Simon Bishop teaches history in a Cumbria comprehensive school. He trained to teach after a back injury forced him to abandon his aim of joining the Navy and initially taught in secondary modern schools in Kent. He found the adjustment to the needs of less able pupils both interesting and challenging. Simon discusses his enjoyment of reading history and his passion for the subject which engages his students in the classroom. He feels comfortable with the National Curriculum and tries to give a good grounding in British history from 1066 to the twentieth century using a chronological approach, In his opinion, this is what most history teachers do, even though it is often not reflected in press comment on school history today. Interviewed by Nicola Sheldon