Stopping inspections after headteacher's death not in pupils' best interests, Ofsted says

The death of Ruth Perry has sparked calls for change. PA

Suspending school inspections in response to the death of a teacher would not be good for pupils, the head of the UK’s school inspectors said on Friday.

Amanda Spielman, chief inspector of the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted), said debate over reform of inspections “is a legitimate one” but that the “sad news” should not stop them.

The death of Ruth Perry, the headteacher of Caversham Primary School in Reading who committed suicide before the results of an Ofsted report, has brought into focus wider concerns about the pressures placed on educators.

Now pressure is growing on Ofsted, which is responsible for inspecting and rating institutions in England that provide education for children and young people, to look at changes.

Three unions representing teachers and heads have urged Ofsted to pause inspections.

Reading Borough Council backed calls for the suspension of inspections while a review is carried out into the system.

Schools are removing logos and references to Ofsted ratings from their websites as a mark of solidarity with Ms Perry.

Headteachers are planning to stage peaceful protests — including wearing black clothing and armbands and displaying photographs of Ms Perry — when Ofsted inspections take place.

Ms Spielman described Ms Perry's death as “a tragedy” and said she was “deeply sorry” for the loss suffered by her family, friends and the school community.

She insisted Ofsted’s mission to raise standards in schools was a vital tool for parents, schools and the government.

She said Ms Perry’s death had been “met with great sadness at Ofsted” and acknowledged that school inspections “can be challenging.”

The chief inspector said: “The sad news about Ruth has led to an understandable outpouring of grief and anger from many people in education. There have been suggestions about refusing to co-operate with inspections, and union calls to halt them entirely.

“I don't believe that stopping or preventing inspections would be in children's best interests. Our aim is to raise standards so that all children get a great education. It is an aim we share with every teacher in every school.

“Inspection plays an important part. Among other things, it looks at what children are being taught, assesses how well behaviour is being taught and managed, and checks that teachers know what to do if children are being abused or harmed.

“We help parents understand how their child's school is doing and we help schools understand their strengths and areas for improvement. It's important for that work to continue.”

Ofsted has four ratings — outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. Many parents take the ratings into account when choosing schools for their children.

Ms Perry took her own life while waiting for a negative inspection report which was to downgrade Caversham to the lowest possible rating, her family said.

Pressures facing teachers

A former teacher said many teachers miss funerals and go to work sick to ensure they are present for Ofsted inspections.

Amanda Bentham said she had had “sleepless nights” over the watchdog's inspections when she was teaching.

“I've seen people who have had to take medications to get them through Ofsted, people who've missed funerals that they should have attended because they felt they had to be there, people coming into school ill, sick.”

Speaking at a vigil in London for Ms Perry on Thursday, she said “everyone” who has ever worked in a school has felt the pressure of inspections.

Ms Spielman admitted on Friday it was an “unquestionably a difficult time to be a headteacher,” with school staff having worked during the pandemic to keep schools open “while keeping vulnerable children safe.”

She said the “broader debate about reforming inspections to remove grades is a legitimate one” but it “shouldn't lose sight of how grades are currently used.”

She said inspection grades allow parents to see a “simple and accessible summary of a school's strengths and weaknesses” and are used to guide government decisions about when to intervene in struggling schools.

“Any changes to the current system would have to meet the needs both of parents and of government,” Ms Spielman said.

“The right and proper outcome of Ofsted's work is a better education system for our children.

“To that end, we aim to do good as we go — and to make inspections as collaborative and constructive as we can. We will keep our focus on how inspections feel for school staff and on how we can further improve the way we work with schools.

“I am always pleased when we hear from schools that their inspection 'felt done with, not done to'. That is the kind of feedback I want to hear in every case.

“As teachers, school leaders and inspectors, we all work together in the best interests of children — and I'm sure that principle will frame all discussions about the future of inspection. "