Coroners’ ruling

An Ofsted inspection “likely contributed” to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, a coroner has concluded.

Concluding an inquest in Reading, senior coroner Heidi Connor said: “The evidence is clear in this respect, and I find that Ruth’s mental health deterioration and death was likely contributed to by the Ofsted inspection.”

She said that she now intended to issue a Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths in such circumstances and that she hoped this would assist the parliamentary inquiry into Ofsted inspections.

Following the inquest, Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman has apologised on behalf of the watchdog to the family and friends of Ms Perry for the distress the inspection caused her.

National Governance Association (NGA) Director of Policy and Communications, Sam Henson, said:

“This is a sobering moment for the sector, a stark and shocking reminder of the very real and direct human toll that inspection and high stakes accountability is having on our profession. Today’s verdict shows the system is broken and needs fixing quickly.”