Blair briefed

But few have stepped across the threshold of 10 Downing Street.

Now St Richard's College principal Tony Campbell has had the opportunity to do just that.

He had the "honour" to represent the college at a reception hosted by Prime Minister Tony Blair for the country's headteachers of the best performing schools.

St Richard's is among the top 200 on the Department for Education and Skills list of excellent schools and in the top four per cent of specialist colleges.

About 70 heads attended the reception to mark the contribution they had made to improving educational standards.

Mr Campbell said he was "delighted to represent all of the college community, as I know it is a collective honour as so many contribute to our success."

Unfortunately, the invitations did not extend to partners so Mr Campbell was unable to take his wife.

"It would have been nice to have shared the occasion with her," he said.

"To be there was a real sense of occasion," said the principal who has been inside Highgrove and Buckingham Palace.

"But 10 Downing Street is a bit special. It struck me how people like Churchill have been there. It was historic to visit there."

Mr Blair spent a few minutes talking to the principal personally and seemed very interested in the progress the college had made.