What we do in the Classics Department

LATIN

Aims

The Cambridge Latin Course, 4th edition, is used, and the primary aims of the course are threefold:

• to teach comprehension of the Latin language for reading purposes;
• to develop from the outset an understanding of the content, style and values of Roman civilisation, with particular reference to the first century AD.  The course presents the language not as an end in itself nor as an instrument of general mental training, but rather as a means of gaining access to a literature and the culture from which it springs;
• to try to develop an appreciation of the continued value of Latin as an academic discipline in the 21st century.

Objectives

In addition to the general aims there are certain specific skills which we hope the pupils will acquire.  These are given in no particular order of precedence:

• to produce a written translation of a Latin passage in good, lucid English;
• to read Latin aloud, correctly, with understanding and expression;
• to recognise the connections between Latin words and a large part of normal English vocabulary;
• to increase the pupils' awareness of the society, values and achievements of the Roman world;
• to make comparisons between the times and attitudes of the Romans and our own and to learn from them;
• to appreciate the continued relevance of classical civilisation to modern European culture;
• to develop the memory and encourage logical and coherent thought, although these are by-products rather than ends in themselves;
• to reach as high a standard as possible in the Common Entrance Examination;
• to cope with the considerable and widely varying demands of senior school scholarship papers with confidence and competence.

For more information on the Cambridge Latin Course, click here.

GREEK All children in Alpha study Greek, working towards the Port Regis Certificate of Excellence in Greek once they have sat their Latin scholarship exams in March or May. To qualify for the certificate the pupils are required to submit coursework translation, sit a short exam based on the Common Entrance Greek paper, and complete a project on either The Parthenon, The Three Great Battles of the Persian Wars or The Olympic Games. The children have the option to present their project on Powerpoint. The school now also offers children in both A and B Forms the opportunity to study Greek once a week during the evening hobbies sessions. Starting the language early gives them the chance to sit papers in Greek both at Common Entrance and scholarship level.

MINIMUS and CLASSICAL STUDIES   All children in D Form are taught Classical Studies once a week. Their work is based around the Minimus text book which follows the pursuits of a Roman mouse. Besides learning some elementary Latin and whetting their appetites for the Cambridge Latin Course in C and B Forms, they also study a number of Greek myths.   For more information on the Minimus course, please click here.