Classics
Latin
Key Stage 3
All pupils at St Edward’s study Latin in Year 7, with the majority continuing though to Year 9. The students use the Cambridge Latin Course which, along with its accompanying interactive DVD, allows the pupils to attain a good foundation in Latin grammar and vocabulary, as well as background knowledge of Pompeii, Roman Britain and Alexandria.
Key Stage 4
The OCR Latin GCSE course is divided into two disciplines, language and literature. Therefore, half of the lessons are dedicated to studying syntax, grammar, vocabulary and unseen translations, whilst the other half are for in depth analysis of the prose and verse set text authors. The course is both challenging and highly rewarding; students will find that the skills acquired from a GCSE in Latin will help them in a number of their other GCSE options.
Sixth Form
Much like at GCSE, the OCR A-level course is divided equally between the study of language and literature. However, students now have the opportunity to broaden their horizons by studying a number of different genres in their literature modules – Love Elegy, Law Court Speeches, Epic and History are all available at A-level.
Classical Civilisation
Key Stage 3
Those pupils for whom the study of Latin is not appropriate beyond Year 7 follow a course in Classical Civilisation in Years 8 and 9. In Year 8 the students will cover three main topics – Roman Sport and Entertainment, Roman Religion and a selection of stories from Homer’s ‘Odyssey’. In Year 9 the pupils study the Olympic Games, Sparta and Sophocles’ tragedy ‘Oedipus the King’.
Key Stage 4
Since its introduction in 2009, Classical Civilisation has grown into one of the most popular GCSE options at St Edward’s, with just under a third of the current Year 10 taking the subject. For the OCR GCSE students sit three papers in total, along with a fourth Controlled Assessment module. The modules are as follows:-
- City Life in the Classical World - Athens
- Epic and Myth - The ‘Odyssey’
- Community Life in the Classical World - Pompeii
- Culture and Society in the Ancient World - The Olympic Games
Sixth Form
The AQA Classical Civilisation course is also proving popular with students. Pupils study four modules as part of the A-level course:-
- Homer’s ‘Iliad’
- Women in the Ancient World
- Vergil’s ‘Aeneid’
- Greek Tragedy
The variety of the genres studied at A-level coupled with consistent references to works of art, architecture and archaeology, mean that the subject is an excellent companion to a number of other A-level subjects, particularly English, History and Drama.
Greek
Classical Greek is part of our Gifted & Talented programme (click for details) and is offered to those Year 8 students who have achieved outstanding results throughout the course of Year 7 Latin. The class is taught once a week and students then have the option to continue into Year 9 and begin the GCSE course proper. Much like GCSE Latin, the OCR Greek course is made up of four exams, split evenly between language and literature. On average, we have around three students taking Greek GCSE each year and so far we have a 100% A*/A pass rate.
Extra Curricular Classics
Here in the Classics department we are firm believers that students should broaden their horizons by experiencing the Classical World both inside and outside of the classroom. In the past year students have travelled to Turkey as part of the Biennial Classics Trip; as well as taking part in our internal competition students have competed in the Gloucestershire Latin and Greek Reading Competition, winning every category in the Latin section; we have attended a series of lectures as part of the Gloucestershire Classical Association and the Dean Close A-level Texts Day; and we have even taken students to Monmouth to participate in the CICERO International Latin Translation Competition. This year has also seen the advent of our Junior Classics Club, whilst Oxbridge extension lessons continue to be provided to Sixth Form students.
