The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, yesterday stated, not for the first time, that too little history and in particular too little British history is taught in our schools. This followed a report by Sir David Cannadine, a history professor, which reached the same conclusion. The report added that history should be compulsory for all children until they reach 16 years and therefore, in most cases, until they actually finish secondary school. That has to be right, for two reasons.

Firstly, history is another word for experience and as all parents know experience is a great teacher. How many times do we tell our children not to do something, like not putting their hands in a bowl of hot water as we did at their age, hoping that they, unlike us, will not suffer unnecessary pain. We’ve learned the consequences of such actions through painful experience and if children can learn from our experience then all well and good. The same thing is true of history. Do you think, for example, that western governments would have been so quick to become involved in Afghanistan if they’d studied and learned the lessons that the British learned in the late 19th Century or the Soviets in the late 20th Century?

Secondly, it is vital to teach our children all about this country’s history to give them a true perspective of where they are from and what they are a part of. That history must be taught as it is, honestly, openly and truthfully, warts and all and without any political spin. Teach children the facts and let them make their own minds up about the rights and wrongs. When I was at school in the early 1970s my left wing leaning British History teacher never missed an opportunity to criticise the British Empire and I’m sure at times he made some valid points. However, I never once heard him mention the fact that Britain was the first civilised nation to abolish slavery and led the way for other nations such as France, Spain and even the USA to follow; funny that.

We must teach children to feel pride in their heritage and pride in their country’s many achievements. Who knows, that feeling of pride may well foster in them a different outlook to life and a feeling that maybe we have something worth preserving in this country. That alone would make the whole exercise worthwhile wouldn’t it?