Sara Sharif: ‘Madness’ to allow home schooling when abuse suspected

Sara’s body was found with dozens of injuries – including burns and probable human bite marks – at the family’s home in Woking, Surrey, in the early hours of 10 August last year.

She had been killed two days before, prompting Sharif and the rest of the family to flee to Pakistan.

Around an hour after landing, Sharif called police in England and told the operator that he had killed Sara.

In the months before Sara’s death, teachers at her school raised concerns with Surrey County Council’s social services about bruises on her body.

An investigation was opened but closed again six days later, and after becoming aware of the referral Sharif and Batool took Sara out of school altogether.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Dame Rachel said they should never have been allowed to do so.

“If a child is [the] suspected [victim] of abuse, they cannot be educated at home,” she said.

“Being in school is a safeguard. They are safer under the eyes of teachers.

“We cannot let a child who is at risk… at home go and be educated at home. It’s madness.”

The government is currently planning a Children’s Wellbeing Bill that it says will make “changes to ensure children are safe, healthy, happy and treated fairly”.