Vigil for Berkshire headteacher Ruth Perry

It was held outside Ofsted's London office

Author: Greg DeanPublished 23rd Mar 2023

Berkshire headteacher Ruth Perry has been remembered at a vigil outside Ofsted's office in London.

It happened shortly after an education union handed a petition to the Department for Education calling for Ofsted to be replaced.

Ms Perry took her own life while waiting for an Ofsted report on her Reading primary school.

Three unions representing teachers and headteachers - including the National Education Union (NEU) - have urged Ofsted to pause inspections this week.

Niamh Sweeney, deputy general secretary of the NEU, said: "The public debate this week has highlighted how little support there is for the concept of four blunt grades because it is clearly absurd that the whole of school life is condensed into a single-word judgment.

"There is also a growing concern among leaders that schools are being downgraded for spurious reasons which are not objective or reasonable grounds.

"It's inescapable that, if we carry on as we are, we jeopardise the health of school leaders and won't keep enough leaders. There are other, better approaches to inspection and it is time for change."

Matthew Purves, Ofsted's regional director for the South East, said: "We were deeply saddened by Ruth Perry's tragic death.

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

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