Ed Balls wants a focus on maths and reading in primary schools

In an article, Ed Balls said the pace at which results were improving in England had slowed after a decade of rising standards.

It was right to demand that teaching keeps pace with the needs of employers and the workplace, he added.

Ahead of the exam results season, he condemned critics who annually claim the results have been "dumbed down".

He said the annual "ritual" was "demoralising for teachers and insulting for pupils who have worked hard all year".

We need a new focus on standards and discipline in the classroom Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

Writing in the Times Educational Supplement, Mr Balls added: "Ofsted has reported we have the best generation of teachers ever.

"With sustained improvements in the quality of teaching and increased investment in schools, we should expect exam results to get better."

But he said there was no room for complacency and said: "I believe we must now raise our game again and redouble our efforts for the years ahead."

He added: "While we have experienced a decade of rising standards, the pace at which results have been rising has slowed in recent years.

"That is why I have said we need a new focus on standards and discipline in the classroom."

Functional skills

Although more children were reaching the expected levels in English and maths, not enough had been done to raise the performance of the lower-achieving students, he said.

"So over the coming year we will be focusing our efforts on reading and maths in primary schools and personalised learning in secondary schools so no-one falls behind."

The exams watchdog was vigilant in ensuring exam standards did not slip and any pressure for a relaxation in standards would be resisted, he added.

But Mr Balls said he understood why many employers worried that improving exam results did not tally with their experience of hiring school leavers who lacked functional maths, English and IT skills.