‘We should be proud of the achievements of our young people – and of Labour’s record on education. Sustained investment, more teachers and teaching assistants, and the hard work of pupils and school staff mean more young people are leaving school with good qualifications. Schools in the poorest areas have seen the biggest rises in results and we are starting to break the historic link between disadvantage and low attainment.

There are always some people who look back at the past with rose-tinted spectacles and claim that exams are getting easier. In fact the annual accusations of ‘dumbing down’ can be traced back to an editorial in the Times Educational Supplement – in 1954! These days we have an independent regulator to rigorously monitor exam standards, but that hasn’t stopped the carping from the Tories this summer who want to do down the state education system and rubbish the achievements of young people.

What we’ve seen from Michael Gove over recent months is an increasingly narrow approach to education policy, including his latest suggestion that Diplomas and vocational qualifications should not be counted in comparisons of schools’ overall performance. While we are trying – through the new Diplomas which combine practical and theoretical learning – to break the old divide between ‘excellent’ academic qualifications and ‘second class’ vocational qualifications, the Tories want to entrench that old two-tier view. And they won’t match our guarantee of a place in school, college, training or an apprenticeship for all 16 and 17 year olds this September. That’s not the right approach for the 21st century – where every young person needs skills and good qualifications to succeed.’ – Ed Balls, secretary of state for children, schools and families

‘This year’s GCSE results are a tribute to the hard work of pupils and teachers, and reflect the investment and work on standards and diversity of the Labour government. The growth of academies and specialist schools, as well as minimum standards through the National Challenge have all played their part. It is particularly encouraging to see the strong growth in triple science entries, a sign that the improvements are across all subjects. It is vital that any future government credits students and schools for all their achievements, whether academic or vocational.’ – Conor Ryan, blogger at conorfryan.blogspot.com

‘The decision of the Tories to spend this summer doing down the achievements of young people shows how much David Cameron has retreated to the Tory comfort zone. It’s easier to dismiss young people’s achievements as ‘dumbing down’ when you’re in opposition than to take a serious look at what’s working in our education system and what’s not.

The rising number of people staying on after 16 across the board with more people doing A levels, more people doing apprenticeships and more people staying on afterwards at university and education or training is one of the great successes of the last 12 years.

And it is telling that the Tories used the exam period to attempt to rubbish vocational education and set academic education apart as the only elite option. This outmoded view has held British education back for generations. Young people need and want different options in their education. And the diverse economy of the future requires that we deliver it for them’ – Stephanie Peacock, youth representative on Labour’s National Executive Committee

‘The success of thousands of A-level and GCSE candidates is a tribute to them and their schools. It also shows that investment and reform of public services produces real and sustained improvement – that transfoms people’s lives.’ – Matt Rodda, prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for East Surrey. He was David Blunkett’s ghost writer 1998-2001 and worked in the No10 strategic communications unit