OFSTED’S response to a damning inquest into headteacher Ruth Perry’s death has been branded “woefully inadequate” by her sister.

Julia Waters said today that the schools regulator had apologised “for the distress rather than causing my sister’s death.”

She appeared on BBC Breakfast after a coroner concluded that an inspection likely contributed to Ms Perry’s death, saying: “Pausing the inspections for a day to do some training is not enough.

“I receive emails every day from teachers and headteachers and their relatives who’ve been through traumatic inspections.

“Things absolutely have to change.”

Ms Perry took her own life after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading from its highest rating to its lowest over safeguarding concerns.

Her family has demanded change to prevent other teachers from going through similarly “traumatic inspections” and Ms Waters shared notes yesterday that were handwritten by her sister before she died.

One read: “I wake from restless sleep absolutely panic stricken.

“Forty days are taking their toll on my skin and my nails, my stomach is wasting away.”

Their calls have been backed by National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede who urged Ofsted and ministers to respond “meaningfully and promptly” after senior coroner Heidi Connor on Thursday concluded: “The evidence is clear in this respect, and I find that Ruth’s mental health deterioration and death was likely contributed to by the Ofsted inspection.”

In a response, Ofsted’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman said it has made changes to reduce pressures felt by school leaders and “will do more” to address concerns raised by the coroner.

She added that the watchdog was delaying next week’s inspections by a day and setting up a hotline for schools that have concerns.