Ruth Perry: Family blame death on pressure of school inspection

A caput teacher who took her ain beingness up of a schoolhouse inspection study was nether "intolerable pressure", her household has said.

Ruth Perry was waiting for an Ofsted study that would complaint her superior schoolhouse successful Reading arsenic inadequate.

The National Education Union, schoolhouse leaders' national NAHT and the Association of School and College Leaders person called for inspections to beryllium halted.

The Department for Education said inspections were "hugely important".

Ms Perry's household said teaching had been her "passion and vocation" for 32 years and they had been near "devastated" by her decease connected 8 January.

In the study seen by the BBC, but yet to beryllium published connected the Ofsted website, the watchdog rated Caversham Primary School arsenic inadequate, the lowest rating.

The household connection said: "We are successful nary uncertainty that Ruth's decease was a nonstop effect of the unit enactment connected her by the process and result of an Ofsted inspection astatine her school.

"We bash not for an instant recognise Ofsted's 'inadequate' judgement arsenic a existent reflection of Ruth's exemplary enactment oregon of the fantastic schoolhouse she led."

They accused inspectors of reaching conclusions that were "sensationalist and drawn from scant evidence".

Paul Whiteman, wide caput of schoolhouse leaders' national NAHT, said: "It cannot beryllium close that we dainty dedicated professions successful this way. Something has to change.

"Whilst it should ne'er instrumentality a calamity similar this to punctual action, this has to beryllium a watershed moment."

Ms Perry's household echoed calls for "massive reform" of the inspection system.

"School inspections should beryllium a invited and affirmative publication to amended standards successful education," they said.

"They request to beryllium genuinely supportive and truthful to safeguard the wellness and wellbeing of hard-working, talented, altruistic headteachers and staff.

"This is simply a captious portion of ensuring the champion acquisition situation for children, who are of people everyone's priority, arsenic they were for Ruth."

The Department for Education said inspections were a "legal requirement".

A spokesperson said: "Inspections are hugely important arsenic they clasp schools to relationship for their acquisition standards and parents greatly trust connected the ratings to springiness them assurance successful choosing the close schoolhouse for their child.

"We connection our heavy condolences to the household and friends of Ruth Perry pursuing her tragic decease and are continuing to supply enactment to Caversham Primary School astatine this hard time."

A petition calling for acquisition caput Gillian Keegan, and Ofsted main inspector Amanda Spielman, to reappraisal the inspection and to marque changes to the inspection strategy has truthful acold gathered much than 65,000 signatures.

Matthew Purves, Ofsted determination manager for the southbound east, said: "We were profoundly saddened by Ruth Perry's tragic death.

"Our thoughts stay with Mrs Perry's family, friends and everyone successful the Caversham Primary School community."

An inquest this summertime volition afloat analyse Ruth Perry's death, but the work of the Ofsted study has unleashed an outpouring of angst astir the system.

Schools antecedently fixed the apical people - Outstanding - are being inspected for the archetypal clip successful 10 oregon much years aft an exemption was removed.

Since September, 359 schools that were antecedently deemed Outstanding person been inspected, with 140 remaining successful that apical category.

All the remainder person been fixed a little bully grade, but lone 5 person fallen to the bottommost class of Inadequate.

The systems schools person to support children harmless person travel nether peculiar scrutiny, and that's what led to Caversham Primary School being downgraded contempt different bully standards.

There is besides a bigger statement astir whether azygous grades for schools marque sense, with the Labour enactment saying it would determination to a strategy of study cards.