Classics
The School maintains a strong tradition of Latin teaching. All entrants to St.Philip House are given the opportunity to study the language with the aim of reaching a standard comparable with Common Entrance Level 2. In the senior school approximately 30% of the Third Form intake currently pursue a Latin course.
Of these 8-10 boys each year continue to GCSE, most of whom eventually achieve grade A* or A in the subject.
Sixth Form numbers are small, allowing for a tutorial atmosphere in class. The majority of pupils have achieved a grade A at AS Level and several have continued successfully to A2 and a place at an older university to read a variety of subjects. Greek has now been re-introduced as a Sixth Form option. The aim is to complete the GCSE short-course syllabus over two years.
The provision of Latin at the School looks towards the overall intellectual development of boys, their general culture, language competence, appreciation of literature and mental discipline. Although the emphasis is on acquisition of the language every effort is made to integrate pupils’ studies within the School’s curriculum as a whole and to show that a knowledge of the past can often shed useful light on aspects of the present world.
A.A.Hill MA AIL
Head of Classics
Mrs. A.M Blaseby MA
Mrs. C. MacNab MA