HIGH-profile county schools chief Julien Kramer is retiring in October - before his position is scrapped when the education department merges with social services.

The directors of both departments were warned before May's county council elections that their roles would be combined in a new super-department, called Children's Services.

Mr Kramer, who is 55, yesterday announced he will step down before the changes are made.

"I have had a wonderful time working for Worce-stershire County Council and for the communities of Worcestershire," said Mr Kramer, a father-of-three.

"It has been a privilege to visit every single school and unit and special school in Worcestershire and to see continuing growing evidence of the excellence in our classrooms."

Mr Kramer has courted controversy throughout his seven-year tenure, shrugging off calls to quit from parents more than once and facing down criticism over a 'flippant' attitude towards the on-going special educational needs review.

However, he has scored many notable successes and was the driving force behind two excellent Ofsted inspections, the latest of which, in January, ranked Worcester-shire among the top five run LEAs in the country.

With Mr Kramer as education director, exam results have also risen every year, and at every Key Stage, since he took over in 1998.

Rob Sykes, county council chief executive, paid tribute to Mr Kramer's success.

"I would like to thank Julien for his contribution to raising the standards of educational services in Worcestershire," he said. "I wish him the very best for the future."

His retirement will mean another shift in leadership for Worcestershire schools, following hot on the heels of the sacking of cabinet member for education, June Longmuir, in January, and her successor, Andy Roberts, losing out in last month's elections.

Councillor Liz Eyre, in her role as cabinet member for Children's Services, is now head of education in the county.