My father, Phillip Williams, who has died aged 97, was one of the first educational psychologists, guided by a strong belief in equal opportunity.
Phill joined the education department at the University of Wales (Swansea) in the 1960s, and moved in the early 70s to the Open University, where he became dean of education. He took a sabbatical year in 1974, visiting India, Iran and Columbia for the British Council, mainly giving talks on the development of the Open University, and was then part of the Warnock committee for special education (1975-77) while lecturing at the OU, before going back to the University of Wales (Bangor) as professor of education (1979-83).
