Coroner Rules Ofsted Inspection Contributed to Headteacher's Suicide

Ruth Perry's death following school downgrade sparks national debate on inspection practices.

Ruth Perry, headteacher of Caversham Primary School in Reading, committed suicide in January 2023 following an Ofsted inspection that downgraded the school from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'.
The inspection report, published in March 2023, found the school to be good in every category apart from leadership and management, which was judged inadequate.
The coroner's inquest concluded that the Ofsted inspection contributed to Perry's suicide, and raised concerns about the conduct of the inspection and the use of a 'single-word' judgement.
Perry's family and colleagues believe the inspection placed her under intolerable pressure, leading to a national debate calling for an overhaul of the way schools in England are inspected.
The school was reinspected in June 2023 and its overall grading was raised to good.