The Old Palace was open yesterday until 12pm, giving pupils, parents and staff the time to lay flowers and be together as the community processed the loss of Elianne.

Today (Friday, September 29) the school is closed and it be open again on Monday (October 2).

A boy, 17, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife and is set to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court today.

He was arrested 75 minutes after the fatal stabbing.

A spokesperson for Met Police said: “The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to appear at youth court, sitting at Croydon Magistrates' Court, on Friday, 29 September.

“He has been charged with murder and possession of a knife.

“Police were called to Wellesley Road at approximately 08:30hrs on Wednesday, 27 September to reports of a stabbing.

“Officers were at the scene within two minutes of the call being received. They worked with emergency service colleagues to provide first aid.

“Despite their efforts, Elianne sadly died at the scene.

“An investigation was launched by homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

“A 17-year-old male was arrested in New Addington around 75 minutes after the incident and charged as above.

“On Thursday, 28 September, police recovered a knife in Cedar Road, Croydon.

“Elianne’s family continue to be supported by specially trained officers.“

In a tribute from Elianne’s family, the said: “Our hearts are broken by the senseless death of our daughter.

“Elianne was the light of our lives. She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her.

“She was only 15, and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future.

“All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family.

“We ask the media to please respect our privacy as we try to grieve the short life of our beautiful child."

Flowers and cards have also been left near the scene where the attack took place.

One of the cards reads: “Sorry we live in this crazy world this makes no sense.

“Fly high up there my mummy will look after you. RIP beautiful, forever young, taken too soon.

“Thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends, God bless.”

A woman described seeing a bus driver and another woman trying to save 15-year-old Elianne.

The mother-of-two, who only wanted to be known as Bridget, said she saw the two people trying to resuscitate the girl on the pavement.

She said: “I was on the bus before and came off and walked back down, I saw them resuscitating her.

“The driver was holding her and a lady.

“The emergency services were already here when I walked back.”

A man also described how he and others chased a boy after the girl was stabbed.

Victor Asare was on a bus on the way home from a night shift as a security worker when he said he saw a boy stab a girl in the neck with a knife which was “black, thin and about a foot long”.

The 50-year-old said: “It looked like the girl didn’t want the boy to come closer.”

He then described the boy stabbing the girl in the neck with a black knife.

“The blood was coming like water,” he added.

“A lot of people came, everyone came off the bus. [The boy] ran away. Everybody was crying and screaming. The girl was on the floor.

“We tried to catch him and a lot of people tried to save the girl. I was so shocked, I was shaken. It’s somebody’s daughter.

“I finished work but couldn’t sleep, so came back, I wanted to see if the girl was OK.”

A post-mortem examination took place yesterday (September 28).