Ruth Perry, the head at Caversham Primary School in Reading, took her own life while waiting for the publication of a report that downgraded her school from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate.’
The National Education Union, school leaders’ union NAHT, and the Association of School and College Leaders have all called for inspections to be halted. Ofsted has been asked for a comment regarding the matter.
Ms Perry’s family said she had described the inspection in November as the worst day of her life. The general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, Paul Whiteman, stated that “it cannot be right that we treat dedicated professions in this way. Something has to change.
Whilst it should never take a tragedy like this to prompt action, this has to be a watershed moment.” He further added that “Given the strength of feeling and the need for a period of calm reflection, Ofsted should pause inspections this week.”
Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, also called for Ofsted to pause all inspections and “reflect upon the unmanageable and counterproductive stress they cause for school leaders, and the impact on leaders.” Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, called for “an immediate review” and urged the inspectorate to consider replacing the current system of “graded judgements which reduce everything that a school or college does to a single blunt descriptor.”
Ms Perry’s sister, Julia Waters, has even called for schools to “boycott Ofsted” until a thorough, independent review has been conducted and changes implemented.
She urged headteachers (with the support of teaching unions) to “refuse Ofsted inspectors entry to their school or, at least, refuse to comply with inspectors’ requests.” She previously said her sister told her in feedback to the senior leadership team inspectors said a boy doing a dance move akin to flossing was evidence of the sexualisation of children at the school. There were also said to be claims of child-on-child abuse, which turned out to be a playground fight.
