Ofsted proposals following headteacher Ruth Perry’s death are ‘rehash’ of ‘dangerous’ system, her sister says
The sister of a headteacher who took her own life has said Ofsted’s new school inspection proposals are a “rehash” of the same “dangerous” system they are meant to change.
One-word grades were scrapped by the government after Ruth Perry’s death in 2023 following the downgrading of her Caversham Primary School in Reading from “outstanding” to “inadequate”.
Schools in England could instead be judged across a variety of different areas – including attendance and inclusion – using a colour-coded five-point scale.
But Mrs Perry‘s sister Professor Julia Waters said: “I am worried that this proposal is a rehash of the discredited and dangerous system it is meant to replace.”
Ofsted change is ‘vindication’, says sister of headteacher Ruth Perry
She said while the new model has some improvements, it “retains many of the dangerous features of the previous system, while introducing a series of changes with potential new risks to the wellbeing of teachers and headteachers”.
“My sister Ruth Perry died as the result of a rude and intimidating Ofsted inspection, and its disproportionate consequences on her and her school,” she said.
“Ofsted says it has listened, but it still does not appear to have adequately learned.”
A 12-week consultation on the inspection process for schools teaching pupils of all ages, including further education institutions, was launched on Monday.
The proposals include a new report card format to replace the single-word grade system, where schools were given an “Outstanding”, “Good”, “Requires Improvement”, or “Inadequate” rating.
Instead, judgements will be made using a 1-5 grading system using the terms: “Exemplary”, “Strong”, “Secure”, “Attention Needed”, and “Causing Concern”.
Report card proposal. Pic: Ofsted
The previous judgements will remain valid until schools undergo another inspection under the new model.
Safeguarding will be assessed as a standalone category and will be classified as either met or not met.
The number of inspection areas in schools will expand from four to nine, or ten for those with a sixth form.
Under the new proposal, the areas of inspection will be Achievement, Attendance, Behaviour and Attitudes, Curriculum, Developing Teaching, Inclusion, Leadership and Governance, Personal Development and Well-Being, Sixth Form, and Safeguarding.
Ofsted has already started training inspectors to facilitate the changes for the new style inspections.
Chief inspector of Ofsted Sir Martyn Oliver said: “The new report card will give parents a clearer picture, while helping schools focus on meaningful improvements.
“We will make sure that we deliver for parents regardless of what we do.
“Our mission is to improve education for all children, particularly the most disadvantaged.”
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But Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said Sir Martyn “has failed to deliver”.
“The proposals outlined in today’s consultation will make matters worse, not better,” he said.
“The secretary of state was right to remove one-word judgements, because she recognised the damage that they cause.
“Instead, the 1 to 5 grading scale proposed for the report card maintains the current blunt, reductive approach that cannot capture the complexity of school life nor provide more meaningful information to parents.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Our proposals will swap single headline grades for the rich, granular insight of school report cards.
“Raising the bar on what we expect from schools, shining a light on all the areas that matter, each given their own grade.”
A workman saved a seven-year-old boy from a burning car in the aftermath of a deadly crash caused by a suicidal ex-pilot, an inquest has heard.
The schoolboy’s rescue came following the collision on the M6, which killed former RAF man Richard Woods and four others, in October last year.
Last week a coroner ruled that Woods, 40, took his own life by deliberately driving his Skoda the wrong way down the motorway while drunk and hitting a Toyota Yaris head-on.
The driver of the Toyota, Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, was also killed, along with his two sons, Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven, and his partner Jade McEnroe, 33.
Cockermouth Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday that Ms McEnroe’s son was also in the car but survived after workman Gavin Walsh came to his rescue at the scene, which was near Tebay services in Cumbria.
In a statement to the inquest, Mr Walsh said he was a passenger in a transit van travelling to Scotland when he witnessed the crash.
He jumped out of the vehicle and used a jack to smash the rear windscreen of the Toyota and pulled the boy out of the burning vehicle.
Mr Walsh said: “We really did try, I can assure everyone we did our best. We only had minimal time.
“I saved a life that day and I hope never to witness anything like that again.”
He added that he has never stopped thinking about the boy, and said: “I hope we will meet again one day and I will give you a massive hug.”
At the time, the family were returning to Glasgow from a trip to Legoland in Windsor, Berkshire.
The inquest heard that Wood, who was travelling at a speed of at least 65mph, would have been charged with manslaughter had he survived.
Recording conclusions of unlawful killing, Cumbria assistant coroner Margaret Taylor said: “I found that Jaroslaw, Jade, Filip and Dominic died as a consequence of the unlawful acts of another driver.”
The inquest heard how Mr Woods, from Cambridgeshire, had served a distinguished 14-year career in the RAF and was a flight instructor for BAE Systems at the time of his death.
Jade McEnroe. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Dominic and Filip. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
In Ms Taylor’s record of inquest, Mr Woods was said to have been experiencing “a number of stressors in his life” and had a “history of harmful use of alcohol”.
Following the crash, he was found to be nearly four times over the legal drink-drive limit and a two-thirds empty bottle of gin was found in his car.
On the day of his death, concerns had been raised over his behaviour at a work conference near Preston in Lancashire.
Mr Woods failed to return to his seat after lunch and was later spotted driving erratically and swerving across three northbound carriageway lanes on the M6.
After pulling onto the hard shoulder, he then proceeded to U-turn and drove southward on lane three.
Filip, Dominic and Jaroslaw Rossa. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Detective Sergeant Deborah Story, from Cumbria Police, told the inquest that Mr Woods would have been prosecuted on four counts of manslaughter had he lived.
She said hypothetical charges of murder were considered by detectives but not thought appropriate because of a lack of information that Mr Woods knew the family or anything that provided a link between them.
Ms McEnroe’s parents, Marie McEnroe and George McNellis, told the coroner they thought it was “murder”.
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A statement from the mother of Filip and Dominic, and the ex-wife of Mr Rossa, Kamila, was read out at the inquest.
She said Mr Rossa, known as Jarek, was born in Poland where they became a couple and went on to have three boys.
He loved playing computer games and had “lots of friends”, she said, and worked at the Wagamama restaurant in Silverburn, Glasgow.
She said she was “devastated” over the deaths, adding: “Our lives will never be the same.
“I am heartbroken at the passing of my beloved angels Filip and Dominic.”
Marie McEnroe said her daughter, a spa therapist, had been in a relationship with Mr Rossa for about two-and-a-half years.
She said Jade had been a “brilliant mother” to her only child, was “really happy” with Mr Rossa and it was “lovely chaos” when all the boys were playing together.
Ms McEnroe added: “Life changed forever that day”.
Ms Taylor praised the “selfless acts of bravery” from those in the aftermath of the collision, including Mr Walsh, who she said went towards the burning car “without hesitation for his own safety”.
The coroner added: “Without his swift response, Jade’s child would also have perished.”
Addressing the bereaved family members, she said: “Your loss is unimaginable but you have conducted yourself with dignity and I thank you for that. I wish you strength for the future.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
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