{"id":38390,"date":"2024-07-12T10:55:50","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T10:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/ruth-perry-death-school-judgement-culture-criticised\/"},"modified":"2024-07-12T10:55:51","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T10:55:51","slug":"ruth-perry-death-school-judgement-culture-criticised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/ruth-perry-death-school-judgement-culture-criticised\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth Perry death: School judgement culture criticised"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline\" class=\"sc-1d2e900b-0 fhxEhT\">\n<div class=\"sc-1d2e900b-1 gwgaEc\">\n<p><time class=\"sc-1d2e900b-10 WPunI\">10 minutes ago<\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-1d2e900b-2 bDFePy\">\n<p><span data-testid=\"byline-name\" class=\"sc-1d2e900b-6 hhBctz\">By\u00a0<!-- -->Joe Campbell<!-- -->,\u00a0<!-- --><\/span><span class=\"sc-1d2e900b-7 jbvpvO\">BBC News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 loyNYl\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-1 bbjeKz\"><img sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/9236\/live\/5b251820-4025-11ef-8b20-87ec2d8dde03.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Caroline Gratrix A smiling Ruth Perry looking at the camera. She has dark hair in a bob parted to one side\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 hbOWRP\"\/><span class=\"sc-13b8515c-2 iuvLSH\">Caroline Gratrix<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-8353772e-0 cvNhQw\">Ruth Perry worked at Caversham Primary School in Reading for 13 years<!-- --><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">A review prompted by the death of a head teacher has criticised a culture of &#8220;high-stakes accountability&#8221; that has led to the public condemnation of individuals.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Ruth Perry took her own life in January 2023 after an Ofsted inspection downgraded her school in Reading from &#8220;outstanding&#8221; to &#8220;inadequate&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">A <!-- --><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/democracy.reading.gov.uk\/documents\/s32306\/Appendix%201%20-%20Caversham%20ILR.pdf\" class=\"sc-c9299ecf-0 bZUiKB\" rel=\"noopener\">new independent review<!-- --><\/a>, commissioned by Reading Borough Council, recommended the authority support calls for Ofsted to scrap its one-word verdicts.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">But it has been branded a &#8220;missed opportunity&#8221; by Mrs Perry\u2019s sister who said the findings &#8220;went lightly&#8221; on the council&#8217;s failings.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">The review said the UK had a history of public reports &#8220;which by accident or design have led to the public excoriation of individuals&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">&#8220;If Ruth&#8217;s death tells us anything, it is that that practice must stop,&#8221; it said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">The report was co-written by Steve Crocker, former director of children&#8217;s services at Hampshire County Council, and Brian Pope, who was assistant director of education.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">They spoke to Mrs Perry&#8217;s colleagues and governors at Caversham Primary School, as well as other head teachers in Reading and council officers. The two also had several meetings with Mrs Perry&#8217;s family.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">The review concluded what had happened to Mrs Perry showed &#8220;the folly of the macho culture of high-stakes accountability&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Other issues raised included school governance, with volunteers on governing boards being responsible for line managing staff while their employer was the local authority.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Mr Pope described the arrangements as &#8220;a mess&#8221;, with questions about who was responsible for what.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 dOZXmm\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-1 bbjeKz\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 WTpgI hide-when-no-script\"\/><img sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/ec98\/live\/cf1e8e60-3fed-11ef-9e1c-3b4a473456a6.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ruth Perry's sister, Professor Julia Waters, reading the review\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 hbOWRP\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-8353772e-0 cvNhQw\">The review was &#8220;a missed opportunity&#8221;, according to Mrs Perry&#8217;s sister, Prof Julia Waters<!-- --><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Mrs Perry&#8217;s sister, Prof Julia Waters, welcomed the call for the council to campaign for the end of single-word judgements, but remained critical of much of the review.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">&#8220;It goes very lightly on the local authority&#8217;s part and their failings and the missed opportunities for things to have gone very differently,&#8221; she said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">The family has questioned why there was no formal appeal against the Ofsted findings before they were made public.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Council officials told the review team that shortcomings with safeguarding and record checks meant any objections would probably have been dismissed.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 dOZXmm\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-1 bbjeKz\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 WTpgI hide-when-no-script\"\/><img sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/7dcb\/live\/964663a0-3fe9-11ef-a87d-9f1990594358.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Steve Crocker and Brian Pope holding a copy of the review they co-authored\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 hbOWRP\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-8353772e-0 cvNhQw\">The review into Reading Borough Council was written by former senior officers at Hampshire County Council Steve Crocker (left) and Brian Pope<!-- --><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">BBC Education Editor Branwen Jeffreys says the report accepts communication with Mrs Perry\u2019s family should have been better, but argues the council mainly did what it could in difficult circumstances.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">So the criticism is mainly about the pressure on head teachers of an inspection system that sums up a school in one or two words.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Ofsted is taking far longer to consider what lessons it has to learn, to consult on changes and publish a review of events after the inspection of Caversham Primary School.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">It will publish on all that later this summer. So what will change?<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Ruth Perry&#8217;s sister, Prof Waters, has received an invitation to meet the new Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, who has insisted Labour would keep its pre-election promise to revise the inspection system.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">&#8220;Change is needed &#8211; and it\u2019s coming,&#8221; Ms Phillipson said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">&#8220;We will reform Ofsted, replacing single-headline grades with a new report card system.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">For too long, the welfare of staff had been an afterthought, she added.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 dOZXmm\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-1 bbjeKz\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 WTpgI hide-when-no-script\"\/><img sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/c878\/live\/e32dc2f0-3ff1-11ef-96a8-e710c6bfc866.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Entrance to the Department for Education\" class=\"sc-13b8515c-0 hbOWRP\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-8353772e-0 cvNhQw\">&#8220;Change is coming&#8221;, according to Labour&#8217;s new ministerial team<!-- --><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-43e6b7ba-0 bWSguZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Ofsted has described Mrs Perry&#8217;s death as &#8220;a tragedy&#8221; and said, as a result, it had launched a &#8220;Big Listen consultation to help us build an Ofsted that is trusted by the professionals we inspect and regulate&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">But two former senior inspectors have claimed the watchdog was facing an &#8220;existential crisis&#8221; and &#8220;piecemeal change&#8221; was not enough.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Frank Norris and Colin Richards set up &#8220;The Alternative Big Listen&#8221; to ask questions which, they say, Ofsted did not cover in its consultation, including if single-phrase judgements should be used to rate schools.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">More than nine in 10 respondents, which totalled more than 1,300, said they were against the ratings, the inspectors said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">Their report concluded: &#8220;It is clear that Ofsted is facing an existential crisis &#8211; whether to engage in piecemeal change, to be fundamentally reformed or to be replaced altogether.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fYAfXe\">&#8220;Our findings imply that the first of these is no longer a viable option.&#8221;<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c880p45lm73o\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>10 minutes ago By\u00a0Joe Campbell,\u00a0BBC News Caroline Gratrix Ruth Perry worked at Caversham Primary School in Reading for 13 years A review prompted by the death of a head teacher has criticised a culture of &#8220;high-stakes accountability&#8221; that has led to the public condemnation of individuals. Ruth Perry took her own life in January 2023 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[47],"tags":[4937,8366,715,14282,4679,8353,210],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38390"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38390"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38392,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38390\/revisions\/38392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}