Ofsted chief is challenged over impact of inspections after headteacher Ruth Perry’s death – but insists they’re necessary and designed to be ‘as fair and professional’ as possible

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The head of Ofsted was today challenged over the impact school inspections have in the wake of headteacher Ruth Perry’s death. 

Ms Perry’s family say she took her own life in January following a report that downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest, over safeguarding concerns, on November 15 and 16 last year.

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman spoke as the inquest into Ruth Perry’s death continued in Reading today – where Ms Perry’s husband revealed the headteacher had ‘dark thoughts’ about ending her own life after the inspection.

She repeated her sadness at the death of Ms Perry but insisted that inspections are necessary and have been designed to be ‘as fair and professional’ as possible. 

Mrs Spielman began a speech to the National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) in Bournemouth today by referring to the inquest.

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman (pictured) was today challenged over the impact school inspections have

The family of Ruth Perry (pictured) say she took her own life in January following a report that downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest

She said: ‘I do just want to acknowledge the inquest that is underway at the moment. I’m sure many of you will have seen media reports. Obviously, I cannot talk about that today.

READ MORE: Ruth Perry was ‘extremely distressed’ by ‘unpleasant’ and ‘unprofessional’ Ofsted inspection which left other teachers ‘feeling quite unwell’ 

‘I would like to say again how saddened everybody at Ofsted has been at the death of Ruth Perry and we are thinking, of course, about her family and friends and colleagues at this time.

‘We’ve given evidence at the inquest this week, and of course, we’ll carry on assisting the coroner in any way we can.’

Following her speech, which covered some of the content of Ofsted’s annual report – published last week – Mrs Spielman was asked about the watchdog’s inspection approach and its effects on school and local authority staff.

During a question-and-answer session, a person working in children’s services said people are ‘afraid to challenge’ Ofsted and while they recognise the need for inspections, the level of stress often causes a ‘nosedive’ in the aftermath of a visit by the watchdog.

The woman, who said she believes in inspection, added: ‘I’m going to put my head above the parapet to say something that I think is really important – that I am not sure that from your speech you understand the impact that your inspections have on local authorities or schools.

‘Because they’re afraid to tell you.’

She said she has known people left ‘in tears’ due to inspections, adding: ‘People are afraid to challenge Ofsted’.

The headteacher, 53, felt she had ‘let everyone down’ when the watchdog changed the rating of Caversham Primary School in Reading from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’, Jonathan Perry said in a statement

Ruth Perry’s death sparked an outpouring of emotion from the local community (two women pictured with signs in March)

She added that after an inspection often ‘the team (at a school or local authority) takes a nosedive because of the stress of what they’ve been through’.

Mrs Spielman said she and the Ofsted team ‘absolutely recognise the anxiety that can build up’ around inspections but insisted the system has been designed to be ‘as constructive and fair and professional’ as possible.

She said: ‘Every inspection is designed to be as transparent as possible, to have as many opportunities for people to have a further conversation, to introduce new thinking, to say that they would like the inspector to look at something else.

‘We are extremely open and extremely flexible. And it is really important that people know that and have the confidence to use inspection the way it’s intended.’

A survey last month suggested the majority of teachers believe Ofsted inspections are inaccurate.

More than nine in 10 (92%) teachers surveyed agreed that Ofsted is not a ‘reliable and trusted arbiter of standards’, according to a poll commissioned by the Beyond Ofsted inquiry.

That inquiry, which found that nearly two in three (62%) teachers did not think the outcome of their most recent inspection accurately reflected their school, was launched in April amid calls for the inspectorate to revamp its one-word judgments system following the death of headteacher Mrs Perry in January.

Ms Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters (pictured), previously said the headteacher had experienced the ‘worst day of her life’ after inspectors reviewed the school on November 15 and 16 last year

Mrs Spielman said: ‘I’m confident that we are getting it right. But it is very hard to deal with a narrative where there are stakeholders in the system who do not want it to work.’

At the inquest today, Ms Perry’s husband Jonathan Perry said his wife felt she had ‘let everyone down’ when the watchdog changed the school’s rating from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’.

He said that she worried about the impact on the wider community, fearing it would cause her neighbours’ house prices to plummet and that locals would be ‘angry’ at her as a result.

Ms Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, previously said the headteacher had experienced the ‘worst day of her life’ after inspectors reviewed the school on November 15 and 16 last year.

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