Ofsted denies method of inspection contributed to the suicide of a headteacher

Ofsted has denied that the style wherein a college inspection was carried out contributed to the dying of headteacher Ruth Perry.

Ms Perry took her personal life in January following an Ofsted report which downgraded her Caversham Main College in Studying from its highest score, excellent, to its lowest, insufficient, over safeguarding considerations.

Her sister Professor Julia Waters beforehand mentioned Ms Perry had skilled the “worst day of her life” after inspectors reviewed the varsity on November 15 and 16 final 12 months.

Forward of a pre-inquest overview at Studying City Corridor, Ms Perry’s household mentioned they hope the inquest will stop different avoidable deaths, sparing family members the “excruciating ache” they’ve endured.

Talking on the listening to on Tuesday, Bilal Rawat, representing Ofsted, a non-ministerial Authorities division that inspects faculty requirements, instructed the listening to: “The place of Ofsted is that the inspection that was carried out revealed severe safeguarding considerations and that knowledgeable the judgment.

“We wish to be very clear about we don’t settle for the suggestion that it was the actual fact of the inspection that contributed to or affected Ms Perry’s psychological well being or the style wherein achieved, it was what was discovered.”

Responding to his remarks, the coroner mentioned: “I feel Mr Rawat was saying they don’t settle for it was the style wherein the inspection was achieved which triggered Ruth’s dying.”

Mr Rawat added: “It’s the query of whether or not it’s the actual fact of the inspection or what the inspection revealed that’s related.”

Senior coroner Heidi Connor mentioned she wouldn’t be investigating the interior workings of Ofsted and “trivia” of its inspection course of at inquest.

However she added: “I’ve indicated the scope will embrace the Ofsted inspection and issues that flowed from that with regard to Ruth.”

She added: “I’m in fact conscious that there was in current occasions an announcement of a parliamentary committee inquiry into Ofsted and I’ve reminded myself of the phrases of reference for that inquiry.”

These phrases of reference embrace “the affect of Ofsted inspections on workload and wellbeing for lecturers” and “the usefulness of Ofsted inspections and inspection reviews”.

However the coroner added: “That inquiry and this inquest are fully separate process focussing on fully totally different proof.

“I’ve, it’s truthful to say, had various members of the general public writing to me about Ruth’s case and I do assume that a number of the correspondence I’ve had was higher addressed to the inquiry.”

The coroner mentioned a doc had been circulated to her over 9 deaths presumably linked to Ofsted inspections.

Legal professionals for the household need this to be explored on the inquest.

James Robottom, for Ms Perrys’ household, mentioned: “The household have made written submissions outlining that from their place there’s at the very least an debatable case of the structural subject relating to the welfare of headteachers going via the Ofsted course of.

“That proof must be adduced, in my submission, indirectly via the inquest.”

He added: “This inquest at this level hasn’t dominated out being Article two. In an Article two inquest earlier deaths could also be related each to the supply of dying operate of Article 2 and to the systemic operate of Article two.

“They shouldn’t be dominated out of the characteristic simply by advantage of the actual fact they don’t seem to be involved with that individual case.”

The coroner mentioned: “I might be extraordinarily warning of drawing parallels with instances that I don’t have the complete image of, while welcome to make submissions in relation to these instances I feel it’s unlikely I shall be taking a look at 9 different instances I haven’t had involvement with.”

She added: “It’s tough to have one with out the opposite, I feel, by way of contemplating whether or not Ofsted ought to have a system in place for welfare of lecturers after an inspection, I’ll remind you of the phrases of reference for the inquiry.”

She mentioned it was “extra prone to be a matter for the inquiry than this inquest”, including: “My intuition is that’s stretching the elastic a bit to far and it’s unlikely I might get into that.”

An additional pre-inquest overview shall be heard on October 27 and the inquest is listed for the week beginning Monday, December 4, 2023, with the coroner anticipating to ship her conclusions on Thursday, December 7 2023.