Latin

Departmental Aims

Our aim is to foster an awareness of the Roman world, and to stimulate an interest in as many aspects of it as possible, focusing primarily on its language but also exploring its political and social history, literature and art. We believe that, in Latin, students develop their problem-solving skills and analytical powers, and that they come to see their own world more clearly and to understand it better.

Facilities

We have three full-time and one part-time specialist teachers, who are graduates of the universities of St Andrews, Exeter, Nottingham and Cambridge. A set of departmental Chromebooks enables students to access a vast range of relevant online resources.

Years 8-9 Curriculum

We use the Cambridge Latin Course, following its main character, Quintus, from the eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the city of Pompeii through adventures in Roman Britain and Egypt to a showcase trial in the city of Rome itself. In the course students:

• Build up a range of Latin vocabulary and grammar
• Focus on the Roman way of life, with topics such as home life, gladiators and the Roman army.

GCSE Curriculum

We follow the Eduqas specification, which consists of:

• Latin Language: students translate a Latin passage into English and answer comprehension and language questions about it
• Latin Literature: students read two Latin texts and answer questions about them in English. Recent texts have included the story of Emperor Nero and a mixture of literary and visual sources studying love and marriage in the ancient world.

Co-curricular, Enrichment, Extension and Support

Classics Club meets every week, allowing students the opportunity to explore Greek and Roman myths and to engage in creative activities based around gods, heroes and monsters. Students in Year 10 and above have the opportunity to learn Ancient Greek. Students can become involved in the ‘Minimus’ programme, teaching beginners Latin to students in the Junior School. We also run vocabulary clinics when there is demand.