A new report on the state of history teaching has been blasted by a leading historian.
Figures produced by Conservative MP Chris Skidmore, a member of the Commons all-party group on history, suggest that pupils in fewer than a third of state schools take GCSE in the subject.
One particular statistic showed that of a pupil population of 2,000 in the Knowlsey area of Merseyside, just 11 sat the history A-level exam.
Arguing that history should be made compulsory until the age of 16, Mr Skidmore said: "There has never been a more compelling moment to consider making history compulsory."
"What - because the French are having a pop at us again?" Asked top academic Ken Lucid, who sees little point to the report.
"Look, this is nothing new," said Hounslow University's Herodotus Chair of History. "Figures published by the Department of Education back in the summer and stats from the History Society a couple of months later told us this.
"These MPs already know the state of history in schools, for crying out loud! Another report - what a waste of money!
"What I want to know is what the dozy gets are going to do about it - and Gove and his cronies better not come up with any crap about 'traditional history.' What's that when it's at home?"
