social services, police, the NHS and education services in Sarah’s life.

Sarah was found dead in her bunk bed at her family home on August 10.

Her father, Orfan Sharif (43 years old), and her stepmother, Binaash Batul (30 years old), were convicted of murder.

Sarah’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or permitting the death of a child at the Old Bailey.

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

“We’re a fairly large school, but every adult knows Sarah. I think that’s why we were so touched by her death, because everyone knew her,” Chambers said.

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

“The shock was enormous. Personally, speaking as a school principal, I don’t think you’re ever prepared for something like this,” she added.

“Sarah had the most beautiful smile and the biggest plush cheeks. “We don’t have a picture at school where she doesn’t have a smile on her face.”