Classics

Classics is the study of the language, history and culture of the Romans and Ancient Greeks. By learning Latin and Greek, students gain a glimpse of the fascinating worlds of the distant past. When we read classical texts, people from long ago speak to us in their own words. Some of the attitudes we discover will seem disturbingly different from ours; sometimes it is as if we see ourselves reflected back across the centuries. The classical world provides a new perspective from which to view and reflect on our own.

Learning an ancient language is fascinating and fun. English and many other European languages have Latin roots. Students quickly start to spot these links and are surprised to find, for example, that the word for ‘school’ is related to the Greek word for ‘leisure’. Classics offers a deeper understanding of the meanings and history of words.

Translating Latin and Greek can also be challenging and satisfying. Words and ideas do not always map naturally from one language to another. Students have to make judgements, consider how to balance literal meaning with natural style, think about how far elements of a sentence can be changed before the meaning changes.

In Classics, we aim to share both our love of words themselves and the communication they allow with fascinating cultures of the past.

Lower School

Students begin Latin in Year 7. We use the Cambridge Latin Course to transport students back to Pompeii in the year 79 C.E. to meet a Roman family living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. These well-loved characters include Caecilius, Metella, Quintus, Lucia and their dog, Cerberus. Students build their understanding of vocabulary and grammar. They are soon reading stories about the antics of this Pompeian family, and it all leads up to eruption day! We also reflect on aspects of Roman culture and society such as enslavement and religious beliefs.

In Year 8 students continue to expand their knowledge of vocabulary and are introduced to more complex Latin grammar such as irregular verbs, infinitives and relative clauses. This helps their understanding of English grammar, too. The stories are now set in Roman Britain and students explore the contrasting lifestyles of the Celts and the Romans. This is brought to life by a visit to Butser Ancient Farm, where students can see reconstructed roundhouses and a Roman villa for themselves.

Middle School

In Year 9 many students choose to continue with their Latin, and there is also the opportunity to take up Classical Greek. Both subjects can be continued to GCSE level and beyond. The Latin course centres on Roman Bath, and students enjoy a visit to the Roman baths and museum. Students continue to make swift progress with their language skills, encountering the subjunctive in Year 9 and covering all the GCSE grammar by the end of Year 10.

By GCSE students are reading Greek and Roman literature in the original languages. In Greek they encounter the spine-chilling revenge of Medea in Euripides’ tragedy, in Latin the humour charm and wit of stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Inflected languages lend themselves particularly well to striking literary techniques and students learn to reflect on what makes these texts great literature. Students also study the culture and literature of the ancient world more broadly, including myths, beliefs and entertainment.

Sixth Form

A level Latin allows students to engage more deeply with the ancient languages. We read a range of authors such Juvenal’s witty and acerbic ‘Satires’ and Virgil’s moving account of the fall of Troy. For our prose author we study that great master of rhetoric, Cicero, defending the fire-brand Caelius on charges of murder and violence.

A LEVEL LATIN

The Greek A level course offers fascinating exploration of ancient theatre, including Euripides’ shocking play Hippolytus – the tragic fate of a young man who fails to abide by that most central of Greek tenets ‘nothing in excess’. In contrast we read one of Aristophanes’ best loved comedies, Frogs.

A LEVEL GREEK

As a St Katharine’s Study option we offer AS Classical Civilisation, which students can study alongside their A level subjects.

AS LEVEL CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

80%

9–8 in GCSE Greek 2023

100%

9–7 in GCSE Latin 2023

100%

A* in A level Latin 2023

“Latin is an intricately complex language and it’s the art of unpicking that is so satisfying and enjoyable.”

“Everything I learn about classics makes me want to learn about nine other connected things.”

Academic enrichment

Trips out of the classroom are invaluable for bringing the ancient world to life. There is a trip to Greece or Rome every other year. Closer to home year 8 visit Butser ancient farm, where they can sit round the hearth in an iron age house, visit a Roman villa, and try their hand at spinning sheep’s wool and wattling. Year 9 visit Roman Bath. Lots of students choose to participate in the Latin and Greek reading competition, held in Oxford against other local schools. There are lots of opportunities to attend lectures and plays, often connected to GCSE or A level set texts. We offer specific sessions for students applying for classical subjects at university.

Extracurricular

Helicon Club is a popular activity for Years 5-8. There are all sorts of classically related activities to try. Recently students have made and decorated their own Greek pots and made mosaics and model triremes. A high point of the year is the Helicon Club play, written and performed by the girls themselves.

Years 9-10 are invited to Classical Reading Group, in which we read and discuss some of the most entertaining or profound literature from the ancient world. ‘Medea’ and ‘Frogs’ have featured recently.

For Y11 and above we have Senior Classics Society, where we enjoy presentations and debates about various areas of classical scholarship. A recent topic was what archaeology can teach us about climate change.