The company had grown to become the leading educational publisher, but features of his leadership were his very personal style of management, approachability, wit and modesty.

Shares in the struggling educational publisher jumped 45½p to a two-month high of 667p.

In her early twenties she worked for an educational publisher and says that a pension was 'the last thing' on her mind.

However, as it seeks to secure its own survival, the educational publisher has identified the business as ripe for disposal as part of a fire sale of assets.

The broker said that leverage at the educational publisher was higher than had been assumed and it questioned whether there were other opportunities for substantial savings.