Director for Children's Services

Release Date:  09-Jan-2009

Bristol City Council has agreed to the request from its Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Skills, Heather Tomlinson, for early retirement.

Chief Executive, Jan Ormondroyd, said: "Heather has given over four years to her work as Director for Children, Young People and Skills in Bristol, during which time real progress has been made. We have seen an improvement in the service's rating as part of its Annual Performance Assessment (APA) by Ofsted inspectors - rising from grade 1 (inadequate) to grade 2 (adequate).This has helped the council achieve a two star rating overall from the Audit Commission for the first time.

"It is a measure of Heather's significant contribution that all Bristol schools are now out of special measures and that GCSE results are improving steadily. In addition, the major change programme she has been leading has created seven new academies, delivered the country's first all-through trust school in Hartcliffe and has set the council on its way to being the first UK authority to completely rebuild or refurbish all secondary school buildings by 2013.

"I fully respect Heather's decision to move on and wish her the very best for the future. She leaves behind a strong management team, who will continue to work to improve school standards and protect vulnerable children and young people - and who will be supported by myself and the rest of the new Strategic Leadership Team. We are now actively looking for an interim director, whilst planning the early recruitment of a permanent replacement."

Councillor Peter Hammond, Deputy Leader of Bristol City Council and Cabinet Member for Cohesion and Raising Achievement, said: “I would like to thank Heather for her hard work and professionalism in her role as Director for Children, Young People and Skills.

“She has been able to lead Bristol's children's services through an intense period of change and we're now starting to see the benefits of this with an upward trend on results, new academies and arrangements for partnership working.   It has been a pleasure to work with Heather and I hope she has a very enjoyable retirement.”

Heather Tomlinson said: “The role of a Director of Children’s Services is extremely demanding in any authority. It is no secret that the role is particularly demanding in Bristol, particularly regarding standards in our schools.

"I have always enjoyed a challenge, and have loved being part of ‘Team Bristol’ over the past four and a half years. I'm proud to have been able to contribute to so many exciting developments. It’s been a privilege to work with so many talented colleagues, and to see outcomes for children and young people improving year on year.

"It is a credit to the dedication of council officers, teachers, school staff, governors, social workers and care professionals, that in a relatively short space of time we have managed to make real progress in improving services and raising standards. My thanks go to all of them.

"Special thanks is also due to all the parents, grandparents, carers and families in Bristol, who are key to securing a strong future for children in the city. And, most importantly, I would like to thank all those children and young people I have had the pleasure to meet and work with.

"This feels like the right time for someone else to take the reins to lead Children’s Services to the next level. I know that Bristol’s schools and children’s services will go from strength to strength in the future."
 

Author:   Katharine de Lisle 0117 922 2732

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