The director of Croydon's education service is set to leave his role at Croydon Council following a catalogue of disturbing incidents at the borough's schools.

Peter Wylie, the current director of children, young people and learners at Croydon Council, is understood to be taking early retirement by mutual agreement.

It follows a pupil being stabbed in the head with a pair of scissors last week at Edenham High School.

The attack left pupils horrified and came weeks after five teenagers were questioned about a sex attack which was filmed in the grounds of another school.

And earlier this year a teacher at Selsdon High walked out in the middle of a lesson after being unable to control the children.

Chief executive of the council, Jon Rouse, said: "We will miss Peter and his immense knowledge and experience. However, we also believe that it is time for a change.

"The challenges that we will face over the next five years will require a different skills set involving management of a large capital works programme as well as an emphasis on intensive school improvement."

Peter has been a director at the council since 2003 but a new director of education will now be sought.

His final task in his present role will be to complete the first stage of the current secondary schools review.

Peter said: "While I am sad to be leaving Croydon I also know it is the right time to go. Through the secondary schools review I have brought the service to the point where it is ready to make some difficult but necessary choices about educational provision in the borough.

"The authority now needs a director with a different set of skills and experience to deliver that programme of change through the Building Schools for the Future programme."

Cabinet member for education, Councillor Maria Gatland, said: "I would like to place on record this administration's gratitude to Peter for his dedication to the young people of the borough over the last few years.

"He has a deep knowledge of young people's needs and how to organise services to meet those needs. We wish him all the best in his retirement and in whatever he decides to do next."