Chris Woodhead
Sir Christopher Anthony Woodhead (20 October 1946 – 23 June 2015) was a British educator. He was head of Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, from 1994 to 2000. Ofsted is a non-ministerial department of the UK government. The head of Ofsted is also Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England, which is a crown appointment.[1]
Sir Chris Woodhead | |
|---|---|
| Born | Christopher Anthony Woodhead 20 October 1946 Cockfosters, London, England |
| Died | 23 June 2015 (aged 68) Cockfosters, London, England |
| Cause of death | Motor neurone disease |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Chief Inspector of Schools |
Career
Woodhead graduated in English at the University of Bristol, where he also took a PGCE.[2] He obtained a Master of Arts in English from Keele University in 1974.
In 1976, he left teaching, allegedly as the result of an affair with a sixth-form pupil, something he always denied.[3] Later, he moved into teacher education.
Woodhead was one of the most controversial figures in debates on the direction of English education policy.[4] Woodhead advocated "traditional teaching methods". He took a scornful view of "progressive educational theories" introduced into English schools from the 1960s onwards.
He was Chairman of Cognita, a company dedicated to fostering private education, from 2004 to 2013.[5]
Death
Woodhead died after a nine-year battle with motor neurone disease, aged 68.
Books
- 1984. Nineteenth and twentieth century verse: an anthology of sixteen poets. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198312475
- 2002. Class War: the state of British education. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316859974
- 2009. A desolation of learning: is this the education our children deserve?. Harriman House. ISBN 9780956257307
References
- ↑ The Chief Inspector is appointed by royal decree.
- ↑ PGCE = Postgraduate Certificate of Education
- ↑ Bright, Martin (2 May 1999). Woodhead feels the heat. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/may/02/theobserver.uknews6?INTCMP=SRCH. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- ↑ The Times 3 February 1997 Valerie Grove interview
- ↑ "Executive Team". Cognita. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2011.