The coroner has determined that the pressure from an intimidating Ofsted inspection played a role in the head teacher’s suicide.

A coroner’s report has determined that a disrespectful and threatening Ofsted evaluation played a role in the passing of Ruth Perry, the headteacher. Her loved ones have promised to revamp the “inhumane” practice of reducing a school’s performance to a single word.

Ms. Perry, aged 53, died by suicide several months after Caversham Primary School in Reading was downgraded from the rating of “outstanding” to “inadequate” due to safeguarding concerns raised during an inspection by the school’s watchdog in November of last year.

The passing of this person caused a strong reaction among school leaders throughout the nation and resulted in widespread demands for Ofsted to make changes to its simplistic school ratings method.

Senior coroner Heidi Connor determined on Thursday that the Ofsted inspection played a role in her death, ruling it as a suicide after a six-day inquest.

The coroner expressed concern about the actions of lead inspector Alan Derry during the inspection, stating that certain parts were not carried out with fairness, respect, and sensitivity, as outlined in Ofsted’s code of conduct.

The behavior was occasionally impolite and daunting, which may have hindered Ruth’s ability to fully participate in the inspection. Some aspects of the inspection felt more like they were being imposed on the school rather than being done collaboratively.

Ms Connor stated that there was strong evidence indicating that Ms Perry’s decline in mental health and eventual death were likely influenced by the Ofsted inspection. This was supported by several factors, such as the manner in which the inspection was carried out and Ofsted’s policy of giving a single-word judgement.

The coroner stated that Ms Perry felt obligated to carry this responsibility alone due to Ofsted’s regulations prohibiting headteachers from disclosing the preliminary results of an inspection until they are officially released.

Despite being distressed, the headteacher refused to discuss the inspection with friends and mental health professionals.

The coroner, while reading the comments of Ms. Perry before her death, said that she expressed her feelings about the system being untherapeutic and inhumane. She also mentioned the immense pressure and shame she felt, as well as the loss of income and uncertainty about her future. She believed that the Ofsted system needed to change because it was wrong for one person to bear such burden.

The family of Ms. Perry, which includes her husband Jonathan Perry and sister Professor Julia Waters, were visibly moved in the courtroom as the coroner’s findings were announced.

The coroner plans to address worries about the grading system’s effects on the well-being of school leaders in a notification to Ofsted and the Department for Education, urging them to take preventative measures.

The existing system permits a school that is insufficient in every aspect to be given the same overall grade as a school that excels in all areas, but may have some concerns regarding safety that can be fixed before the report is released. She explained that this could lead to schools being forced to become academies and potentially facing layoffs.

Ms. Connor will address the issue of insufficient training for inspectors to recognize indicators of stress in school leaders and know how to handle it, such as by implementing a pause during an inspection.

She made her announcement during an ongoing investigation by parliament into the organization responsible for overseeing the school, which was initiated following the death of Ms. Perry.

The coroner will send a notification to Reading Borough Council regarding worries that they failed to conduct an internal review and the importance of a stronger method of supporting headteachers during Ofsted evaluations.

After the hearing at Berkshire Coroner’s Court, Ms Perry’s family released a powerful statement affirming that the coroner’s findings support their belief that Ruth’s suicide was a direct result of the Ofsted inspection of the school she was devoted to, Caversham Primary School.

The investigation into Ruth’s death has revealed the harsh lack of compassion in the Ofsted inspection system. Ofsted tends to categorize people with simplistic labels. We could use our own words to describe the current Ofsted system. Heartless, irrational, and cruel.

It was stated that there is a need to urgently learn lessons in order to address the existing imbalance of power in the education system. However, the individuals also acknowledged that they lack trust in the current management of Ofsted to effectively implement the necessary comprehensive changes.

They urged for the coroner’s suggestions to be completely implemented and stated that Ruth’s incident should never be repeated. They are steadfast in their belief that significant and prompt changes should take place.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Ms. Perry, a devoted mother of two, was getting ready to relocate to her family’s ideal home and thoroughly enjoyed her role as head of Caversham Primary School, which she had attended as a student.

When Ofsted revealed their first evaluation in over a decade on November 15th of last year, her spouse expressed her joy at being able to highlight the school’s positive qualities.

Unfortunately, during a meeting with lead inspector Alan Derry on the initial day of inspection, Ms Perry was brought to tears and left visibly shaken. This was due to the discovery of issues with the school’s safeguarding record-keeping.

When she returned home, she seemed upset and troubled, according to her husband. He stated that she viewed Mr. Derry as a tyrant with ulterior motives. In a written statement, Mr. Perry shared that she was devastated and embarrassed by the situation.

During her last meeting with inspectors, she became emotional and visibly distressed upon hearing that her school had received a ‘good’ grade in every category except for leadership and management, which was deemed ‘inadequate’ due to concerns about safeguarding.

The inspector informed the governor that the students felt secure and the issues could be resolved within a month. Unfortunately, due to Ofsted’s summary judgement policy, this mistake would result in the school receiving an inadequate overall rating.

The upcoming weekend, Ms. Perry shared with her coworkers that she was experiencing suicidal thoughts and they advised her to reach out to her doctor. Sadly, less than two months later, she passed away by her own hand.

The deputy headteachers of Ms. Perry, who are currently serving as co-heads at Caversham, along with her general practitioner of 30 years, all stated during the hearing that they believe the negative Ofsted inspection was a direct cause of her passing.

During her last few weeks, she constantly expressed her fear of disappointing everyone and worried about losing her job as the primary provider for her family.

The coroner was informed that according to Ofsted guidelines, inspectors are required to take appropriate measures to alleviate anxiety and handle stress. However, there is no written protocol for handling a distressed headteacher.

In a heart-breaking family pen portrait read by her sister Professor Waters, loved ones paid tribute to Ruth as daughter, mother, sister, aunt and friend, adding: “Ruth was so much more than a victim of an inhumane school inspection system. Ruth was so much more than her terrible, preventable death.”

She stated, “Ruth was truly a remarkable person. We all had a deep affection for her and her absence is deeply felt. We will continue to mourn her loss every day for the remainder of our lives.”

According to Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the NAHT union, immediate action is necessary. He believes that Ofsted must carefully examine and implement changes to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring in the future.

In response to the findings, a representative from Brighter Futures for Children and Reading Borough Council praised Ms Perry’s outstanding leadership as a headteacher, stating that they fully support and recognize the recommendations made by the Coroner.

We have implemented various measures to gain a better understanding of and address the factors that affect headteachers’ wellbeing. Additionally, we strive to identify any concerns regarding wellbeing from the beginning of an Ofsted inspection.

Source: independent.co.uk