The final, heartbreaking words of a dedicated headteacher, spoken moments before she took her own life, have been revealed at her inquest. Ruth Perry, 53, the well-respected head of Caversham Primary School in Reading, was found to have died by suicide after an Ofsted inspection left her feeling ‘utterly devastated’.
The hearing at Berkshire Coroner's Court was told that on the day of her death, Ms Perry sent a text message to her sister saying, "I’m sorry, I can’t do this anymore." This poignant message was sent shortly before she was discovered after jumping from a multi-storey car park.
A Crushing Blow from Ofsted
The inquest heard how the experienced headteacher had been left in a state of extreme distress following an Ofsted inspection in November 2022. The school’s rating was downgraded from its previous ‘outstanding’ status to ‘inadequate’, primarily due to concerns around safeguarding.
Colleagues and family described a profound change in Ms Perry’s demeanour following the report. She is said to have been consumed by worry, believing she had let down her school, her pupils, and the wider community. The immense pressure and perceived shame from the downgrade reportedly became unbearable.
A Community in Mourning
The tragic death of Ruth Perry sent shockwaves through the close-knit community of Caversham and the wider teaching profession. It has ignited a fierce national debate about the immense pressures of the Ofsted inspection regime and its impact on the mental wellbeing of school leaders.
Her family has been vocal in calling for a major overhaul of the system, arguing that the high-stakes, single-word judgment can have catastrophic consequences. The case has prompted soul-searching within the education sector about the support available for headteachers navigating the intense scrutiny of an inspection.
The inquest into Ruth Perry’s death continues as the coroner examines the full circumstances that led to the tragedy.
