Introduction
The Classics Department believes that the study of ancient languages and civilisations provides a highly important and stimulating basis for the academic development of every pupil at St Bees School.
Specific Aims and Objectives
To develop each individual pupil’s knowledge and understanding of ancient language. - To develop and assist each individual pupil’s grasp of not only English, but also modern Romance languages studied within the curriculum.
- To develop each individual pupil’s knowledge and understanding of ancient civilisation and culture, especially their social, religious and political beliefs and practices.
- To develop awareness of the similarities and differences between the Classical world and later times.
- To develop and apply critical and evaluative skills to all manner of topics, including language, literature, history, philosophy and archaeology.
- To create, nurture and develop a love and appreciation of the languages, literature, history and cultures of Classical Greece and Rome.
- To enable each individual pupil studying under the auspices of this department to fulfil their academic potential.
The Department uses the Cambridge Latin Course as a basis for studying Latin. All examinations are taken with the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examination Board (OCR).
Curriculum information
All students in Years 5 and 6 of the Prep School and First and Second Form of the Senior School are given the opportunity to learn Latin. In the Third Form, Latin becomes optional. Latin is thriving at St Bees and is a popular choice at GCSE and A-Level.
Greek is offered to students, who are interested, as an extra-curriculum subject to GCSE.
Prep School
Students are introduced to Latin by means of the fun and stimulating Minimus books, which are designed for primary schools and help to reinforce English grammar and vocabulary as well as teaching pupils about Roman Britain.
First toThird Form
In the First Form pupils immediately start reading Latin and getting to know its grammar (the first few declensions of nouns and adjectives, the present, imperfect and perfect tenses, imperatives, personal pronouns and the infinitive). Our textbook is the Cambridge Latin Course, which phases in new grammar through reading and translation exercises and describes life in Pompeii and Roman Britain.
In the Second Form students meet third declension adjectives; the relative clause; the pluperfect tense; the fourth declension; comparatives; superlatives; the present and past participles; some subjunctive clauses; life in Roman Britain and Alexandria.
In the Third Form students study time and place; uses of the ablative case; more subjunctive clauses; the future tense; passive and deponent verb forms; the ablative absolute; the gerundive; the Chester legionary fortress; life in Rome; major Roman buildings; Roman social structure; patronage; public entertainments.
GCSE
In the Fourth Form, students finish the Cambridge Latin Course; continue with formal language work and begin reading a prose set text, for example, passages from Cicero’s Pro Cluentio and Tacitus’ Annals.
In the Fifth Form students continue with more formal language work and read a verse set text verse set text, for example, Catullus and Ovid.
Additional
Wherever possible, classroom teaching is supplemented by visits to museums, archaeological sites, theatre and lecture trips and excursions abroad.