I’m a passionate education reformer. I want to see a state school system where every child – not just the privileged – succeeds and gains good qualifications at school, going on to university or to apprenticeships with real job prospects. I also support the nationwide extension of early years provision for the under-fives as an essential part of a modern welfare and education system. As Tony Blair’s education adviser and Minister for Schools, for a decade I pioneered and supported radical reforms including academies, Teach First, Sure Start, the National College for School Leadership, London Challenge, Building Schools for the Future and the primary school literacy and numeracy strategies to raise standards in the 3Rs. All this was made possible by a big and long overdue increase in education investment.

A recent Financial Times study showed that Labour’s reforms not only raised school standards significantly overall, but narrowed the gap between top and bottom, promoting social mobility for the first time in a generation.

Labour’s academies are transforming education in many of England’s poorest communities. Their impact has been assessed highly positively in reports in 2010 by the National Audit Office and in 2011 by the London School of Economics.

I remain actively engaged in education reform. I want to see more universities and successful schools – state and private – supporting the setting up of new academies to replace underperforming schools.

Alongside the former Education Secretary Kenneth Baker I’m supporting the establishment of “University Technical Colleges,” all-ability academies for 14-18 year-olds with a specialist focus on technical areas with strong employment potential, including engineering, construction, digital media and the creative arts.

I’m is a trustee of Teach First, the charity which recruits high-performing graduates, trains them, and places and supports them for at least two years to teach in challenging schools. Teach First now extends to most of England’s cities and regions and it is expanding rapidly, with record demand this year for places.

My book on education reform is published later this year (2012).