THE chief education officer of Oxfordshire County Council is to become Kent’s new schools supremo. The county council has confirmed that Graham Badman is to take up the £130,000 a year post as its strategic director for education and libraries in the New Year.

He will succeed Nick Henwood, who is to leave the authority next month. Mr Badman began his career as a chemistry teacher and after working as a headteacher, left for a career in management in 1984. He was director of education for Avon in 1991 and handled the reorganisation of that county council into four unitary authorities before joining Oxford in 1996.

His success in reducing the number of failing schools there led to his secondment to the London borough of Hackney, when he was drafted in as a trouble-shooter after a damning Ofsted report.

Nationally, he is a previous chairman of the Association of Chief Education Officers and has acted as an adviser to the education select committee in the House of Commons.

KCC Conservative cabinet member for education Cllr Paul Carter said: “I am absolutely delighted that Graham is coming to Kent. We will greatly benefit from his experience. This is one of the top education jobs in the country.”

Mr Badman said: “I am looking forward to being in Kent and working with headteachers, teachers and governors.”