The Leader Podcast: Why there is growing pressure on Ofsted

There’s growing pressure on Ofsted, the UK’s schools watchdog, to change how it carries out inspections and reports, in the wake of the death of a headteacher in Reading.

Tributes have been paid to Ruth Perry, headteacher of Caversham Primary School, who took her own life in January while waiting for an Ofsted report.

Mrs Perry’s family said her death was a direct result of the pressure put on her by the process and outcome of an Ofsted inspection at her school.

Matthew Purves, Ofsted’s regional director for the South East, said they were deeply saddened by Ruth Perry’s tragic death, and their thoughts remain with Mrs Perry’s family, friends and everyone at Caversham Primary School.

Now, school leaders and education unions are calling for a pause on inspections following the death of Ruth Perry, so Ofsted can ‘review the impact of inspections on the wellbeing of school and college leaders and staff’.

The Evening Standard’s Education Editor Anna Davis explains the detail behind this growing pressure on Ofsted.

Plus Julie McCulloch from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) describes the changes they want Ofsted to make to both inspections and reports.

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