"There's nothing harder than making change," Tony Blair sighed today as he reviewed ten years of often frenetic policy-making since his landmark "education, education, education" speech.
The teaching profession which the Prime Minister is apt to criticise for its conservatism might ruefully echo his words. It has taken years of persuasion to bring politicians round to the idea that the A-level "gold standard" is not the be-all and end-all of secondary education in England.
Ironically the greater breadth of diplomas for 14 to 19 year olds and the International Baccalaureate is being proclaimed little more than a year after Number 10 squashed the Tomlinson reforms designed to achieve the same ends Mr Blair set out today - choice, breadth, stretching the most able etc.
The report by Sir Mike Tomlinson had the virtually unanimous backing of teachers and heads - but there was an election on and ministers were frightened of "A-levels to be axed" headlines in the Daily Mail. Political calculations trumped educational considerations.
The report was kicked out by the then education secretary Ruth Kelly, though Tomlinson-type proposals have been trying to sneak in the back door ever since.
The IB, on the other hand, has close links with independent schools and sixth form colleges - it is reassuringly posh. It therefore appeals to Mr Blair, though not to state school heads who are worried about how comprehensives are going to pay for it. Its seven subjects are not for the non-academic. but universities are getting to like it.
The coordinated announcement of an A* grade at A-level by Alan Johnson, the education secretary, was aimed at shoring up confidence in the exam.
As usual, politicians were focusing today on the top end of the exams market - arguably the end that needs it least. But then Tony Blair has always understood the politics of aspiration.
