Ofsted: Schools will be helped to pause inspections over mental health | UK News

A inquest found Ofsted’s inspection ‘likely contributed’ to her mental health deterioration and death.

A major concern raised by the coroner, Heidi Connor, was the ‘almost complete absence of Ofsted training’ for inspectors to spot mental health issues among school staff.

Ofsted had argued that school inspections could be paused when this happens.

But Ms Connor said this policy was ‘something of a mythical creature’ and accused Ofsted of ‘creating’ it during the inquest.

The watchdog is set to publish new guidelines showing a ‘clear and simple’ process to pause inspections in such circumstances.

The process will allow schools to speak to outside experts and a senior Ofsted employee unconnected to the inspection.

On Friday, it also issued its first full apology for the role it played in Ruth’s suicide.

The guidelines will be followed by a major review of how it handled safeguarding concerns in which parents, teachers and other professionals will be able to weigh in.

The Department for Education said it will oversee the changes.

Ofsted was also criticised after it appeared to hold onto its system of one or two word judgments such as ‘good’ or ‘inadequate’.

Mrs Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, said: ‘Whether these brand a school as ‘outstanding’ or ‘inadequate’, or the grades in between, these blunt verdicts obscure many of the important details.

‘As the coroner noted, Ruth was devastated by the impact of such language. Parents, teachers, governors and others should be encouraged to engage with the details of inspection findings, and not just fixate on one or two words.

‘Simplicity may be convenient for government bureaucrats, but it acts against the true interests of children, parents and teachers.’