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Dr Jim McElligott was appointed to the new role last week - at the same time as it emerged the city's primary schools were amongst the most improved in the country.
Dr McElligott, a trained teacher who has held a number of senior positions in education across the country, has run Wolverhampton's education department as a consultant since July 2013.
His remit has been to transform the department and make its focus the improvement of the city's schools.
Ofsted last week published its annual report. A year ago, the city had the worst performing primary schools in the country, but 12 months on and the city's primary schools are no longer bottom of the table and in terms of the rate of improvement they are in in the top 10% nationally.
This rate of improvement is something Dr McElligott is determined to continue and accelerate.
He said: "I am delighted to accept the appointment to lead this service in supporting the excellent improvements seen in Wolverhampton schools over the past 12 months."
Dr McElligott was previously chief education officer for Milton Keynes and has also been a senior regional director for the Government's National Strategies programme.
Councillor Phil Page, Wolverhampton City Council's cabinet member for schools, skills and learning, said: "We have appointed Dr McElligott to continue the fantastic work he has already begun to ensure our children and young people get the best possible start in life.
"Through his leadership, in the space of a year we have gone from having the lowest number of good or outstanding primary schools in the country, to having one of the highest rates of improvement in the country.
"These things do not turnaround overnight and we are still not where we want to be, but we are moving quickly in the right direction and this is what our parents want to know."
As director of education, Dr McElligott will report directly to the council's managing director Keith Ireland who spearheaded the creation of the role.
- released: Tuesday 16 December, 2014