Police have confirmed that a Ballakermeen High School pupil has died ‘outside of the school environment’, describing the death as ‘unexplained’.

The school informed parents of the death of a Year 9 student in a letter sent on Wednesday.

Head teacher Graeme Corrin said it was with ‘great sadness’ that he was notifying families of the pupil’s unexpected death.

‘Our thoughts are with the student’s family at this extremely sad time,’ he wrote.

The Isle of Man Constabulary has clarified that no incident took place at Ballakermeen and that the pupil’s death occurred away from the school grounds. Officers are investigating the circumstances on behalf of the coroner.

A police spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that there was no major incident at Ballakermeen High School yesterday (Wednesday). A pupil sadly passed away outside of the school environment.

‘The police are investigating the circumstances on behalf of the Coroner, as the death is currently unexplained.

‘A Bereavement Response Team will be present at Ballakermeen High School to support pupils, and specially trained family liaison officers are in place to support the family.

‘We kindly ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this time and that people refrain from speculation.’

In his letter to parents, Mr Corrin said it was normal for friends and family to experience a wide range of emotions following a death, including sadness, anger and confusion.

‘The Department’s Bereavement Response Team will be in school to support students who may need time to talk things through, and they will provide further support and guidance over the coming days,’ he said.

The head teacher thanked parents for their understanding and support during what he described as an extremely difficult time for the school community.

‘If you have any concerns and would like to talk to us, please do not hesitate to contact our school office,’ he added.

Ballakermeen High School, on St Catherine’s Drive in Douglas, is one of the island’s largest secondary schools.

The school’s letter concluded with its core values of kindness, honesty and respect, principles which staff said would guide their response and support for students in the days ahead.