The daughter of a Welsh miner who became a leading educationalist and campaigner for comprehensive education has died at the age of 91.

Mother of three Joan Sallis “believed passionately that equality in education gave you equality in life”, and received an OBE in 1996.

As well as being an author of about a dozen books on education, many concerning school governance, she helped found the Campaign for State Education (CASE) and in 1977 was on the committee of enquiry that produced the Taylor report, which led to the introduction of parent governors in schools.

Former CASE secretary Margaret Tulloch said: “For many of us who care about education, the involvement of parents in their children’s education, schools and parents working together, stakeholder governance and comprehensive education, Joan was an inspiration.

“She was a huge supporter of the involvement of everyone in the governance of schools, and that everyone should care about education. As she would say, we live in a world of other people’s children.”

Educationalist John Fowler, of the local democracy thinktank LGIU, said she “led the governor revolution in the 1970s”, and recalled her regular column in Tes, which she wrote for about 10 years.

Her advice included everything from what to do if a school governor was having an affair with the headteacher, to early warnings about “e-bumf”. The many columns are still available on the Tes website.

Joan was married to Howard, her childhood sweetheart from the Valleys of South Wales, for 60 years until his death in 2003. The pair moved to Richmond, Surrey, early in their married life and raised three children, but sadly their son David, a management consultant, died three years ago.

Daughter Lucy Edmondson said: “She passionately believed that equality in education gave you equality in life.

“She was adamantly against the 11-plus because she felt children shouldn’t be judged at age 11. She also felt all abilities, social classes, genders should be schooled together because that was part of life and part of learning. She was also fiercely in favour of parents and others becoming involved as school governors and being properly trained.”

The funeral was held today at East Sheen cemetery. Instead of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to CASE in her memory.