While we should never lapse into complacency, two major reports out this week show how a major public service - in this case education - can be transformed through sustained reform and targeted investment.

The Ofsted Annual Report shows the success of Labour's school improvement programme, including academies...

Yesterday, a national newspaper reported on Michael Gove's plans to require students to undertake voluntary work and a "contrasting subject" alongside their A Levels.

While I support moves to broaden exams at this stage and for pupils to do extended projects, the education secretary is still failing to take on...

For the government, it seems to be to hark back to a nostalgic view of the past. So Michael Gove has come out in favour of a 1950s exam system for secondary schools, and Victorian-era rote learning at primary school.

Clearly, neither is going to prepare this generation of young...

In the six months since Ed Miliband appointed me as Shadow Education Secretary, I have visited over 30 schools - including academies, community schools, free schools and private schools.

One thing that has struck me is the excellent practice - the innovation and creativity - in operation in many of...

I was deeply troubled at reports in today's press of examiners tipping off teachers. Parents will be incredibly worried and it is right that the government has initiated an inquiry to be led by Ofqual, the exam regulator. We should aspire to have the best education system in the world,...

In this year's Hansard Society audit of political engagement, only 30 per cent of those surveyed agreed that they can change the way the UK is run by getting involved in politics at a national level. A survey published last week by the Committee for Standards in Public Life has...