Rebecca Smithers

Sir Chris Woodhead, who led Ofsted from 1994 to 2000, died aged 68 after motor neurone disease and liver cancer. A forceful critic of progressive teaching methods and supporter of grammar schools, he became one of England's most controversial education figures after claiming that 15,000 teachers were incompetent, clashing with David Blunkett and teaching unions, and facing allegations about a relationship with a former pupil. After resigning from Ofsted, he wrote newspaper columns, taught at the University of Buckingham and chaired Cognita. He continued to argue that children were suited to different educational paths and remained publicly outspoken despite his illness.