Tearful headteacher Ruth Perry appeared in ‘physical pain’ after learning school would be downgraded by Ofsted

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Headteacher Ruth Perry broke down and looked like she was in “physical pain” after learning her school would be downgraded by Ofsted inspectors, an inquest into her death has heard. She looked like she was in pain and I think was at that point saying things about she felt she couldn’t show her face again.” Ms Perry’s sister Professor Julia Waters previously described the headteacher’s experience with the school’s watchdog as the “worst day of her life”. A photo of Ruth Perry attached to the fence outside John Rankin Schools in Newbury, Berkshire On the first day of an inquest, Berkshire Coroner’s Court heard Caversham Primary was graded as “good” in all areas apart from safeguarding after inspectors spotted issues with the school’s record-keeping. She urged the body not to make “position statements” over the alleged “causal connection” between the Ofsted inspection and Ms Perry’s deteriorating mental health and death.