Ofsted will halt school inspections next week to rollout new training to its staff after an inquest found the process had 'likely contributed' to the suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry.
It comes after a coroner ruled yesterday that Mrs Perry, 53, took her own life after the watchdog downgraded her primary school from 'outstanding' to inadequate'.
The inquest heard the headteacher had been left 'completely devastated' in the weeks following the watchdog's 'intimidating' inspection into Caversham Primary School in Reading last year, following safeguarding concerns.
Her family warned that lessons 'must be learnt' calling the inspection 'callous and inhumane'. Mrs Perry's widow, Jonathan Perry, said marrying the headteacher was 'the best thing I've ever done' as her sister said the family 'miss her every day'.
Ofsted's chief inspector Amanda Spielman apologised to the family for the 'distress that Mrs Perry undoubtedly experienced as a result of our inspection'.
She went on to say inspections will be delayed by one day next week to ensure inspectors know what to do if teachers are showing signs of anxiety, the Telegraph reported.
Inspectors will also be trained on what to do if an inspection needs to be paused.
Throughout the inquest her heartbroken husband revealed she worried about the impact of the downgrading on the local community, while Mrs Perry's GP Tom Back said he believed there was a 'link' between the inspection and the headteacher's mental health deterioration and death two months later.
