Policy Exchange has released a report on the state of history education in England. We welcome the attention that an investigation such as this provides for the subject of history. As the report notes, the figures for studying history as an optional examination subject are healthy and that unfortunately means that some of the issues and underlying trends affecting its study can go ignored. 

The report makes several recommendations for the future of history education. To have these issues raised for debate through a report is important and it means that the arguments presented and the evidence gathered require further examination and assessment. 

The Historical Association is in a fortunate position to have been gathering evidence and statistical information on the teaching of history in schools from teachers, educators, trainers and academics for over a decade and we look forward to being able to compare some of our own work with the findings and conclusions of the Policy Exchange.