Ruth Perry - OFSTED ‘contributed to death of Headteacher’

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The Coroner today recorded that OFSTED contributed to Ruth Perry’s death.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-67612233

An OFSTED inspector - ALAN DERRY - and his lack of professionalism, his lack of fairness, contributed to another human being’s death.

That is not an opinion that is a fact as recorded by the Coroner.

The Coroner also found that “parts of the ALAN DERRY’S inspection were conducted in a manner which lacked fairness”.

Regulators like ALAN DERRY exist to ensure fairness and proper procedures are followed by others. Why did ALAN DERRY allow his inspection to be unfair?

Our children, teachers, support staff and headteachers need immediate protection from an inspection process so appalling that is has contributed to a person’s death.

The Head of OFSTED has announced a day of training next week to fix this issue.

A day of training.

A day of training to help Inspectors not contribute to a person taking their own life. If an organisation needs training so that its employees don’t contribute to the deaths of others - then that organisation is not fit for purpose and its leadership, culture and moral compass are either absent or so woeful and professionally incompetent that they are simply negligent in the duties as a public body.

I believe a crowdfunding page is being established this week to possibly fund and pursue a case of Corporate Manslaughter against OFSTED now that their role in Ruth Perry’s death has been established.

How awful that a system of school inspection has become such a deranged quango. All power and no responsibility is such a toxic mix - and one here that has contributed to the death of another person.

What if another Head or Teacher takes their life in the coming weeks or months because of OFSTED - how awful would that be? How culpable would that make those who do not make seismic changes now.

Unprofessionalism of this level will not be cured by a day’s training and some tweaks.

Only complete and immediate overhaul - led by the SoS for Education and the Government can ensure this tragic event is not repeated in the coming months.

Thanks for sharing HarlaEB

I haven't followed the link.
The idea that inspectors watching a webinar is in any way going to stop the horror of Ofsted is just laughable.
Well, not in the funny way of course. But just missing the point entirely.

Released today. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevention-of-future-deaths-report-regulation-28-ofsteds-response

The decoupling should have happened years ago. But then they couldn't have forced so many schools into MATs!

Totally inadequate response. Why aren't they adopting these measures for all inspections, not just schools, as they would if they were serious about reform?

If a school was assessed as "inadequate", I'm sure Ofsted would not accept a promise to address only handwriting.

So, when the coroner said the response must not be just paying lip service to her report, that is exactly what they’ve done…

Yes; they have done the minimum they think they can get away with.
How arrogant they are!

It’s depressing, isn’t it? Despite all this, nothing will change and it all still carries on as before, but you can pause it if you’re really stressed and they’ll come back in a day or two-whoopy do.

Nothing about about reducing the stress, removing the high-stakes one-word judgement, reforming the framework or ending the forced academisation or job losses with a poor judgement. Same old same old.

NAHT report.
https://www.naht.org.uk/Portals/0/PDF's/Reports/NAHT-Ofsted-report_Jan_2024_FINAL_REPORT_.pdf?ver=2024-01-16-172409-693

There’s lots of sensible stuff there.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be anything other than tinkering around the edges that is on offer.

Imagine being the head teacher that is so stressed that they have to make the decision to pause Ofsted (for a couple of days? Weeks?) knowing what that extra stress hanging over their staff will do to them.

Why not try to reduce the stress the inspection system causes, rather than waiting till the stress tips people over the edge before negotiating a pause.

How was it that Wales could scrap the one-word judgement in their inspections days after the Ruth Perry tragedy was in the news, yet removing that in England doesn’t even appear to be on the cards?

I agree totally.

I've had head teachers heading for outstanding, but to do that OFSTED would have to return sooner. The stress isn't worth it for a fantastic judgement, it certainly isn't going to be when everyone is terrified.

Of course we would worry that by pausing, we are seen to be weak leaders too.

I noticed SIAMS inspections no longer have a judgement.

I noticed SIAMS inspections no longer have a judgement

I wonder where else in the world has one-word judgements for schools? Perhaps the government should do some research around the world to see what actually works. I’m sure they won’t as they’re too busy spouting bollocks about being ‘world-beating’ in everything, they can’t see that services are crumbling around us. Is the ‘benefit’ of causing crippling anxiety, suicide and immense stress in our school staff proportionate to the impact Ofsted had? How do other countries manage to get good results without such stress?!