Leading article: How to achieve

While by no means endorsing some of the more radical solutions Clint Eastwood adopts in his films as appropriate for headteachers, we can see that a firm, no-nonsense leadership style is often necessary for success in challenging schools.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, who draws the comparison in an Independent interview today, has proved this at Mossbourne Academy, an east London comprehensive where no fewer than 10 pupils received offers from Oxford and Cambridge this year.

More to the point, though, he has proved the small number of state school pupils going to Oxbridge may have to do less with these universities' snobbery, than with their headteachers' poverty of aspiration.