Nursery World - Ofsted inspection 'contributed' to head teacher Ruth Perry's death, says coroner

An Ofsted inspection ‘contributed’ to the death of head teacher Ruth Perry who took her own life in January, an inquest has ruled.

A senior coroner has listed Ofsted inspection as a 'contributing factor' in a head teacher's death

Heidi Connor, the senior coroner for Berkshire who carried out the inquest, which concluded today (7 December), said that the inspection of Caversham Primary School in Reading where Perry had been head teacher for 13 years, ‘lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity’ and was at times ‘rude and intimidating’.

Ofsted's chief inspector puts out statement following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry

The coroner's verdict was recorded as ‘suicide: contributed to by an Ofsted inspection carried out in November 2022.’

In her concluding remarks, Ms 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.’

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