HM Coroner for Berkshire has said that an Ofsted inspection was a contributory factor in the death of a much loved and respected primary school head teacher.
It is the first time that the regulator has been found culpable in relation to the death of a teacher.
As previously reported on Teaching Uncovered, Ruth Perry, 53, who had been a teacher for 32 years, tragically took her own life on 8th January 2023. She was awaiting the publication of an Ofsted inspection report on her school, Caversham Primary in Berkshire.
The inspection took place on 15th and 16th November 2022. The inspection team consisted of Alan Derry HMI, the lead inspector, Gavin Evans, Ofsted inspector, and Clare Wilkins, Ofsted inspector.
The two-day inspection uncovered many positive aspects of Caversham Primary's provision, but that was sadly overshadowed by criticism of the school's safeguarding procedures. This weighed very heavily on Ruth's mind. She knew that being graded "inadequate" for leadership and management would limit the overall inspection outcome to one of "inadequate".
Heidi Connor, HM Coroner for Berkshire, has now publicly criticised the manner in which Ofsted inspected Caversham Primary.
In keeping with the Ofsted modus-operandi of naming and shaming, lead inspector Alan Derry HMI is worthy of particularly withering criticism for his role during the inspection. His Ofsted pen portrait is shown below.
Witnesses at the inquest described their interactions with Derry during the inspection. He was said to have "sneered" and "sniggered" during an "unpleasant" and "unprofessional" meeting about safeguarding.
In her recent inquest verdict, Mrs Connor said: "Parts of the Ofsted inspection were conducted in a manner which lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity (to quote from Ofsted's Code of Conduct).
"It was at times rude and intimidating. This likely had an effect on Ruth's ability to deal fully with the inspection process. Parts of this inspection were, in my view, very much done 'to' rather than 'with' this school."
Her sights firmly trained on Derry, she added that there "seems to have been little, if any, reflection or insight into this issue from the lead inspector".
She noted Derry's apparent abdication of responsibility, saying that his evidence "focused quite heavily on looking at others and the impact of their involvement".
In a slightly more conciliatory tone, Mrs Connor added that it was "much more important to consider the system that the lead inspector was working within, and whether adequate focus and training was given".
Having reviewed Ofsted publications, the coroner was of the view that there was very little reference to dealing with teacher anxiety.
Mrs Connor referred to the evidence of Chris Russell, Ofsted national director of education, who had earlier told the inquest that dealing with teacher distress "is something that very much comes into our training".
Russell also said that an inspection could be paused to protect the mental health of school staff.
Mrs Connor dismissed the notion of an inspection pause as "something of a mythical creature, created and expanded on during the evidence at this inquest".
She added that she had seen no evidence of an inspection ever being paused for mental health reasons, despite Ofsted claiming it had happened previously.