Headteacher found hanged was worried over Ofsted rating

Helen Mann, aged 43, was discovered dead at Sythchampton Endowed First School, near Stourport, on November 5 last year, the same day she returned to work after four weeks sick leave.

Stourport Coroners Court yesterday heard Mrs Mann had taken the leave after collapsing at a meeting last September.

Staff from the school told the hearing she had suffered noticeable weight loss and seemed anxious – even breaking down on some occasions.

Deputy Coroner for Worcestershire Mrs Marguerite Elcock heard Mrs Mann had not been cleared to return to work by occupational health – unknown to the governors.

The inquest was told Mrs Mann, who had been head for six months, had been concerned the school would lose its high Ofsted rating and worried about not meeting 'ambitious' targets she had set in a development plan. She had also been distressed about making part-time teacher Angela Mercer redundant.

Chairman of governors Dr Stephanie Gait said: "She was very concerned about when our next Ofsted inspection would be. The school had been classified outstanding in its previous inspection and she was concerned it would not be classified as such if inspectors were to come in soon."

Mrs Mercer told the hearing : "When I spoke to her about the redundancy she was very distressed. She made every effort to be supportive. She said she found the task overwhelming. She said redundancy was a painful thing not just for me but for her as well. She said she was under instruction to make me redundant."

Mrs Mercer said when she had told Mrs Mann she would be challenging the redundancy the head had 'taken it better than expected'.The matter was eventually settled by the local authority, the inquest heard.

Teacher Kirsten Rowan, who was acting head prior to Mrs Mann's appointment, said she felt she had tried to make too many changes too soon.

"It did become quite stressful for everyone trying to implement everything so quickly. She wanted teaching to be more interactive but this meant a lot of re-planning which took time.

"I was aware she was anxious on a couple of occasions. When Mrs Mercer's sick note was received she brought it into my classroom and said 'I expect you know about this?' which I didn't.

"I said it was just a sick note and would be all right. I also saw Mrs Mann crying in the general manager's office on one occasion – I did not know what it was about but said we were all behind her."

The inquest continues.