Education secretary Michael Gove has been forced to deny his officials are involved in a smear campaign against Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw, following weekend press reports.

Mr Gove intervened to calm the situation, after the HM Chief Inspector for education disclosed he ‘was spitting blood' over reports in The Times that two think-tanks with close links to the Conservative party were producing reports critical of Ofsted.

Civitas and Policy Exchange are both in the process of preparing papers which are likely to criticise the Ofsted inspection regime for stifling innovation.

The Policy Exchange think-tank, which was set up by Mr Gove, is reported to be set to claim Ofsted's judgements were inconsistent and the regime placed too much pressure on teachers. 

Civitas' report would focus on how Ofsted inspectors are hampering the secretary of state's desire for schools to develop their own approaches to teaching by progressive child first orthodoxies.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr Gove described Sir Michael as a ‘superb professional and outstanding chief inspector'.

‘No-one working for me has had anything to do with any campaign against him or briefing against him.  No one working for me has sought to undermine his position.

‘Anyone who did so would be instantly dismissed,' Mr Gove's statement read.

Responding to the comments, Sir Michael said he was proud of his team at Ofsted and always tried to defend them from mischief makers and unfair criticism.

‘I have talked to the secretary of state today and I know that he is 100% supportive of my leadership,' Sir Michael added.