Ofsted’s national director of education Chris Russell will retire at the end of this year after just over two years in the role, FE Week has learned.
It means that both Amanda Spielman, the current chief inspector, and one of her most senior officials will depart the inspectorate in December.
Russell has worked at Ofsted since 2006, initially as an inspector and then in various regional director posts before being promoted to national director in September 2021, replacing Sean Harford.
FE Week understands he had passed retirement age and saw the upcoming change in leadership as a good opportunity to stand down.
