EDUCATION bosses have defended a decision to offer the headteacher of a failing Worcester school a new top job.

Last week Tony James announced he would be leaving Elgar Technology College, just days before Government inspectors announced it was being placed under special measures. The move is only a secondment and Worcestershire County Council has refused to rule out the possibility of Mr James returning to Elgar.

He will take up his new position of director of 14-19 education for Worcestershire after Easter. But the announcement has sparked a heated debate among News' readers.

Commenting on our website www.worcesternews.co.uk, Valarie Hawke, of Warndon Villages, Worcester, said: "Is there more to this story than we are being told? I hope so. How can someone in charge of a failing school be given a job as director of education?"

Another reader said: "If the school is failing, why is he being given the job of Worcestershire County Council's director of 14-19 education? What kind of director of education will he make when he cannot even run a school?"

But the county's head of raising achievement and access to learning Colin Weeden, defended the decision. "The 14-19 education policy is a major programme of change, not just for Worcestershire but across the whole country," he said.

"The previous 14-19 director left to work in Shropshire in October so we have had to internally cover the post for six months. We have advertised twice nationally with no success. We were actively looking to see if there was anyone in the council who could work with us on the 14-19 agenda."

He said one of the main responsibilities of the job was looking at alternative courses for 14-16-year-old pupils in years 10 and 11, whether in schools, colleges or work. Mr Weeden said Mr James would also be rolling out programmes he had tried and tested at Elgar to other schools, and would be looking for ways to continue them when the Government funding finished.

"The (Elgar Ofsted) inspection report has some good comments about providing a range of courses and programmes," he said.

"That's exactly the type of work we want this person to do. I understand the concerns that people have but we do think Tony has both the experience and skills to undertake this role."