THE head of education in Torfaen has left has post after his departure was "mutually agreed", the council has confirmed.

Dermot McChrystal was the chief officer for education for Torfaen Council "for many years" and the local authority has said it wishes him "the very best as he moves on".

The council will temporarily shake-up its running of education services, with chief executive Stephen Vickers taking the helm on an interim basis.

Mr McChrystal was one of the officers grilled by councillors earlier this year following a scathing Estyn report, in which inspectors described Torfaen Council as "a local authority causing significant concern" due to shortcomings in secondary school performance.

Confirming the departure, Cllr Richard Clark, the council's executive member for education, said: "Following recent discussions regarding the future challenges and opportunities for education in Torfaen, it has been mutually agreed, that now is the right time for Dermot to leave the council.

"Dermot has worked for Torfaen Council as the chief officer for education for many years, and we would like to thank him for his efforts and wish him the very best as he moves on.

"Interim arrangements are in place with the chief executive officer, Stephen Vickers, taking the strategic lead for education, supported by the wider corporate leadership team and deputy directors in education.

"The council has also secured additional support funded by the WLGA (Welsh Local Government Association). This arrangement will remain in place while longer term solutions for the education service are determined."

The changes follow a turbulent few months for education in Torfaen, sparked when Wales' inspection agency Estyn criticised the "weak" performance of the council's secondary schools.

The Estyn report criticised the pace of improvement among secondary schools, and said Torfaen council needed to strengthen self-evaluation and scrutiny processes to improve outcomes for learners.

Performance in Torfaen's primary schools was found to be "generally sound".

The publication of the damning Estyn report prompted an extraordinary full council meeting to discuss the inspectors' findings.

At the time, Mr McChrystal told councillors outcomes at Cwmbran High School were not what the council wanted them to be.

He also said the pace of improvement at secondary schools had "not been good enough".

Following that meeting, chief executive Mr Vickers, who will now take over responsibility for education service on an interim basis, said the council fully accepted Estyn's findings and recognised the "much-needed improvements identified by inspectors".