Ofsted reforms putting 'school leaders at risk of public shaming'

Call to halt rollout of proposals coming into place in November

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THE sister of a headteacher who took her own life says Ofsted’s planned changes to the way schools are inspected ‘still put school leaders at risk of public shaming’ - and has urged the rollout to be halted by the Education Secretary.

Professor Julia Waters, below, sister of Ruth Perry, said Ofsted’s new plans, which include report cards with a five-point grading scale due to come into place in November, are just a ‘cosmetic rebranding, tweaking and expansion of the same unreliable and punishing system as the one before!

Mrs Perry took her own life after a report from the watchdog downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns, with staff reporting she was left ‘tearful and incoherent’ after the inspection in 2022.

Following an inquest in December 2023, senior coroner Heidi Connor concluded Mrs Perry's mental health deterioration and death was ‘likely contributed to by the Ofsted inspection!

In a statement released after Ofsted announced a raft of changes on Tuesday, including a new colour-coded scale grading a variety of areas including attendance, behaviour and inclusion, Prof Waters said the reforms are an ‘over-complicated mishmash’ and should be halted.