Ruth Perry: Ofsted denies that method of inspection which downgraded school contributed to headteacher's death

School inspection body Ofsted has denied that the manner of its inspection of Caversham Primary School in Reading contributed to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her life after the school was downgraded to the lowest rating.

Ma Perry died in January 2023 after an inspection in November 2022 which saw Caversham Primary School downgraded from outstanding - Ofsted's highest rating - to the lowest rating possible, inadequate. Her sister Professor Julia Waters said that she had experienced the "worst day of her life" on the day of the inspection.

However, Ofsted told a pre-inquest review hearing on Tuesday (11 July) that the body believed that the inspection did reveal "serious safeguarding concerns and that informed the judgement" of the rating. It comes as the school in question was recently upgraded once again.

Bilal Rawat, representing the non-ministerial Government department that inspects school standards, told the hearing: “We want to be very clear about we don’t accept the suggestion that it was the fact of the inspection that contributed to or affected Ms Perry’s mental health or the manner in which done, it was what was found.”

The coroner in the inquiry into her death stated: “I think Mr Rawat was saying they don’t accept it was the manner in which the inspection was done which caused Ruth’s death.”

Mr Rawat responded to this comment saying: "It is the question of whether it’s the fact of the inspection or what the inspection revealed that is relevant.”

Heidi Connor, senior coroner for the inquest, told the hearing that she would not be investigating the inner workings of Ofsted, instead that the scope of the investigation will include the Ofsted inspection and matters that flowed from that with regard to Ruth.”

She added: “I am of course aware that there has been in recent times an announcement of a parliamentary committee inquiry into Ofsted and I have reminded myself of the terms of reference for that inquiry.”

Ms Perry's family have campaigned for a document, which detailed nine other deaths possibly linked to Ofsted inspections, to be explored in the inquest after it was circulated to the coroner. James Robottom, lawyer for Ms Perrys’ family, said: “The family have made written submissions outlining that from their position there is at least an arguable case of the structural issue regarding the welfare of headteachers going through the Ofsted process.

“That evidence should be adduced, in my submission, in some way through the inquest.”

He added: “This inquest at this point hasn’t ruled out being Article two. In an Article two inquest previous deaths may be relevant both to the provision of death function of Article 2 and to the systemic function of Article two.

“They shouldn’t be ruled out of the feature just by virtue of the fact they are not concerned with that particular case.”

However, the coroner warned against "drawing parallels" between Ms Perry's death and other deaths which have not been subjected to an inquest. She added: “It’s difficult to have one without the other, I think, in terms of considering whether Ofsted should have a system in place for welfare of teachers after an inspection, I’ll remind you of the terms of reference for the inquiry.”

Another pre-inquest review is set to be heard on 27 October, with the full inquest scheduled to begin the week starting Monday 4 December. The coroner is expected to deliver her conclusions the same week.