Classics

The Latin and Classics curriculum at Wilson’s develops students’ linguistic precision, analytical thinking and cultural understanding through the study of the ancient world. Alongside the systematic study of Latin language, students explore Classical Civilisation through literature, art, archaeology and material culture, gaining insight into the societies of ancient Greece and Rome and their enduring influence on language, literature, law, politics and the arts.

The study of Latin and Classics encourages students to engage critically with the ideas, values and experiences of past civilisations, fostering intellectual curiosity, empathy and informed reflection. By examining both the achievements and complexities of the ancient world, students develop a deeper understanding of their own society and the diverse perspectives that have shaped it. Renowned for its intellectual rigour, Latin also strengthens grammar, literacy, vocabulary and problem-solving skills, providing an excellent foundation for success across the curriculum and in higher education.

Our Staff

Ms Banner-Hill (Head of Department)
Mrs Fenby-Betts
Mr Nash

Key Stage 3

Core Concepts

1 Vocabulary	Exceeding: Has an exceptionally strong command of all vocabulary encountered, recognises words in their various forms and makes sound judgments of the meaning of unknown words through an understanding of stems and derivations. Secure: Has an excellent knowledge of required vocabulary, usually recognises words in their various forms and can sometimes make good judgments about unknown words. Developing: Has a growing knowledge of the required vocabulary.
2 Translation and comprehension	Exceeding: Shows excellent understanding of extended stories, which use the past and present tenses, all cases of required nouns, irregular elements and concessive clauses, through answering comprehension questions with detail and accuracy. Translates unseen Latin extracts into idiomatic and natural English with an excellent level of accuracy and style. Secure: Shows good understanding of stories, which use the past and present tenses, all cases of required nouns and concessive clauses, through answering comprehension questions with detail and accuracy. Translates unseen Latin extracts into idiomatic and natural English with a good level of accuracy and style. Developing: Shows some understanding of stories, which use the past and present tenses and all cases of required nouns through answering simple comprehension questions. Translates unseen Latin extracts into English, although sometimes lacks accuracy and/or style.
3 Grammatical knowledge	Exceeding: Shows excellent knowledge of and can recognise the form of familiar and unfamiliar words. Students can: identify what declension a noun belongs to and apply the patterns of case and number recognise the form of an adjective identify the tense and person of verbs show an understanding of adjectival agreement recognise other word types such as prepositions and adverbs. Translates into Latin (prose composition) accurately, using past and present tenses and using a wide range of vocabulary and structures. Sentences show an excellent understanding of word order and adjectival agreement. Secure: Shows good knowledge of the grammatical features listed for the required vocabulary. Translates into Latin (prose composition) accurately, using past and present tenses of required vocabulary. Sentences show a good understanding of word order. Developing: Shows some knowledge of the listed grammatical features. Translates simple sentences into Latin (prose composition), using the present tense and required vocabulary. Sentences show some understanding of word order.
4 Analysis, evaluation and appreciation of sources	Exceeding: Demonstrates exceptional understanding by using sources to describe, explain, make judgments and express personal opinion about the social, political, archaeological and literary aspects of the ancient world. Responses demonstrate a very perceptive understanding of relevant aspects of the source’s key themes and ideas. Analysis is very well developed, with perceptive connections made between different parts of the ancient world and other sources encountered. Supporting evidence is expertly selected and give evidence of deep and independent thought. Secure: Responds to familiar and unfamiliar sources perceptively to offer sound analysis and evaluation. Responses are insightful and take into account current knowledge of the ancient world. Opinions are supported with the use of evidence. Developing: Demonstrates an understanding of sources but responses are sometimes surface level and demonstrate a simplistic understanding of key issues and themes from the ancient world.

Outline Programme of Study

Using Suburani (Chapters 1–9)

Language and Grammar

Students establish secure foundations in Latin language and grammar, enabling them to read increasingly complex Latin with accuracy and confidence. They will:

Translate passages containing both familiar and unfamiliar language using appropriate grammatical knowledge.
Develop an extensive and progressively sophisticated Latin vocabulary, whilst appreciating the influence of Latin on English and the Romance languages.
Recognise and apply the present and past tenses, noun cases, adjective agreement and common Latin idiomatic constructions.
Manipulate a range of grammatical structures accurately when composing Latin sentences.
Develop confidence in analysing linguistic patterns and recognising how language conveys meaning.

Roman Civilisation and Culture

Students develop a broad understanding of Roman civilisation through the critical study of literary, visual and archaeological evidence. They will explore:

The development of Rome from its legendary foundations through the monarchy, Republic and Empire.
Daily life in Rome, including housing, social class, urban living conditions and the dangers posed by fire, including the Great Fire of Rome.
Roman architecture and engineering, considering the political, social and symbolic importance of public buildings and infrastructure.
Roman entertainment, religion, medicine, public health and sanitation.
The institution of slavery and manumission, examining the complexities of slavery in the Roman world and making informed comparisons with other historical contexts.
Roman Britain, including conquest, resistance, the Pax Romana and the impact of Roman rule on local communities.
The Roman army, including recruitment, military life, resistance to Roman expansion and the lasting legacy of military occupation.
The diversity of the Roman Empire through the experiences of people from different regions, cultures and social backgrounds.
Greek and Roman mythology, considering what myths reveal about religious belief, history, morality and human experience.

Skills Development

Throughout Key Stage 3, students learn to:

Build the linguistic confidence and cultural understanding required for GCSE Latin.
Interpret and evaluate a range of literary, visual and archaeological sources.
Construct evidence-based arguments about the Roman world.

Key Stage 4

Examination Board: Eduqas

Using Suburani (Chapters 10–18)

Year 9

Students build upon the secure linguistic foundations established at Key Stage 3, developing greater fluency in reading Latin, expanding their grammatical knowledge and strengthening their analytical skills. Translation into Latin is used to deepen grammatical understanding and precision.

Language and Grammar

Students study:

Adjective agreement and comparison.
The genitive case.
The imperative and vocative.
Relative clauses.
The future and pluperfect tenses.
Indirect statements.
Pronouns and adverbs.
GCSE vocabulary within the textbook through regular study and retrieval practice.

Roman Civilisation and Culture

Students explore:

Roman Britain, including the assimilation of Roman culture and comparisons with resistance movements such as Boudica's revolt.
The importance of the sea for trade, communication and travel, together with the challenges of piracy and navigation.
The Great Fire of Rome through detailed analysis of literary and archaeological evidence.
Provincial life across the Empire, including urban planning, occupations, agriculture and food production.
Marriage, family life and the patronage system.
Eduqas Component 3B: Roman Civilisation, involving detailed study of literary, visual and archaeological sources centred upon the prescribed theme. This is Festivals and Worship until 2029.

Skills Development

Students continue to develop:

Accurate and fluent translation.
Composition in Latin.
Source analysis using increasingly sophisticated historical interpretation.
Extended written responses supported by evidence.

Year 10

Students encounter more advanced Latin syntax and morphology, enabling them to read both prose and verse with increasing independence. They begin the detailed study of prescribed GCSE literature and develop a more sophisticated appreciation of Roman authors and their literary techniques.

Language and Grammar

Students study:

The ablative case.
Passive verb forms.
Participles.
Deponent verbs.
Indirect statements.
The subjunctive mood and subordinate clauses requiring the subjunctive.
The complete GCSE prescribed vocabulary (approximately 440 words), consolidating vocabulary introduced throughout Years 7–9.
Eduqas Component 2: Latin Literature and Sources, studying prescribed Latin texts alongside visual and archaeological evidence. Until 2029 this is Heroes and Villains.
The remaining content for Component 3B.

Roman Civilisation and Culture

As well as the extensive themes within GCSE components 2 and 3B, which are studied in detail, they will also explore the historical and mythological stories found within the passages that students translate.

Skills Development

Students refine their ability to:

Read authentic Latin literature with accuracy and sensitivity.
Analyse literary style, language and authorial technique.
Make informed connections between literature, history and material culture.
Construct detailed, evidence-based written responses.

From September 2027, the programme will be adapted slightly to reflect the change to the Suburani course, including the fourth and fifth declensions and revised sequencing of grammatical content. Culture and civilisation topics with include: death and burial customs, entertainment and public spectacle, childhood, fashion and personal identity, politics and the cursus honorum, and Greek influences on Roman culture inc. architecture, oratory, philosophy, sport and physical education, and the origins of the Olympic Games.

Year 11

Students consolidate and extend all aspects of the GCSE specification, developing the fluency, precision and analytical independence expected of successful candidates. By the end of the course, students are able to translate unseen Latin confidently and produce sophisticated interpretations of both literary and historical sources.

Language and Grammar

Students study:

Connecting relative clauses.
The ablative absolute.
More advanced passive constructions.
Consolidation of all GCSE grammar.
Comprehensive revision of prescribed vocabulary.

Literature and Civilisation

Students:

Complete the study of Eduqas Component 2.
Revisit and consolidate Component 3B themes.
Develop increasingly sophisticated analysis of prescribed literature, visual sources and unseen material.
Skills Development

Students undertake extensive preparation for GCSE examinations through:

Regular translation and comprehension of unseen passages.
Close literary analysis.
Structured evaluation of historical and archaeological evidence.
Extended examination-style writing for Components 2 and 3B.

Key Stage 5

Examination Board OCR

Latin at A Level offers students the opportunity to engage directly with some of the greatest works of classical literature whilst developing the linguistic precision, analytical rigour and critical thinking expected of advanced academic study. Building upon the foundations established at GCSE, students read substantial selections of original Latin prose and verse, exploring both language and literature in depth alongside the historical, political and cultural contexts in which they were produced. The course cultivates close textual analysis, independent interpretation and sophisticated written argument, providing excellent preparation for a wide range of degree courses, including Classics, History, English, Law, Modern Languages and Philosophy.

Outline Programme of Study

Year 12

Students make the transition from GCSE to advanced study, developing the linguistic precision and literary sensitivity required to read substantial works of adapted Latin with increasing independence. Alongside a comprehensive study of Latin grammar and syntax, students begin the detailed analysis of prescribed prose and verse texts, considering language, style, historical context and literary technique.

Language

Students develop:

An extensive working vocabulary of approximately 850 Latin words.
Accurate translation of increasingly challenging unseen prose passages.
Prose composition, applying grammatical knowledge with precision and confidence.
Secure knowledge of A Level accidence and syntax, including the full range of noun and verb forms, subordinate clauses, participial constructions, indirect speech, the subjunctive, gerunds and gerundives, and other advanced grammatical structures, which can be found on the OCR website.

Literature

Students study:

Prose: Cicero, Pro Roscio Amerino – Cicero’s first ever court case
Verse: Virgil, Aeneid Book IV – The tragic story of Dido and Aeneas

Students learn to analyse literary style, evaluate authorial methods and construct sophisticated critical responses supported by detailed textual evidence.

Year 13

Students consolidate and extend the linguistic and analytical skills developed in Year 12, achieving the fluency and independence required for advanced study. Through the detailed reading of original texts, students develop increasingly sophisticated interpretations of Latin literature whilst refining their translation and composition skills.

Language

Students develop:

The ability to translate complex un-adapted unseen prose passages, demonstrating secure command of the full range of Latin accidence and syntax.
Translation of un-adapted, unseen verse, including appreciation of metre and scansion.
Develop a broad and flexible Latin vocabulary, enabling students to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words through their understanding of morphology, etymology and linguistic context. (There is no set vocabulary list.)
Prose composition of extended passages with increasing accuracy, fluency and stylistic awareness.

Literature

Students study:

Prose: Tacitus, Annals XIV – Boudica’s revolt in Brittania
Verse: Virgil, Aeneid Book IV – The conclusion of the tragic story of Dido and Aeneas

Students refine their ability to evaluate literary technique, analyse language in detail and construct perceptive, well-supported critical arguments in preparation for university-level study.

Departmental and Co-Curricular, Trips and Enrichment Opportunities

Educational visits – Students have the opportunity to participate in a major overseas visit every other year, bringing the ancient world to life through first-hand experience of its archaeology, architecture and museums. The next visit is planned for Rome in October 2026. Regular theatre productions, museum visits and lectures further enrich students' understanding of the classical world.
Classics Club – A weekly enrichment programme open to all students, providing the opportunity to explore a wide range of classical topics beyond the curriculum. Student-led presentations and discussions encourage intellectual curiosity, independent research and lively academic debate.
Classics reading group – Older students are invited to participate in an advanced discussion group, engaging critically with ancient texts, modern scholarship and current academic debates in Classical studies.
Reading, Speaking and Essay Competitions – students are encouraged to participate in a range of internal and external competitions throughout the year, providing opportunities to develop confidence, scholarship and excellence in Classical languages and civilisation.
Classical Greek – Students with exceptional linguistic aptitude and a strong commitment to independent study may be offered the opportunity to learn Classical Greek alongside their timetabled lessons. Students at the start of Year 8 will experience a taster session as part of their timetabled Latin lessons, and students choosing to continue their exploration of Greek begin this highly rigorous programme, working towards the Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek (ICCG) in Year 10 (first to be sat in Summer 2027).

Examples of marked work

See below for examples of marked work which demonstrate the level of work and ‘green pen’ engagement required to maximise progress in each Key Stage. Whilst we expect students to engage with this positively and if necessary, seek clarification from teachers, please be assured that in-lesson support is always available.