Caversham Primary: Reading East MP meets minister after head teacher death

An MP has met with the Minister of State for Schools after a head teacher took her own life in the lead-up to the publication of an Ofsted report.

Ruth Perry was the head at Caversham Primary School in Caversham, Reading, where she had worked for 13 years.

The 53-year-old's family said she took her own life in January and had described the inspection as the worst day of her life.

Reading East MP Matt Rodda said he was aware of concerns about the inspection.

He told the BBC: "I've had a meeting with the schools minister [Nick Gibb] and I've also raised this with the regional director of Ofsted.

"I think it's fair to say there are local concerns about the way the inspection was carried out, also about the way the Ofsted framework and other regulations affecting Ofsted effectively work, and the wider pressure on head teachers."

Ofsted inspectors attended the school on 15 and 16 November. It was the first Ofsted inspection Ms Perry faced as head teacher.

Julia Waters, her sister, said staff were told the school's rating was going from "outstanding" to "inadequate" on the first day of the visit.

She said that in feedback to the senior leadership team, inspectors had said that a boy doing a dance move akin to flossing was evidence of the sexualisation of children at the school. There were also said to be claims of child-on-child abuse, which turned out to be a playground fight.

"One of the most hurtful things was initially the sense of complete injustice, that this was a complete exaggeration, seeing something and jumping to a completely different conclusion," Ms Waters said.

She said Ms Perry would often talk of the countdown to the publication of the Ofsted report.

"I remember her clearly one day say '52 days and counting'. Every day she had this weight on her shoulders hanging over her," Ms Waters said.

She recalls seeing her sister a few days after the inspection.

"She was an absolutely shadow of her former self," Ms Waters said.

"This one-word judgement was just destroying 32 years of her vocation. Education was her vocation, 32 years summed up in one word 'inadequate'.

"They just preyed on her mind sadly until she couldn't take it anymore and it's outrageous."

In a letter to the family Brian Grady, director of education for Reading, wrote: "I will be stating wherever I go... that Caversham Primary is an effective, quality education environment, and is not done justice by a one word label of 'inadequate'. Neither is Ruth's leadership."

In the report seen by the BBC but yet to be published on the Ofsted website, the watchdog rated the school as "inadequate", the lowest rating.

It said leaders had a "weak understanding of safeguarding requirements and procedures", and that there was not "appropriate supervision during breaktimes", which meant pupils were "potentially at risk of harm".

But it also described a "welcoming and vibrant school", where relationships between staff and pupils were "warm and supportive", and bullying was rare.

Matthew Purves, Ofsted 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."

Reading Borough Council has been approached for comment.

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