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Ruth Perry death: 'Ofsted must listen to coroner recommendations'

School improvement Whole-school issues Staff wellbeing Inspection updates Ofsted
Any recommendations made by the coroner investigating the circumstances of headteacher Ruth Perry’s death must be considered fully by Ofsted, it was said this week. It comes as a petition calling for change approaches 200,000 signatories and the chief inspector issues her first public statement... Pete Henshaw reports
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There has been an outpouring of anger and grief after it emerged the 53-year-old headteacher took her own life ahead of the publication of an Ofsted inspection report that was due to downgrade her outstanding school to inadequate.

A petition calling for an inquiry into the inspection of Caversham Primary School in Reading has now reached 176,000 signatories and counting.

The petition states: “Ruth Perry had been the headteacher at Caversham Primary School for 13 years when Ofsted visited her school on November 15 and 16, 2022. The experience drove her to sadly take her own life.”

It continues: “Ofsted inspections have evolved into such a monster that the mere thought of them causes fear, stress and anxiety to schools, school leadership and staff alike. Actual inspections can leave staff in tears.

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