Ofsted inspections paused following headteacher’s suicide
Ofsted inspections have been suspended until later this month as plans are put in place for mental health training following the suicide of a headteacher, the watchdog’s new boss has said.
Sir Martyn Oliver, who took over the role of chief inspector for the education regulator at the start of the new year, said only emergency safeguarding visits would go ahead as pupils return to schools in England this week.
It follows an inquest into the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life in January 2023 after Caversham Primary School in Reading was downgraded from the highest rating of “outstanding” to the lowest, “inadequate”, over safeguarding concerns.
At the hearing in December, senior coroner Heidi Connor said parts of the inspection “were conducted in a way which lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity” and concluded it “likely contributed” to Ms Perry’s death.
She issued a prevention of further deaths notice saying “action should be taken”, leading the general secretaries of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) to call for inspections to be paused until changes had been implemented.
As he started his new role, Sir Martyn said Ofsted inspections had “come under great scrutiny” following Ms Perry’s death and that he is “determined that we learn from this” and take “tangible” actions.
Next week, inspectors will receive training from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England ahead of a rolling programme of further mental health awareness training for all assessors, he said.
“A lot has been done already, but a lot more can be done now – starting with a robust programme of mental health awareness training for all our inspectors,” Sir Martyn said. “That begins next week and will become an integral part of how we train and develop our people.”
Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry, spoke at the end of the inquest
‘We understand the pressures’
Sir Martyn, a former chief executive of a chain of academy schools, added: “Along with immediate training on mental health awareness, one of the first things I want to do is listen – to parents, to professionals in the sectors we work with, and to people with an interest in our work.
“We are here for children, their parents and carers – and we will serve them best by working constructively, respectfully and empathetically with the experts who are responsible for their education and care.
“Our people come from these sectors. We understand the pressures they are under – and we will make that clear as we go about our work.”
In separate interviews with The Guardian newspaper and Schools Week, Sir Martyn said there would be an internal inquiry into Ofsted’s actions around Ms Perry’s suicide.
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In the aftermath of Ms Perry’s death, there were calls from headteachers across the country for a review of the way Ofsted operated.
Her sister, Professor Julia Waters, previously said Ms Perry had experienced the “worst day of her life” after inspectors reviewed the school.
Following the coroner’s conclusion, Sir Martyn’s predecessor Amanda Spielman apologised and said Ofsted had made changes to reduce pressures felt by school leaders, and would “do more” to address the concerns raised.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT union, said Ofsted had no choice but to “seriously reflect and make changes to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again”.
Ofsted have until 7 February to respond to the coroner’s report.
For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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