Ruth Perry: Schools cut Ofsted references in tribute

Principals remove references to Ofsted from websites, job advertisements and letters in homage to principal who killed himself after being inspected.

Ruth Perry’s family have attributed her death to “unbearable pressure” from the Inspectorate, which had downgraded her primary school in Reading to “inadequate”.

This has led to widespread calls for reform of English school governance.

But the Government says Ofsted is “crucial” to maintaining standards.

A framed photograph of Ms Perry hangs next to a colorful bouquet of daffodils in the reception area of ​​Katesgrove Primary School in Reading.

Katesgrove Headmistress Sue N’Jai and her Executive Headmistress Lisa Telling worked closely with Ms Perry for over 20 years as part of a close-knit group of Head Teachers in the area.

The school was rated ‘good’ at its last Ofsted inspection in 2017, but in recent days Ms N’Jai has removed all Ofsted citations from the school’s website and job advertisements.

In a letter sent to parents on Wednesday, Ms Telling said: “Although we will have all the legal elements available on the school websites, we will not have any further references to Ofsted visible.

“We are doing this as a show of solidarity with Ruth, her family, friends and the community at Caversham Primary.”

Many schools choose to place Ofsted’s one-word assessments on signs at their entrances, quotes on their websites, in job advertisements or letters to parents.

But the only legal rule schools have to follow is to make Ofsted inspection reports – including the assessment – available for inspection by parents and the general public on the school website.

Ms N’Jai believes her school is likely to be inspected soon. If so, she will wear a black armband and have photos of Ms Perry displayed throughout the school.

“It will be optional for our staff, but Lisa and I will definitely be wearing black armbands in memory of Ruth,” Ms N’Jai said.

“We would be very happy if their presence could be felt.”

The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester, Dorset, pays ‘our respect’ to Ms Perry, says headmaster Gary Spracklen, by removing the Ofsted logo from school communications, such as at the bottom of letters.

“Ultimately, I recognize that Ofsted has a duty to inspect the school, but I also recognize that it is not my job to encourage that assessment through my day-to-day communications,” he said.

Apart from keeping Ofsted’s report on the school’s website, “I am no longer willing to give Ofsted any more airtime,” Mr Spracklen said.

“For example, if Ofsted comes to us tomorrow and gives my school a good report card, I will not put up banners outside,” he said.

“We don’t have to make Ofsted into something bigger than it is by talking about her all the time.

My Ofsted rating does not define me or my school.”

It comes as leaders from Reading Borough Council, who oversaw Ms Perry’s school, wrote to Ofsted to join calls for a pause in inspections and to address the “serious issues” that have been raised nationally since her death became.

The inspection process “needs to pay more attention to continuous and long-term support for schools,” the council said.

Ofsted has not commented except to express his condolences on the death of Ms Perry.

The Department for Education said Ofsted had complied with the standards and that parents had relied on inspection reports “to give them confidence in choosing the right school for their child”.

The National Education Union is delivering a petition to the Department of Education in Westminster on Thursday.

It will urge the government to replace Ofsted and work with teachers to “develop an accountability system that has the trust of education staff, as well as parents and voters”.

Katesgrove staff hope their actions will not affect the outcome of an inspection.

Ms N’Jai said: “We will participate in the process and do our best, but with the understanding that we will show how we think about it.”