The sister of headteacher Ruth Perry has warned 鈥渄elays and obfuscation鈥 to Ofsted reform will 鈥減ut more lives at risk鈥, as she implores union activists to push for improvements not the abolition of inspection. Professor Julia Waters told the National Education Union annual conference in Bournemouth she was 鈥渨orried that the people who could bring about real change might only be paying lip service to the lessons we must learn鈥. It comes after the conference passed a motion in favour of abolishing Ofsted. A coroner ruled in December that an Ofsted inspection of Caversham Primary School in Reading contributed to Perry鈥檚 suicide. The findings prompted a delay to the re-start of inspections in January and a series of measures from new Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver, including a 鈥渂ig listen鈥 consultation. ‘Seems to be a lot of passing the buck’ Speaking this morning, Waters said she was 鈥渃autiously hopeful that the new chief inspector of schools has the ambition, determination and drive to see through real change”. 鈥淵et, despite the promising start, there seems to be a lot of passing the buck going on between the government and Ofsted. There seems to be a lot of unnecessary delay.鈥 Oliver to the inspection framework from this September, but other changes may come after the election. Julia Waters But Waters said: 鈥淗ow many more teachers will suffer from an inherently flawed, badly-run inspection process in the meantime? How many more children will lose another dedicated headteacher to a forced resignation, a nervous breakdown or worse? 鈥淒elays and obfuscation put more lives at risk. It鈥檚 not acceptable to play politics with people鈥檚 wellbeing.鈥 Oliver said Ofsted鈥檚 work 鈥渒eeps children safe and improves their lives鈥ut we are ambitious to improve鈥. 鈥淭hat is why we are carrying out a big listen. We want to hear from everyone we work with, including teachers, social workers, nursery staff and college lecturers. Crucially, we also want to hear from the parents and children we work for.鈥 Still waiting for Ofsted review and DfE response Waters asked when Ofsted would announce the start of the promised independent review into its handling of her sister鈥檚 death. She also asked when the DfE’s response to the education committee’s report – also due by the end of March – would be published. The department said it had “submitted its response to the education select committee…we expect the Committee to publish it in due course”. “We have worked closely with Ruth鈥檚 family and Ofsted to make significant changes to ensure they continue to drive improvements in standards whilst protecting the wellbeing of school leaders”. Waters called on NEU members to 鈥渟tep up鈥 and “teach Ofsted a lesson”. 鈥淒o not let Ofsted and the government get away with half-hearted measures and lip service. Do not lose sight of this opportunity to demand change.” ‘What good does abolition call do?’ She added that 鈥淚 know that the NEU has called again for Ofsted to be abolished. You might expect my family and me to be calling for the same thing. 鈥淏ut frankly, what would be the point? Being angry and objecting to Ofsted鈥檚 existence is totally understandable. But teaching unions have been calling for the abolition of Ofsted for thirty years. And what good has that done teachers? Look at the evidence. How did calling for Ofsted to be abolished help Ruth?鈥 Waters urged anyone 鈥渉aving thoughts about ending your own life鈥lease think again. Get help. 鈥淪uicide is always a terrible, wrong-headed option. Ending her own life was the worst thing Ruth could possibly have done. That desperate act devastated our family, her colleagues, the hundreds of pupils and the whole community in Caversham and beyond.” She said school staff were 鈥渢rapped by an inhumane, unaccountable inspection system. But you don鈥檛 have to put up with it anymore. If you feel despair, you need help and hope, not to think that suicide is a way out鈥. Teachers ‘won’t let themselves be bullied’ Speaking to media after her speech, she said she believed 鈥渢hat even if Ofsted is not reformed to the extent that I would like and that so many others would like, I don’t believe that the teaching profession will let themselves be bullied in the same way anymore. 鈥淚 think they feel genuinely more able and willing to speak out and to complain that they realise that they’re not alone.鈥 But she warned said she had been contacted by 鈥渉undreds鈥 of heads complaining about 鈥渢errible鈥 Ofsted experiences, including a 鈥渟izeable number鈥 who got a 鈥榞ood鈥 or 鈥榦utstanding鈥 grade. 鈥淏ut they haven’t felt like [they can] complain at the draft report stage鈥ecause there鈥檚 always the danger that it could be worse. 鈥淭here’s this sort of implicit threat that that judgment might be downgraded. What I really hope is that headteachers have the courage, if they know something has gone wrong, to say so.鈥 are available 365 days a year. You can reach them on free call number 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit to find your nearest branch. Charity runs a confidential helpline for education staff and teachers 鈥 call 08000 562 561.