The government has announced the end of single-word Ofsted judgments, following a campaign by the family of headteacher Ruth Perry, who died by suicide in 2023 after her school was downgraded to 'inadequate'. From September 2025, school report cards will replace the current grading system of outstanding, good, requires improvement, or inadequate.
Perry, 53, took her own life in January 2023, 54 days after an Ofsted inspection at Caversham Primary School in Reading. At the inquest, the senior coroner ruled that the inspection contributed to her death, describing Ofsted's conduct as 'rude and intimidating'. The tragedy sparked widespread calls for reform from educators and unions.
Perry's sister, Prof Julia Waters, led a campaign alongside the National Association of Head Teachers to scrap single-word judgments. Paul Whiteman, the union's general secretary, called the announcement a 'landmark moment', adding: 'We have been clear that simplistic one-word judgments are harmful.'
The new report cards will provide a comprehensive assessment of school performance, aiming to drive improvement more effectively. Ofsted's chief inspector, Martyn Oliver, said he was determined to prevent future tragedies and accepted the coroner's findings.
