Ruth Perry, Ofsted and church processes

A coroner’s report concerning the head teacher, Ruth Perry, determined that her final Ofsted inspection ‘lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity’, stated that at times the inspection was ‘rude and intimidating’ and ruled that it ‘likely contributed’ to her death. Mrs Perry took her own life whilst waiting for the Ofsted report to be published.

The death of Ruth Perry sparked a public debate about the role of Ofsted and how school inspections work more broadly in the UK. BBC News reported: ‘Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman said last month Mrs Perry’s death had been used to “discredit” the schools watchdog. Referring to these comments, Ms Connor [the senior coroner] said this suggests a lack of learning from this case.’ She stated that there was a marked difference between the evidence of the council and Ofsted, suggesting the council was open and accepting with a clear desire to improve matters.

There are those who read these things and immediately assume the answer is to revoke school inspections and wind down Ofsted. Others, the Chief Inspector of Schools amongst them, appear to think all is well and little if anything needs to change. Because schools clearly do fail at times, standards do slip and some children are badly let down, evidently school inspections are necessary, sensible and valuable. But the goal of such inspections ought not to be the tearing down and annihilation of those doing their best in the systems they are asked to work within, but to seek improvement so that those trying their best might be more effective and helped to serve their children and communities most helpfully.