MONDAY marked a year since the death of Ruth Perry, head teacher at Caversham Primary School who took her own life last January.
After 32 years in teaching, Ms Perry was described as a “wonderful teacher” and an “integral part” of the school system by fellow teachers and pupils.
She had led the school for more than a decade when in November 2022 it underwent an Ofsted inspection.
Following the inspection, she was made aware that the school’s rating would be downgraded to ‘inadequate’ from its previous ‘outstanding’ rating.
The inquest into her death heard that the inspection had been “intimidating” and lacked “fairness, respect, and sensitivity.”
She was found dead days before the judgement was due to be given, sparking national concerns about the efficacy and practises of the schools inspectorate.
Tributes were paid to her by family and friends, fellow teachers, and former pupils, as well as from Reading Borough Council and its childrens’ services organisation, Brighter Futures for Children.
A joint statement from RBC and BFfC said: “Ruth was an integral part of the school community for many years.
“She was hugely respected, experienced and a well-established figure at Caversham Primary where she took up the headteacher role in 2010, having previously been Deputy Head in 2006 and a pupil herself between 1973 and 1980.”
In April, residents came together for the Ruth Perry Memorial Walk from Caversham Primary School to Christchurch Meadows, with more than 100 people attending.
They took part in a minute’s silence to mark her passing and honour her memory, and pupils at the school said: “She was the best teacher we ever had.”
Tributes were followed by a reading of a poem by Michael Rosen which examined how focussing on data can warp the assessment of learning in schools.
In the wake of her death, widespread criticism of Ofsted practises grew, with their one word ratings coming under particular scrutiny.
Among those who called for reforms to the inspectorate was her sister, Professor Julia Waters, who said in May: “Even wonderful teachers like Ruth can be driven to the terrible decision she made, which shows the intolerable pressure teachers are put under and that has to be rectified.”
Ms Waters was joined by Reading East MP Matt Rodda and Reading Borough Council in calling into question the way that schools were inspected, with RBC penning an open letter to the government calling for “greater compassion.”
An inquest examined Ofsted’s practises in school inspections and judged in December last year that the inspection had “likely contributed” to her death.
After the inquest, senior coroner Heidi Connor issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report to Ofsted, as well as to Reading Borough Council and the Department of Education, which means that each is required to provide a plan to mitigate the chances of any similar deaths happening.
Last week, Sir Martyn Oliver took over as chief inspector of Ofsted and announced that new training would be given to staff while inspections would be paused until late January.
There were also changes made to how schools could raise concerns about inspections, which Mr Oliver said would be part of a series of reforms designed to help inspectors “manage the wellbeing of staff” at schools.
Ms Perry’s death has had a profound effect on how school inspections are viewed and carried out, and Ms Waters said in May: “Ruth dedicated 32 years of her life to teaching.
“It was absolutely her vocation– she made a very difficult and challenging profession look easy.”
“The education profession has lost a wonderful head teacher and a wonderful teacher– which is both a tragedy and a scandal.
“All of those children that she hadn’t yet taught, that she hasn’t nurtured at the school, will miss out and won’t have that opportunity.”
