Stress from Ofsted inspections has been cited as a factor in the inquests of ten teachers over the last 25 years, it has been revealed.
Charity Hazards Campaign has conducted the research alongside the University of Leeds, which may add to ‘the outpouring of anger’ among teachers over the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January.
Mother-of-two Mrs Perry, 53, killed herself in January after Caversham Primary School in Reading was downgraded from outstanding to inadequate – an experience she called the worst day of her life.
Mrs Perry was the principal of the Berkshire school for 12 years, and it had been ranked ‘outstanding’ since 2009, before three Ofsted inspectors arrived last November 15.
Education unions last week demanded an immediate halt in inspections, the pressure of which has allegedly led to heart attacks, strokes and nervous breakdowns, The Observer reports.
Ruth Perry (pictured) died while waiting for the publication of a negative Ofsted inspection of her Reading school
Stress from Ofsted inspections has been cited as a factor in the inquests of ten teachers over the last 25 years, it has been revealed
Health and safety expert Hilda Palmer, who carried out research for the Hazards Campaign, said: ‘These figures are absolutely disgusting. When there are lots of suicides relating to one factor or one organisation, that needs to be investigated urgently.’
A helpline for headteachers also reports that the majority of its crisis calls are about Ofsted.
Andrew Morrish, a former school head and co-founder of support group Headrest, said some headteachers had ‘left school in an ambulance’ after being told their institutions were being downgraded.
Mr Morrish added that the stress of being ordered to keep the school’s status confidential until Ofsted’s publication of its report often made matters worse.
He said: ‘If you’re told it’s inadequate, that can be devastating,’ he said. ‘But you mustn’t tell your [junior] staff or your family. It can be two or three months until the report is finalised.’
One former headteacher told the Observer they had resigned from a later job an Ofsted inspector after being dissatisfied with the way inquiries were carried out.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Parliament Green, Westminster, before handing in a petition calling to reform Ofsted to the Department of Education
They said inspections were often carried out within minutes, with observations made on an electronic form while walking around the school.
A second whistleblower said observations were often ‘entirely subjective’ while being presented as impartial.
She described how lead inspectors ‘would typically make up their minds within the first ten minutes’ and reports would seek to justify that.
She also relayed how one headteacher was left ‘devastated’ after being told their school was to be downgraded.
In 2015, headteacher Carol Woodward hanged herself after Ofsted inspectors rated her school ‘inadequate’ when they visited during the chaos of a £2.5million expansion project.
Mrs Woodward, 58, was found in the garage of her home in Plymstock, Devon in July of that year following a ‘swift decline’ in her mental health.
Her daughter Lucy told the Mail on Friday that her mother’s death had led to ‘all-consuming and soul-destroying’ grief for the family.
She said those feelings had been wrenched to the surface by the news of Ruth Perry’s death.
‘I was devastated to read about it, not just because it resonated so much with the tragedy of my own mother’s suicide, but because it seems that no lessons have been learned since then.’
Ofsted’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: ‘We know that inspections can be challenging and we always aim to carry them out with sensitivity as well as professionalism.
‘Our school inspectors are all former or serving school leaders. They understand the vital work headteachers do, and the pressures they are under. For so many colleagues, this was profoundly upsetting news to hear.
‘This is unquestionably a difficult time to be a headteacher. School leaders worked hard during the pandemic to keep schools open and give the best education they could, while keeping vulnerable children safe. Since then, some children and families have struggled to readjust to normal life, and schools have had to respond with care and determination. School absence is high, mental health problems have increased, and external support services are unable to meet increased demand.
‘The sad news about Ruth [Perry] has led to an understandable outpouring of grief and anger from many people in education. There have been suggestions about refusing to co-operate with inspections, and union calls to halt them entirely.
‘I don’t believe that stopping or preventing inspections would be in children’s best interests. Our aim is to raise standards, so that all children get a great education. It is an aim we share with every teacher in every school.’
