David Starkey’s provocative talk (with which many delegates disagreed) was intended as the prelude to a wide-ranging two-day conference.

Although you chose not to report on the conference, there were many stimulating papers, including David Eastwood on Tomlinson, Hilary Cooper on the pedagogy of history in the early years, Christine Counsell on tradition and innovation in secondary history teaching, Hilary Claire on history and citizenship in the primary school and Michael Wood on the role of TV history in education. Speakers came from organisations ranging from Edinburgh university, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, English Heritage, the Imperial War Museum holocaust project and the Black and Asian Studies Association. The conference also included feedback from A-level and Scottish Higher students who provided a valuable perspective on issues raised, by Starkey and others.

It is a pity your reporter did not stay to hear the rest of the conference, and so set David Starkey’s presentation in context.

Professor David Bates

Director

Institute of Historical Research

University of London