'Missed opportunities' to support head teacher

Ruth Perry worked at Caversham Primary School in Reading for 13 years

There were "missed opportunities" to support a head teacher who took her own life following a negative Ofsted report, her former boss has said.

Chris Tomkins worked at Caversham Primary School with Ruth Perry before her death in January 2023.

Ms Tomkins criticised the conduct of the Ofsted inspector overseeing the case, and said Brighter Futures for Children - which runs child and education services on behalf of Reading Borough Council - had failed to support Ms Perry.

In a statement following the publishing of an independent review into the case, the council said "the discussion should ultimately lead to positive changes".

Ms Tomkins - who was head teacher at Caversham before Ms Perry - made her comments at a recent council meeting, where the review's findings were debated.

Addressing the meeting, she criticised Brighter Futures, saying it "should most definitely have made a formal complaint to Ofsted or at least supported the school in doing so".

“The lead inspector’s poor conduct alone was sufficient grounds for this, as agreed by the coroner in the inquest," she said.

"This would have made Ruth feel constructively supported.”

She argued Brighter Futures had "missed opportunities" to support Ms Perry.

“Ruth has been dead for over a year now, I do hope this review does lead to some much-needed real improvement in the support provided for staff wellbeing,” she said.

Continuing, Ms Tomkins said the findings of the council's review were too focused on pushing for national change - such as lobbying for the abolition of one-word Ofsted judgements.

National issues

In a statement when the report was initially published, Jackie Yates, Reading Borough Council chief executive, said: “It is our strong belief that the discussion should ultimately lead to positive changes which support our headteachers and which debunk the myth that the current approach provides improvements in the quality of education for our children.”

The findings and actions were authored by Brian Pope, an assistant director for education, and Steve Crocker, a former director of children’s services at Hampshire County Council.

Mr Crocker argued the findings of the review continually led back to issues in national policy.

The review concluded what had happened to Mrs Perry showed "the folly of the macho culture of high-stakes accountability".

Other issues raised included school governance, with volunteers on governing boards being responsible for line managing staff while their employer was the local authority.

It was branded a "missed opportunity" by Mrs Perry’s sister who said the findings "went lightly" on the council's failings.