Before Ruth Perry - Three More Victims of OFSTED

 

In the wake of the tragic death of Ruth Perry, it was interesting to see the comment made on BBC TV this morning by the man once called "the Dirty Harry of OFSTED" - Sir Michael Wilshaw. Following a heart-rending account by Lisa Telling, a Head Teacher from Reading and a friend of the late Ruth Perry, Sir Michael made an interesting comment:

 "... former chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said Ofsted had been "a force for good", but admitted he did not think it was "appropriate" that heads should have to sit on the result of an inspection for so long."

This is his view on the fact that Head Teachers, should their schools fail, are bound by OFSTED rules not to reveal it to staff for a long time. Lisa Telling spelt this out:

"She told BBC Breakfast that Ms Perry had to bear the "world-destroying" verdict by herself for 54 days, saying head teachers live in fear of inspections as they can be "personally damaging"

Indeed so, especially for Ruth Perry, whose life has been damaged irrevocably. A two day inspection has ended a 32-year career and taken a popular, caring teacher from her family, friends, staff and pupils. What is remarkable that someone like Sir Michael Wilshaw is making even the mildest criticism. As we know, though, the Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, refuses to entertain the idea for serious changes in the inspection system, as called for by the teacher unions. Still, at least the matter is now under serious review, which I find truly remarkable.

The reason that I am so surprised is the fact that, sadly, Ruth Perry is not the first educationalist to commit suicide because of pressure from OFSTED. Far from it. These tragic events go back over nearly a quarter of a century. As I said in my previous post, in my last 11 years of full-time teaching, I had a good deal of experience of OFSTED and HMI inspections. When I retired, and started blogging, OFSTED was one of my favourite subjects for adverse comment (some would say vituperative comment).

Back in June, 2011, I wrote a blog item titled "Arise, Sir Chris!" , in which I expressed my chagrin at the news that the former OFSTED supremo, Chris Woodhead, was to be made a peer of the realm.

Sir Chris died of Motor Neurone Disease in 2015, and I noted that, at the time of writing in 2011, he was considering suicide as he felt his life was not worth living. I pointed out that, because of pressure from his department, a number of teachers had committed suicide already. I named three in the blog item, and I will take a closer look at those three unfortunates here.

Keith Waller, a 35-year old teacher, hanged himself at his home in Sudbury, Suffolk in May, 2007. At the inquest, his headteacher said that she had observed a lesson by Mr Waller  after she joined his school in January, 2006. She testified:

"At that time I judged his lessons to be between satisfactory and inadequate," she said in a statement. In June 2006 there was an Ofsted inspection and again the same judgement was made that improvement was needed".

Mr Waller felt himself to be under severe pressure - so much so that he was seeking another job. A friend of his, Peter Thornton, said: 

"He resigned from a very senior post at the school in an attempt to reduce this but to no avail...
He felt he was being bullied and victimised. It seemed nothing was ever good enough."

Like Ruth Perry, Keith Waller was a very popular teacher. Following his death, dozens of tributes appeared to him online.  One parent said: 

"As a teacher myself I applaud his excellent teaching, hard work and fun nature. He was a complete asset to the school."

Jed Holmes, a Headteacher, died at home on the eve of an Ofsted inspection at his school, Hampton Hargate Primary School, Peterborough, in July, 2007. Already off work with stress, he was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning at his flat, with remnants of a barbecue fire in one room.

The coroner said the evidence showed he was concerned about the inspection.
"We can't exclude the proximity of the Ofsted inspection at the date of his death," said Gordon Ryall, Peterborough coroner. "It was that impending inspection that triggered off the action he decided to take".

His doctor, Dr Neil Sanders said: "The reason for his depression at this time was his feeling of stress and pressure at work and his feeling of letting other people down."

Sixteen years later, we see similar factors at work in the case of Ruth Perry.

An even earlier example of teacher suicide due to OFSTED pressure is that of the third and last of the examples I quoted in 2011: Janet Watson (photo unavailable at present). Ms Watson was 33 at the time of her death in 1999. She was subject leader for religious education at Rudheath Primary School at Northwich in Cheshire.

John Hughes, North Wales Coroner at the inquest held at Mold, Clwyd, reading from statements presented to the coroner's office, said Ms Watson had suffered from depression and the Ofsted inspection had put her under increased pressure. Ofsted inspected the school in May 1998 and Ms Watson's worry over the event adversely affected her health. The coroner said it was an "absolute tragedy" that such visits should cause such a degree of stress.

And we should bear in mind that these absolute tragedies have continued up to the present day. I am left wondering when or if they are going to end.

As we know, OFSTED are expressing their sympathy for Ruth Perry's demise, but intend to continue, despite growing condemnation from many quarters. OFSTED, following investigations into Mrs Perry's case will make a sophisticated version of the "Jobsworth" defence: "Only doing my job!". I always think that this resembles the excuse made by Nazi war criminals: "I was only obeying orders!". The less sympathetic officials will shrug off criticism with a lengthy rehash of the Robert Louis Stevenson quote (Not Lenin, as frequently cited): "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs".  They will stress the overriding need to provide full and accurate information to parents and government on the performance of our schools. The fact that this inspection regime breaks lives, careers and is driving young teachers from the profession is just unfortunate. 

OFSTED inspectors with a conscience - and that might well be all of them - face a dilemma. What they do might be legally justifiable, but certainly not morally justifiable. The cases above - and there are probably many more than I have covered here - spell out the need for a review of inspection criteria and judgements at the very least. Too many lives have been lost already.

It is my fervent hope that Ruth Perry's tragic end will bring an end to the melancholy train of suicides that have continued for far, far too long. May Ruth Perry, Janet Watson, Jed Holmes, Keith Waller and all other similar victims of OFSTED pressure rest in peace.