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