Head teachers have been promised stronger backing from their local council if they are unhappy with an Ofsted inspection, following the death of Ruth Perry.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) and its partner Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) , externalalso said they would run an annual wellbeing survey for head teachers.
In December, an inquest ruled an Ofsted inspection “contributed” to the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, who killed herself in January 2023.
Ofsted previously apologised fully for its role in her death, and RBC and BFfC said on Wednesday they “fully acknowledged and accepted” the coroner’s report.
Mrs Perry, 53, took her own life while waiting for an Ofsted report of her school, Caversham Primary in Reading, to be published – downgrading it from outstanding to the bottom category, inadequate.
After the inquest, coroner Heidi Connor said there was a risk of further deaths “unless action is taken”.
RBC said on Wednesday it would offer to undertake challenges on behalf of schools if there was “robust evidence” that an Ofsted inspection was “not fair and balanced”.
It also said it would appoint an “independent external reviewer”, who Mrs Perry’s family would be asked to meet, to “address a council commitment made at the inquest that a learning review would be undertaken”.
The review is expected to be completed in April.
RBC also promised increased mental health support for head teachers, in addition to the current employee assistance programme, which provides a 24-hour phone service and six counselling sessions per year.
The authority said it, and BFfC, had met with Mrs Perry’s family, “where we reiterated our full commitment to deliver these changes”.
A spokesperson said her death “must lead to learning and positive changes so that head teachers are valued for the vital work they do”.
“Both the council and BFfC fully acknowledge the important role we have to play in that process,” they said.
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