There is a risk of future deaths following the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry “unless action is taken”, a coroner has told Ofsted and the Department for Education.
Coroner Heidi Connor has issued a prevention of future deaths report following an inquest that concluded earlier this month into the death of Ms Perry.
It raises concerns about the impact of Ofsted grades and the inspectorate not carrying out a “learning review”.
The coroner has told Ofsted and the DfE that they have to respond to her concerns by February next year.
Ms Perry took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her school, Caversham Primary School in Reading, from the watchdog’s highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns.
At the inquest, Ms Connor said that the Ofsted inspection had likely contributed to Ms Perry’s death.
In her report published today, Ms Connor says: “During the course of the investigation, my enquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern.
“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.”
Findings from the Ruth Perry inquest
Ms Connor’s report raises a number of concerns. The first relates to the current Ofsted grading system and “the impact on school leader welfare that this system may continue to have”.
The report says: “The current system allows a school which is inadequate in all areas to receive the same overall label as a school which is good in all areas but with some safeguarding issues which can be repaired by the time the report is published.”
Ms Connor says that “transparency and ease of message to parents is not currently weighed against teacher welfare”.
The senior coroner also highlights what she describes as the “almost complete absence of Ofsted training or published policy” to identify signs of school leader distress.
Ms Connor says there was a lack of inspector training on: the practical steps to deal with such distress; pausing an inspection by reason of the distress of a school leader; and on who can attend meetings with the inspectors during the inspection process.
Other concerns include the “absence of a clear path” to raise concerns during an inspection if these cannot be resolved directly with the lead inspector, the timescale for Ofsted report publication and Ofsted not carrying out a learning review.
The report adds: “No learning review of these matters was conducted by Ofsted. There is no policy requiring this to be done.”
Following the conclusion of the inquest, Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman apologised on behalf of the inspectorate to the family and friends of Ms Perry for the distress caused to her by the inspection.
Ms Spielman said Ofsted had made changes to reduce the pressures felt by school leaders and “will do more” to address concerns raised by the coroner.
The DfE and Ofsted have been approached for comment.
