English children are less patriotic than the French

English school children are much less proud of their nationality than their patriotic counterparts in classrooms across the Channel, according to new research. A survey of 850 primary-age pupils in Avon, Kent, Calais and Marseille found that French youngsters waxed lyrical about their country, praising its magnificent scenery and traditional values of liberty and equality.

In England, however, pupils were more likely to regard footballers and pop stars as the best the nation has to offer.

In France, 57 per cent of children questioned strongly agreed with the statement "I feel very proud of being French", as opposed to 35 per cent in England, when asked how they felt about being English.

The study, conducted by the University of Bristol and the Canterbury Christ College Quest Project and published in the Times Educational Supplement today, also found that French pupils had a more positive attitude to their schooling than those in England. Two-thirds felt their education had prepared them well for their future lives as citizens, compared with less than a third of the English. Lucy Ward