# Ofsted’s menacing inspections are still disastrous. Schools should answer to the communities they serve | Simon Jenkins

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ofsteds-menacing-inspections-are-still-disastrous-schools-should-answer-to-the-communities-they-serve-simon-jenkins/
- Published: 2026-11-13T08:00:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T08:40:40+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/13/ofsted-inspections-schools-communities-statistics-teachers-parents
- Topics: Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Jenkins says Ofsted inspections remain stressful and overly focused on metrics.
- More than half of surveyed headteachers considered early retirement.
- He argues schools should answer to their local communities.

## Summary

Simon Jenkins argues that Ofsted’s inspections in England remain damaging because they rely on brief visits, exam statistics and broad judgements rather than understanding schools’ local circumstances. The article links the inspection system to mounting distress among teachers and headteachers, and calls for schools to be accountable to the communities they serve.

A survey found that more than half of headteachers inspected under the new regime were considering early retirement, while a National Education Union poll found 65% said it was no better than, or worse than, the previous system. Jenkins traces the growth of central control to reforms begun in 1988 and Ofsted’s creation in 1992, arguing that league tables and exam-focused measures have sidelined other parts of education. He questions whether exam results capture pupils’ wider prospects, such as health, happiness and local opportunities.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.