Children's Secretary Ed Balls is writing to out-going city education chief Heather Tomlinson to praise her for the improvements she made to Bristol's schools.

The director of children, young people and skills, who is taking early retirement after four and half years into her £120,000-a-year job, led the ambitious scheme to replace all the city's secondary school buildings.

Mr Balls told the Bristol Post: "We have been working really closely with Bristol and I asked yesterday to be able to write to the retiring director of children's services to congratulate her on the work she has done,"

"I actually think she has been a real driver for improvement with the politicians in Bristol and I think she has made a very important contribution. There has been a lot of change happening in Bristol in the last two or three years and she has played an important role in making that happen."

Ms Tomlinson's tenure was controversial, with the Government's former chief inspector of schools, Chris Woodhead, calling for her resignation three years ago, and Wansdyke MP Dan Norris said the announcement of her retirement would be met with few tears.

But her time in charge left Mr Balls pleased with the state of the city's education.

"There is a lot of good stuff happening in Bristol. The chief executive has already appointed an interim director of children's services and they are going out to advertise," he said.

"Nobody, most of all the council and the local leadership wants to see any slipping back in Bristol and I am confident that won't happen."