Ofsted inspectors were not given specific written guidance about what to do if a headteacher becomes distressed during an inspection, an inquest has heard.
Ruth Perry’s family have said she killed herself after a report from the schools watchdog downgraded her Caversham primary school in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns.
The inquest, at Berkshire coroner’s office on Monday, heard there was one reference about managing stress in the guidance given to Ofsted inspectors before November 2022.
The guidance said that inspectors must take “all reasonable steps to prevent undue anxiety and manage stress” while conducting inspections.
Giving evidence to the inquest, Christopher Russell, Ofsted’s national director for education, agreed that there was no specific written guidance as to what an inspector should do if a headteacher became distressed. “[But] we do feel that we train inspectors in a way that expects them to inspect in a way that minimises stress and anxiety,” he said.
Russell added that the watchdog recruited inspectors “who work at a high level in the school system” and who would be experienced with managing stressful situations. “When we train inspectors we certainly talk about how to manage the situation in a way that reduces stress,” he said.
Before Russell’s evidence, senior coroner Heidi Connor said she wanted to know if it really was possible to pause an Ofsted inspection, or if pausing was a “mythical creature”.
Questions had been raised at the inquest about whether it was possible to stop an inspection if a headteacher became distressed.
The inquest heard that inspectors were told that they could pause inspections for “public health or other reasons”. Russell said inspections were put on hold last year for concerns including headteacher illness, stress or broken water pipes.
The inquest has heard that during the inspection Perry “looked extremely distressed and upset” and was unable to speak coherently within a few hours of the inspection starting.
Hugh Southey KC, on behalf of the family, asked Russell if there was written guidance that inspectors should be aware of the impact of the inspection on headteachers’ mental health.
Russell said that he was “not aware” of a statement to that effect.
He was also asked if there was written guidance that an inspection could be paused for mental health reasons. Russell said that the guidance “does not expressly say that”.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
