The English Schools Foundation (ESF) has selected the director of education of the county of Cornwall in the UK to replace Jennifer Wisker as its secretary and chief executive.
Jal Shroff, chairman of the ESF, announced this week that Jonathan Harris will take up the post from the beginning of January, when Ms Wisker retires after 10 years' leading the organisation.
Ms Wisker held a similar position in Somerset, UK, before joining the ESF a decade ago.
Earlier this year, Cornwall was the only education authority in England to rebel against government attempts to impose new national test targets to be achieved by 11-year-olds.
'I am not prepared to send my advisers out to have discussions with head teachers about targets they know cannot be achieved. It is demotivating for staff and teachers,' Mr Harris told the Times Education Supplement at the time.
Mr Shroff said Mr Harris had been the outstanding candidate and the selection committee's unanimous choice. 'Jonathan knows his own mind and speaks it,' he said.
