Ofsted Halts Inspections After Headteacher Suicide

Ofsted inspections have been paused in response to the suicide of a headteacher, Ruth Perry, and the subsequent coroner's report, which indicated that inspections contributed to her death. The new chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, has pledged to implement significant changes to upskill inspectors in managing the wellbeing of school staff, particularly in light of the pressure placed on teachers during inspections. The chief inspector has also expressed empathy for the tragedy and stressed the need for a fresh start to regain the trust of the teaching profession and parents. Additionally, emergency safeguarding visits will continue, but regular inspections will not restart for a couple of weeks, allowing time for training and addressing the coroner's concerns.