Commentary: If at first you don't succeed - lessons for students and education policy champions alike

Of all the Big Ideas bequeathed by the Blair government, the one that has intrigued foreign leaders more than most is his Delivery Unit, headed up by Sir Michael Barber in the early 2000s.

The idea that success is the mundane application of a handful of disciplines ("government by routine, not government by spasm") may not appeal to a politician's ego, the glossy brochure industry or the media but "it works", says Sir Michael.