Chief Schools Adjudicator Sir Peter Newsam appears to be ideally qualified to make a decision about the future of Oxford's schools - except that his experience might disqualify him from the job.
Sir Peter, 70, who may be called in if county councillors fail to reach a decision on the city schools' reorganisation, attended the Dragon School in north Oxford and studied at Oxford University, before holding various teaching posts in the city.
He quit in 1963 to become an assistant education officer in Yorkshire's North Riding. He became chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality and Director of the Institute of Education before going to France to work for the OECD and then taking up his current job in June last year.
Sir Peter, who lives in North Yorkshire, revealed that his knowledge of Oxford and of middle schools might prevent him from making the decision himself.
He said: "We have a rule that if anyone has worked or lived in an area within five years they cannot adjudicate." But there is a panel of 13 other adjudicators who could do so.
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