Head teacher kills herself over OFSTED

Poor woman, it's so sad to think of the turmoil she must have been going through to come to that decision.

I remember some years' back a headteacher took her own life in I think the run-up to an inspection - the strain was obviously too much to bear.

Who'd be a teacher! Whenever people talk about big pensions, long holidays, etc I always ask well if it's so cushy why are there so many vacancies and teachers leaving in droves.

Can you imagine what would have happened if the inspector had ignored the safeguarding concerns, in the report there is mention of issues between two children, we have just got snapshots from the Mail. I was inspected by Ofsted and its predecessors in childrens home management so I am not naive about the stress.
It's a terrible tragedy and will impact many people, obviously the priority are the family, but I worked at an organisation where the manager committed suicide and the impact on the entire team was felt for years.

The "flossing dance" reason given is ridiculous. Forget that. The inspector I asked about this being the reason for the downgrade said most of his team wouldn't even have a clue what floss dancing is, is it to do with cleaning teeth?
Most of the concerns centered on the paperwork regarding Safeguarding procedures which weren't in place. Schools need to be safe ... DBS checks, fire regulations etc. There does need to be accountability. Where the OFSTED process falls down is that it is too punitive and this needs reforming, I agree.
I am NOT making light of this, as an ex Head I know exactly how stressful the experience is.

It isn’t the first time that this has happened.
I remember it happening before around 15 - 20 years ago.

Guesswhat

Apart from bereavements I’d say that OFSTED inspections were the most stressful events I’ve ever experienced.

That poor woman.

👏 👏 👏

Unless someone has worked in a school during an Ofsted inspection they can have no idea of how much stress it causes.Reading of a couple of criticisms that the Ofsted Inspectors made about a child doing the “flossing dance” in the playground being sexualisation of children leads me to wonder if they have ever set foot in a school before.I don’t think that there was any question of the Inspection being carried out because of a complaint against the school as someone has suggested but because the ruling about schools that had previously been judged to be “Outstanding” has changed. This lady had actually attended the school as a child and returned as an adult and had been Deputy Headteacher and then Headteacher so it had been a very large part of her life. It is possible that she now faced having to leave the school due to the Inadequate verdict. Terribly sad and a lesson to be learnt by Ofsted to realise that teachers and headteachers are people doing an extremely difficult job in today’s world dealing with not only teaching but also the social problems that so many families have. A real tragedy.

Susan56 I hope your daughter finds a new job soon. Our daughter is such an upbeat, positive, caring person but I hate to think what this job is doing to her.

DD rang me in the way home from the head’s conference she was at today. The subject obviously came under discussion even though it wasn’t on the agenda. The support idea mentioned by Glorianny was raised as a definite need - there needs to be someone who can support heads.

I don't think most people realise the trauma Ofsted cause to school staff. I was having for cancer treatment on one occasion they came into my school and I was glad because it meant I was spared. Better cancer than Ofsted.

I can quite believe a head would commit suicide over it. Poor woman.

Exactly the HMI were much more professional you did not know when they were coming so you accepted the criticism . This poor lady has probably been preparing for months if not years. Some are like the Gastapo jumped up know-alls who have never taught. One of our Dinner ladies got a job as one.
Condolences to her family and I hope something is done about it. Men suffer just the same I know one who ended up on Beta blockers.

How dreadful, poor woman and her poor family.

I remember how stressed my friend got when OFSTED inspections were due and remember her opinion of some of the inspectors whom she had taught alongside previously.

Some time ago there was a government initiative to help school children deal with mental health issues. Perhaps it is time there was a proper support network for teachers. They deal with society's problems, educate and care for children, and try to maintain standards. There should be somewhere they can turn when they are in trouble.
So sad.

JaneJudge

Lots of people commit suicide because of pressure from work. Poor lady and her family.

I had a work colleague who did.

He was always over anxious about his performance at work - in a culture that relied heavily on ticking those boxes... was always apologetic when he spoke to anyone as if he thought he was disturbing them.

Then he became ill with a back problem which required surgery - and time off work. He was so worried about the amount of time he'd have to take off and how this would affect his performance, he couldn't handle it.

I got the call from another colleague. Truly sad, devastating for his family.

My heart goes out to this poor woman and her family.

Kate1949 my daughter is in the same position as your daughter.We are hoping and praying she can find a new job.The stress is unbelievable.We are all supporting her and doing our best to keep her positive.
My heart goes out to the family of the lady who killed herself.

Tragic 😥

I think we also need to remember that there will be a real person behind the term 'Ofsted inspector'.

eazybee

I feel desperately sorry for this poor woman.
I think I have experienced about five or six Ofsted inspections, and the quality of the inspectors was variable, to say the least.
None of them were a patch on the HMIs, (Her Majesty's Inspectors) who previously conducted Inspections.

My friend (a headteacher) said that too.
And my neighbour, a long time headteacher of a huge secondary said the last two inspections were by very inexperienced inspectors.
One actually told him so.

I'm not blaming the inspectors but I agree that you don't need to have any previous mental health problems to be pushed over by circumstances.
Let's not make assumptions about this poor head.

Violet is right - A person had a horrible experience, just accept it. Sometimes it happens and this lady deserves better and so do her family.

eazybee

I feel desperately sorry for this poor woman.
^I think I have experienced about five or six Ofsted inspections, and the quality of the inspectors was variable, to say the least.
None of them were a patch on the HMIs, (Her Majesty's Inspectors) who previously conducted Inspections.^
I’m in much the same position. I hope the Inspectorate and in particular the school advisor are feeling stressed that their actions or in the case of the advisor, lack of ongoing support are feeling good about themselves.
Re HMI, they did criticise if they found something wasn’t quite right, but they also said what you needed to do about it, a bit like the role of a good School Advisor now .

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11871309/Sister-reveals-headteacher-killed-Ofsted-inspectors-downgraded-primary-school.html

wtf half the world was doing it at one time

I know a school's inspector, (very well infact), and every time he enters an inspection it is with a kind and supportive attitude.

Unfortunately the same can't be said of the vast majority of the Ofsted inspectors that my childminder colleagues and I have had over many years.
Too many of them pay scant regard to the grade descriptors.
They come with their own agenda, which often is so transparent it's laughable.
After my last inspection I objected to three points she'd raised and was told by the inspector to file a formal complaint; I did just that and every one of my complaints was upheld.
I could have asked for a re-inspection but I wouldn't put the children through it again.

It was our previous Social Services inspector who always came in with a kind and supportive attitude.
When Ofsted took over she could see how it was going and took early retirement. She came to see us all and apologised for leaving us to it.

After 35 years I won't be bullied out of childminding, but Ofsted add very little positive to it.

I was so sorry to read the news about the headteacher this morning.

Thank you Joseanne.

Having been a teacher I know what a lonely job it can be especially as headteacher. My heart goes out to her family.

I think the arbitrary classification criteria applied by OFSTED leave much to be desired especially when compared to the positive, and helpful inspections by HMI’s in my earlier teaching day,
My D’s excellent comprehensive in the West Midlands was horrified to be placed in Special Measures despite outstanding teaching and an enviable position in the league tables.
Why?
“Safeguarding” was the reason - the school allowed Sixth Formers to sign in and out in the course of the school day as most schools do BUT they did not have to have their signature witnessed by a member of the teaching staff.
That system was tightened up , office staff no longer enough to witness the signature and the following year the school reverted to “Outstanding”
But anybody considering the school either for their child or for a job could well have been seriously put off by the Special Measures. It could also have been kiss of death for the Head and senior staff if the governors had been less understanding.

Lots of people commit suicide because of pressure from work. Poor lady and her family.

I can't see people blaming OFSTED here, everyone has said how sad it is, tragic actually. We none of us know what happened. It is obviously a very complex case.
I hope your daughter can leave it all behind her and enjoy her new job Kate1949.