England's largest exam board has removed a number one chart hit by convicted paedophile Gary Glitter from a GCSE music assignment after widespread criticism.

The Assessment and Qualification Alliance (AQA) had listed Glitter's 1973 song I'm The Leader Of The Gang as "related listening" for GCSE music coursework.

An anonymous deputy headteacher and father of two saw Glitter's name on an exam paper sent out on November 1 to thousands of teenagers.

The teacher from Windsor told the Sun he was horrified his own daughter would face the exam question and thought it was "completely inappropriate".

He asked AQA to withdraw the paper but was initially told it was too late.

"He's a convicted paedophile jailed for sexually abusing kids. It's completely inappropriate to recommend him as listening material," he said.

"Boys and girls of 15 or 16 who select this song will go straight to the internet to find Glitter's music. I dread to think what they may find searching online for him."

The teacher, who asked not to be named in case his daughter is penalised in the exam, added: "A national exam board should have the basic common sense not to recommend past works of a paedophile to teenagers."

The song appeared among suggestions for related listening for a GCSE music assignment asking students to compose a song that relies on "changes of tempo and/or style for its effect".

Campaigners warned Glitter could have earned royalties from additional sales.

Dr Michele Elliot – director of children's charity Kidscape – insisted the papers be reissued.

"AQA need to get Glitter off there. It sends totally the wrong message to paedophiles' victims. Thousands of children take this exam. If they buy his song it could be a nice earner for him," she said.

"One way to show we dislike his abuse of children is to cut off the money he lives on. It's in the hands of AQA to do that."

Anti-child abuse campaigners Shy Keenan and Sara Payne called use of Glitter's song "disgusting".

In a statement they said: "This stonking great child molester should crawl back under the rock he came from, not be celebrated for his music. We'll campaign to have any reference to him taken out."

Conservative shadow children's minister, Tim Loughton, said: "I can't believe AQA could not find a song from an alternative musician."

Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Voice teachers' union, said: "This is inappropriate, crass and insensitive, and calls into question the judgment of those at AQA who decided to include it.

"It is wrong that his work should be publicised in this way and that it could be thought suitable for study by school children.

"It would also be unacceptable if he profited in any way from this."

Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was deported from Vietnam in August after serving nearly three years of a prison term for molesting two girls. He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register.

The 64-year-old received a four-month sentence in the UK in 1999 for child pornography offences.

He earns around £200,000 a year from his 1970s back catalogue.