Headteacher vows to BLOCK Ofsted from school after fellow head Ruth Perry killed herself ahead of ‘inadequate’ rating
A SCHOOL leader plans to block Ofsted inspectors in protest at the death of a fellow head.
Flora Cooper says she is making a stand on behalf of all school staff feeling the stress of the checks.
It follows the death of Ruth Perry, who killed herself in January because she was getting an “inadequate” rating.
Ms Cooper, executive head of the John Rankin Schools in Newbury, Berks, tweeted that inspectors had called to say they were coming that day but she had “refused entry”.
She added: “Doing this for everyone for our school staff everywhere!
“We have to do this! I’m taking the stand!”
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And Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) also agrees that inspections should be paused.
She said: "Ofsted should pause all its inspections and reflect upon the unmanageable and counter-productive stress they cause for school leaders, and the impact on leaders."
Mrs Perry, 53, who was head of Caversham Primary, also in Berkshire, was devastated by the inspection in November, says her sister Julia Waters.
Ofsted found it to be good in every category apart from leadership and management, where it was deemed inadequate.
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But Ms Waters said it destroyed 32 years of her sister’s vocation.
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She added: “It preyed on her mind until she couldn’t take it any more.”
Julia believes that some of the Ofsted inspectors' conclusions were "sensationalist" and "drawn from scant evidence", such as gaps in record-keeping and typical childish behaviour.
She explained: "In our opinion, the findings of Ofsted were disproportionate, unfair and, as has tragically been proven, deeply harmful in their (implied) focus on one individual."
According to the statement, the family rejects Ofsted's judgment of Ms Perry's leadership.
An inquest into the headteacher's death will take place at Berkshire Coroner's Court later this year.
A petition calling for an inquiry into the inspection has 39,000-plus signatures.
Ofsted’s Matthew Purves said: “We were deeply saddened by Ruth Perry's tragic death.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.