Ofsted boss at time of Ruth Perry’s death to get peerage

Amanda Spielman, who was Ofsted chief inspector when head teacher Ruth Perry took her own life after an inspection, is set to become a peer in the House of Lords.

She is understood to have been nominated for the honour, yet to be announced, by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch – who has not commented.

A Conservative source described her as a “brilliant thinker with a wealth of knowledge” who would be a “huge asset to parliament”.

Ms Spielman served as head of the schools watchdog from 2017 to 2023, with an independent review launched during her last year finding Ofsted’s response to Mrs Perry’s death had been “defensive and complacent”.

Mrs Perry took her own life in January 2023 after learning her school, Caversham Primary School in Berkshire, was set to be downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate”. Her inquest in December of the same year ruled the school’s inspection had…