Woodchester Mosaic at Prinknash Abbey
There are five full-time classics staff, teaching in the departmental suite of rooms located in Little School.
Latin is compulsory in the Lower School; a policy welcomed by the English and Modern Languages departments, as well as by the scientists and mathematicians. They all appreciate the skills that Latin teaches pupils. In the Middle School, all classical subjects - Latin, Greek, Classical Civilisation – are optional but most pupils take at least one. In the Sixth form, Ancient History as well as Latin and Greek are taught by the department.
The department is keen to encourage pupils to see the importance of the study of the past to an understanding of the present, and to this end runs annual Classics trips abroad (recent destinations have included Provence, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Sicily and Turkey) as well as trips to the British Museum and to Greek drama productions in Oxford and London. The First Year visit Fishbourne Roman Palace; the Second year visit the Roman Baths Museum in Bath and Legio XIV are regularly invited to the school to display the technology and tactics of ancient warfare. Pupils also attend GCSE conferences of relevance to set texts where possible.
Further Information
Further information about the classics department curriculum can be found in the curriculum documents available for download on the main curriculum page.
The Classics department has an excellent study page here.