Famous school flops

Blunt judge Simon Cowell left school before the sixth form. He took a few menial jobs, but did not get along well with co-workers and bosses, until his father, an EMI executive, managed to get him a job in the mail room Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/Guardian

Though he was a poor student, Richard Branson stuck it out at Stowe school until he was 15 Photograph: David Levene/freelancer

The legend that is Ozzy Osbourne reportedly suffered from dyslexia. He left school at 15, then found work as a construction site labourer, trainee plumber, apprentice toolmaker, car-factory worker and slaughterhouse assistant Photograph: Don Arnold/Getty

A teacher told Julie Burchill's parents that if she went to work in the local biscuit factory - as many of her classmates would - it would be like putting a pheasant in a fish tank. At 17, she landed a job on the NME Photograph: Peter Dench/Corbis

Health secretary - and former education secretary - Alan Johnson left Sloane grammar school in Chelsea at 15. He stacked shelves at Tesco before becoming a postman at 18 Photograph: David Levene/freelancer

John Major, pilloried during his time as prime minister for being boring, left school at 16 with three O-levels: history, English language and English literature. Clearly not enough to enliven his conversation Photograph: Graeme Robertson/freelancer

Model, equestrian, racing driver and not very good dancer Jodie Kidd left boarding school with a GCSE in art Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

Entrepreneur and TV tough guy Alan Sugar, estimated fortune £830m, was born in Hackney, the son of a tailor. He left school at 16 and was soon selling car aerials and electrical goods out of a van Photograph: Sarah Lee/freelancer

DJ Chris Evans ran an alternative tuckshop at school before leaving at 16. Early jobs included private detective and Tarzanogram Photograph: PA

Ringo Starr, not even the best drummer in the Beatles, was a sickly child. After his last extended visit to hospital, beginning at age 13, he did not return to school Photograph: Damian Dovarganes/AP

Pop diva Joss Stone, who at 22 has sold more than 10m albums worldwide and won two Brits and a Grammy, left school at 16 with three GCSEs. "It wasn't that I was stupid. I'm just a little bit dyslexic, and I wasn't very academic. I'm more artistic," she says Photograph: DWL Publicity/PR

Director and divorcé Guy Ritchie was expelled at 15. He says it was drug use. His father, however, has said it was for ‘cutting lessons and entertaining a girl in his room’ Photograph: C.J. LaFrance/Getty Images

Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr, aka Michael Caine, left school at 16 after gaining four O-levels and did his national service, serving in Germany and in combat in the Korean war. Not a lot of … oh all right they do Photograph: David Levene/freelancer

Who needs school when you’re bending it like Beckham? David left at 16 and played his first pro game for Manchester United when he was 18 Photograph: Rob Loud/Getty