Ruth Perry: Family looking for answers at inquest

The family of a head teacher who took her own life after a critical Ofsted report say they hope her inquest will prevent further avoidable deaths.

Ruth Perry died in January after being told Caversham Primary School in Berkshire was being downgraded from outstanding to inadequate.

Her sister Prof Julia Waters said the family were still looking for answers.

A pre-inquest review takes place at Reading Town Hall later.

In a statement, Prof Waters said: "We trust that the scope of the inquest, as established today, will be both broad and deep enough to provide us, in due course, with satisfactory answers to the many questions we still have.

"We hope that, at the inquest itself later this year, the coroner will make recommendations to Ofsted to prevent further avoidable deaths like Ruth's from occurring - so saving other families from experiencing the excruciating pain that we have experienced and that will never leave us.

"We miss Ruth every day and know that her many friends, colleagues and former pupils do too."

They said wanted to see a "reformed schools inspection system, which prioritises the wellbeing of teaching staff as well as schoolchildren" and urged people to contribute evidence to the Education Committee's forthcoming parliamentary inquiry.

Ofsted and the Department for Education have defended one-word grades, which are not being scrapped.

But last month Ofsted announced changes to its inspection system, including allowing schools given an inadequate rating over safeguarding to be re-inspected within three months, giving them a chance to be re-graded if they have addressed concerns.

Caversham Primary School was re-inspected in June, and upgraded to good.

The primary school was initially inspected in November 2022 and rated inadequate after concerns were raised over leadership and management.

Ms Perry's family said the inspection process caused her significant distress.

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