by Janet Hewison

Education Reporter

YORK's education chief, Mike Peters, is leaving to take up a new post in London.

Mr Peters, who is director of educational services at the City of York Council, is to take over as education director at Lambeth Council in the capital.

His move comes just two months after York's local education authority received a glowing report from Ofsted inspectors, praising its strong and dynamic leadership.

Mr Peters is likely to leave in October or November.

A spokesman for the council said his post would be advertised in due course.

His deputy, Chris Edwards, currently chief adviser, declined to comment today on whether he would be applying.

Since the mid-1990s, inner-city Lambeth has been working to improve schools in its area, and its latest inspection last summer showed it had made a lot of progress, but inspectors said it still had some way to go. It is due to be re-inspected by Ofsted in November.

Mr Peters, 45, arrived in York in October 1995, when he helped set up the new City of York Council, taking over responsibility for York's schools from North Yorkshire County Council in April 1996.

A graduate in biochemistry, he taught in West Africa for two years before coming to York to obtain his postgraduate certificate of education at the University of York.

He taught in London and worked for Ealing Council before moving to Bradford Metropolitan District Council to become assistant director of education, and then moving back to York.

Mr Peters, who is married with three children, said: "This is a new and exciting challenge. I love York but what this offers is an opportunity to work with an authority that is extremely diverse in its population with different kinds of challenges to the ones that York faces and I believe I can make a contribution."

He said he had enjoyed working in York with people who had passion, commitment, energy and sheer professional dedication, and was proud of helping to establish something really special.

The council's chief executive, David Clark, said: "I am sure that everyone at City of York Council who has worked with Mike Peters over the last five years would now wish to congratulate him on his new appointment to a larger, inner London authority which is going to present him with a great new challenge.

"Mike's outstanding leadership of the education directorate has shaped a fine team and has earned City of York Council a first class Ofsted inspection report this year which is remarkable considering the council is a

new education authority.

"I would personally like to wish Mike and his family all the best for the future but in doing so might add that he is leaving behind an exceptional team which will continue to work to meet the high standards which he and council members have set for education in York."

PICTURE: Mike Peters: a new and exciting challenge