The Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) is a non-ministerial United Kingdom government department, established on 1st September 1992. It is responsible for inspecting the standards of schools and teachers in England. The department produce annual league tables of schools, which have been criticised by the media and teaching unions in recent years.
In September 2001 Ofsted became responsible for registration and inspection of day care and childminding. This was previously the done by 150 local authorities, with different standards.