Generation of children 'knows virtually nothing about history'
A generation of children knows virtually nothing about British history and leaves school "woefully under-nourished", Education Secretary Michael Gove warned today.
Even university students studying the subject are failing to recall basic historical facts, he said. Mr Gove said that around half of young people were unaware that Nelson led the British to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, or that the Romans built Hadrian's Wall.
It comes after historian Sir David Cannadine called for history to be made compulsory in England's schools until the age of 16. Speaking at the launch of Sir David's new book, an analysis of how history has been taught since the beginning of the 20th century, Mr Gove said he was "genuinely worried" about the state of history teaching.
"Despite the best efforts of brilliant history teachers, gifted academics and the television and publishing executives who have helped to popularise history - our curriculum and examinations system mean that children thirsting to know more about our past leave school woefully under-nourished."
Referring to a survey of history undergraduates carried out by Professor Derek Matthews at Cardiff University, Mr Gove said: "The survey asked them to name the British general at Waterloo, the monarch during the Armada, Brunel's profession, a single 19th century prime minister and the location of the Boer War.
"The survey found that just over one question in five was answered correctly.
"Almost twice as many students thought Nelson was in charge at the Battle of Waterloo as named the Iron Duke, while nine students thought it was Napoleon - or 'Napolian' or 'Napoliun'.
"Almost 90 per cent of the students could not name a single British prime minister from the 19th century."
Mr Gove added that the results for history undergraduates indicate that the picture for school children who don't study the subject must be "bleaker still".
It comes after Mr Gove criticised English teaching for being too narrow, saying that too many children read only Of Mice And Men, Lord Of The Flies and To Kill A Mockingbird.
The Government is looking at the history curriculum as part of the broader National Curriculum review.
Students must also study history to qualify for the new English Baccalaureate qualification.
Sir David, a professor at Princeton University, said he wants history to have the same status as English, maths and science, and many other countries required the subject to be taught beyond 14.
He said: "I can see no reason why this country is not on an equal footing with the rest of Europe."
