Stress of early GCSE exams drives schoolgirl, 15, to take her own life

A bright teenage girl who died after she was found unconscious at her school had left a note complaining about the stress of taking exams.

A bright teenage girl who died after she was found unconscious at her school had left a note complaining about the stress of taking exams.

Tina Dziki, 15, collapsed at her school in Streatham, south London, after taking a suspected overdose two days before she was due to take GCSEs a year early. A groundsman at Dunraven School discovered her at about 8am on Monday and she was taken to St George's Hospital, Tooting, where she died that evening. Her mother and her stepfather were at her bedside. It is thought she may have taken an overdose of anti-malaria tablets.

The Year Ten pupil was one of the brightest in her year and was due to take maths and religious education GCSEs a year early. She would have taken one of the exams yesterday.

Dunraven School principal Richard Townsend said the teenager, who was of Polish origin, was found "very unwell" in a recreation area in part of the upper school site early on Monday morning. A note was found nearby in which she talked about the stress of facing the exams.

Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious. A post-mortem examination will take place at St George's Hospital today. An inquest is to be arranged.

Dunraven is a co-educational Foundation School with GCSE results above the national average. It has been praised by Ofsted inspectors as "very good", for achieving high standards of academic success. Many pupils come from underprivileged backgrounds but teachers were praised for overcoming difficulties with close monitoring of attendance and discipline. It recently opened a new sixth form with £3m of government money. There are up to 10 applications for each place.