Ofsted

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of the UK government. The official position of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills (HMCI) is appointed by an Order in Council and thus becomes an office holder under the Crown. The current office holder is Sir Michael Wilshaw. Provision for the inspections of schools by teams of inspectors, and direct reports to schools, parents, and government, was made in the Education (Schools) Act 1992. Schedule 11 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 changed the way in which Ofsted works without significantly changing the provision. Since 2006 the structure of Ofsted has derived elements from business models, with a Chair, an executive board, regional officers, and a formal annual report to Parliament in the light of concerns about schools, and local authority children's services. From September 2014 the Chair of Ofsted has been David Hoare.