Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Classmates of shooting victim praised for resilience

Olivia Pratt-Korbel's classmates have been praised by their head teacher for their resilience as they return to school and try to make sense of their friend's killing.

The nine-year-old was shot during a struggle when a gunman burst into her Liverpool home.

Head teacher Rebecca Wilkinson said children at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School wanted to create a permanent memorial to Olivia.

She said Olivia had "oozed kindness".

Nine people have so far been arrested in connection with the 22 August shooting but no charges have been brought.

Mrs Wilkinson said the children had been sharing fond memories of Olivia.

Although the pupils remain desperately upset, she said their talks had been "heartening" and "brought happiness in a tragic situation".

"Olivia would walk into my room with her friends and her smile would light up the place," she said.

"She oozed kindness and was quite a character."

Staff and the 480 pupils at the school have been offered counselling.

Mrs Wilkinson said: "We have had counsellors in every class.

"That's definitely helped and what has been great is how resilient the children have been.

"They are devastated at the loss of their friend, they truly are, but the counselling has definitely helped and we have been so proud of the resilience the children have shown since they've been back."

The teacher said her pupils "are happy to chat about her" and "they are not frightened to mention her name."

Mrs Wilkinson added: "What has been nice since the children have come back are the memories that they have shared from what they remember of Olivia and, in what has been a sad three weeks, that has been really heartening, to listen to the memories that the children have shared of her.

"That's brought a lot of happiness really in what is a very tragic situation, listening to those memories."

Mrs Wilkinson said one nice memory of Olivia recalled how she mischievously came to school wearing pink nail polish and spent the day with her hands closed to hide them from the teachers.

The head teacher said Thursday, the day of Olivia's funeral, would be dedicated to the schoolgirl and pupils had been encouraged to wear pink.

They will also watch Olivia's favourite film, Matilda, in the afternoon and the school will be decorated with pink hearts and ribbons.

Mrs Wilkinson said the pupils are considering building a rose garden and naming part of the playground in memory of their friend.

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