A comprehensive education defines itself. It is a system for all children, regardless of class, colour, sex, creed or intellectual capacity.

But the comprehensive ideal of the 1960s has not delivered what its proponents hoped: and the Labour Government has for some time been engaged in the tortuous of process of trying to reform the system without being accused of abandoning the ideal.

Alistair Campbell set the mood with his reference last year to "bog-standard comprehensives". And today, the Education Secretary, Estelle Morris, while avoiding Mr Campbell's emotive language, tried to explain the policy implications of the new thinking.

She believes that "one-size fits-all, ready-to-wear, off-the-shelf comprehensives" - all euphemisms for bog-standard - are failing many pupils.

Hence the government's drive to create a range of choices at the secondary level, from specialist schools to city academies and beacon schools.

But in what sense is that tailored approach comprehensive? Is it not a belated recognition that the comprehensive ideal was misguided? Why not admit that comprehensive system isn't working and that we need to try something different?

Click on the link above right to hear our interview with Estelle Morris.

Teachers dismayed by school 'caricature': click here for more reaction from BBC News Online/Education