A school has apologised after pupils were encouraged to write a suicide letter as part of a GCSE writing exercise.

GCSE English students at Cheney School, in Headington, Oxford, were set the task as part of studying J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls.

The assignment asked teenagers to imagine they are “a young woman in 1912 writing a suicide letter to those who care about you", one mother revealed.

The mother, who wished to remain unnamed, said she was “uncomfortable, uneasy and genuinely shocked” when her child told her about the writing task.

In a statement, the mixed co-ed comprehensive school said it was “very sorry for any distress caused”.

The mother, who herself has had a relative who attempted suicide, wrote a letter to the school's Head of English.

She said: "There was no warning, no support, no encouragement.

"I feel it could be done well to raise awareness of teen mental health and suicide, but this was a massive fail.

"It is a tumultuous time for them as teenagers."

The events of the 1945 play, which is a GCSE set text, are set in motion after the character of Eva Smith dies.

Set in 1912, the play depicts a mysterious inspector arriving at the home of a mill owner.