Ofsted’s new chief has said that behaviour in some schools is so bad that teachers have taken to locking themselves in classrooms at lunchtimes for their own safety.
Sir Martyn Oliver, who took over the role on New Year’s Day, has said that the new leader of one academy trust was told during an inspection that one corridor “belonged to the students” and was a no-go area for staff.
He spoke to the Times on Friday on the back of a “prevention of future deaths” report being handed to the schools’ watchdog by a coroner on the back of the inquest into Ruth Perry’s suicide.
The headteacher killed herself in January 2023 while waiting for an inspection result, after being told her school’s rating would be downgraded from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’ on safeguarding issues.
Her husband Jonathan Perry told the inquest that he felt the Ofsted inspector was a "bully" with an "agenda" that left his wife feeling that her career was over.
On Friday, Ofsted gave a full apology for the first time - having previously said that “lessons must be learned” after the inquest in December.
Sir Martyn said: “Such tragedies should never happen again - and no-one should feel as Ruth did.
"As his majesty's chief inspector, I would like to express my deepest condolences to Ruth's family and friends and apologise sincerely for the part our inspection of her school played in her death.”
Since her death, Ofsted has committed to re-inspect schools within three months that have failed on safeguarding alone.
It has also changed its confidentiality rules to allow headteachers to share the result with confidants before making it public.
Schools can also pause inspections if staff show signs of distress.
Sir Martyn said: “We must carry out our role in a way that is sensitive to the pressures faced by leaders and staff, without losing our focus on children. We cannot afford to shy away from difficult decisions.”
The leader has said he is “uniquely placed” to make change for the better but is not taking the challenge lightly.
He told of one school he helped turn around where pupils were out of control.
Sir Martyn said: “Staff were on strike because the behaviour was so bad. Students were stopping staff, saying, ‘This is a no-go corridor. It belongs to the children.’
“[There have been] staff locking themselves in their classroom during break and lunchtime for safety reasons.”
Sir Martyn recounted an experience he had with two schools in Nottinghamshire that he said had serious weaknesses.
“The head teacher was assaulted on the first day we were there. Now both are outstanding, so the entire town attends one or the other,” he said.
“That’s what matters when you get it right.”
