As a result of the death of a school principal following an Ofsted inspection, experts believe that the Health and Safety Executive should investigate every workplace suicide.
The family of Ruth Perry, who committed suicide in January, asserts that the inspection placed her under immense mental stress.
The experts write in the British Medical Journal that change is necessary.
Ofsted stated that inspections were conducted professionally and with sensitivity for the benefit of children.
The death of Ms. Perry, which occurred while she was awaiting the release of an Ofsted report downgrading Caversham Primary School in Berkshire from Outstanding to Inadequate, has sparked a discussion about the impact of inspections.
‘Immense duress’
The two eminent experts argue that health specialists must “demand action to combat the burden of mental illness caused by [Ofsted’s] operation”
In an article published on Monday in the BMJ, Prof. Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Prof. Sarah Waters of the University of Leeds make their case.
They contend that too little is known about other similar deaths, that teachers are under “immense pressure” at work, and that many have lost faith in the Ofsted inspection system.
In France, suicides with a conceivable or suspected connection to work are investigated, whereas in the United Kingdom it is unknown “how many teachers have committed suicide in circumstances related to Ofsted inspections.”
However, the authors report knowing of at least eight additional suicides of this type.
They want the Department of Health and Safety to investigate these types of fatalities.
Executive, which investigates other types of workplace incidents or fatalities.
On Saturday, a private memorial service was conducted for Ruth Perry’s family, friends, and school community.
Since Ruth’s death, according to her sister Julia Waters, “countless harrowing accounts of the devastating, traumatic impact of Ofsted inspections” have been shared.
She applauded the BMJ article’s call to action and stated that it was necessary to prevent another “horrific tragedy.”
According to research conducted by the Office of National Statistics, primary and nursery school instructors face a 42% higher suicide risk than the national average.
The study, which examined suicides by profession between 2011 and 2015, found that the risk of suicide for teachers was lower than average.
Responsibility for caring
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, stated that the article was a “powerful intervention” and that the death of Ruth Perry had lead to evidence of others being “left in very dark places” following inspections.
In the opinion piece, the academics argue that Ofsted owes a duty of care to teachers and that a failure to uphold this duty would constitute negligence; they also urge MPs to examine the impact of inspections on the welfare of staff.
According to the experts, they “struggled to find evidence” that Ofsted had considered its own responsibilities.
In response to the article, Ofsted stated, “Our inspectors are all current or former school leaders, so they understand what it’s like to be inspected.” We inspect primarily in the interest of students, but we strive to conduct all inspections with professionalism, sensitivity, and consideration for the impact on school staff.”
Ofsted has pledged to consider revisiting schools more swiftly where concerns can be addressed easily, and it has reminded principals that they can rely on the assistance of their peers.
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stated that under current regulations, work-related suicide could not be reported to the agency: “Our condolences are with everyone who knew Ruth Perry. If the coroner believes there is an ongoing risk to others, he or she may refer the case to HSE.
Later this year, an investigation will examine all of the contributing factors to her suicide.
