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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Chiara Fiorillo

School run by headteacher who took her own life after Ofsted report now rated as good

The school previously run by a headteacher who tragically took her own life after a critical Ofsted report has now been rated as good following a new inspection.

Ruth Perry was the head of Caversham Primary School in Reading, and her sister Julia Waters said she had experienced the "worst day of her life" after inspectors reviewed the school on November 15 and 16 last year.

The 53-year-old died in January after being told her school in Berkshire was being downgraded from outstanding to inadequate.

The headteacher's family said the inspection process caused her significant distress.

Ofsted inspected the school again in June in line with government guidelines and changed its rating from inadequate to good.

Caversham Primary School has now been inspected again (Google)

According to the BBC, the watchdog's latest report says: "The school's work to address previous weaknesses has been swift, thorough and effective."

Earlier this year, Ms Perry's sister Ms Waters said: "Ruth took her own life on January 8, all during that process every time I spoke to her, she would talk about the countdown.

"I remember her clearly one day saying ‘52 days and counting’, every day she had this weight on her shoulders hanging over her and she wasn't officially allowed to talk to her family.

"I remember the very first day I saw her, rather than just speaking to her on the phone, a couple of days after the end of the Ofsted inspection, she came, she was an absolute shadow of her former self."

She said the inspection destroyed 32 years of her vocation and "preyed on her mind until she couldn’t take it any more".

The report, which was published in March, found the school to be Good in every category, apart from leadership and management, where it was judged to be Inadequate, the lowest rating.

Inspectors said school leaders did not have the "required knowledge to keep pupils safe from harm", did not take "prompt and proper actions" and had not ensured safeguarding was "effective".

Caversham Primary School said in a letter in response to the report: "The school, led by Ruth, responded immediately after the inspection visit, to take action to resolve the issues raised.

"Following the heartbreaking loss of Ruth, we have continued her work to ensure that the school is an effective, safe and happy place for children to learn and achieve."

Matthew Purves, Ofsted’s regional director for the South East, said: "We were deeply saddened by Ruth Perry's tragic death.

"Our thoughts remain with Mrs Perry’s family, friends and everyone in the Caversham Primary School community."

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