Classics

Over two thousand years later the Classical World still has the power to enthral, amaze and excite. Through the study of language, literature, culture and history, this is the main aim of Classics at KEHS. The subject is brought to life outside the classroom by a variety of trips, both in England and abroad, to classical sites, museums and plays.

Classics is well respected and successful at KEHS, and comparisons are frequently made with contemporary and modern events. The effect that Classics has had on our everyday life and connections to other subjects in the curriculum arte also emphasised.
 
The department is large and well resourced, with four dedicated teaching rooms which the L6 decorate annually with scenes from Classical Mythology after their AS levels. 
 
There are three members of staff under the supervision of Mr T O Cooper, and every year the department receives a Classics PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education) student from the University of Cambridge.
 
The Curriculum
Classics is a part of the curriculum from the first year a pupil enters the school, as all Year 7 girls follow a Classical course for a term. They get the opportunity to study aspects of Classics including mythology, artefact handling, dressing up as Greek women (see below), and acting out plays on Classical topics. At the end of the year they participate in a ‘Roman Day’, in which pupils are visited by a Roman soldier and a Roman lady from Chester, and participate in various activities in preparation for studying Latin (see below).
 
Latin is compulsory from Year 8 until GCSE, and pupils follow the Cambridge Latin Course (CLC). The CLC is a reading based course which was designed to replace the old fashioned teaching style of endless grammar paradigms and writing English into Latin. The course encourages pupils to learn Latin for reading purposes, and, through reading the Latin, learn about civilisation and culture.
Greek
Pupils are also offered the option of studying Ancient Greek for GCSE, and there are on average 15 girls each year who choose to do so. They study a course called Athenaze, which has a similar approach to the CLC. Study of Greek life forms an integral part of the course. In the L5th year study of the Sourdes for Greek paper is begun. Literature is studied in the U5th year.
 
AS and A Levels
Girls are given the option of studying Latin and Greek for A Level. Along with further language development they also study longer sections of texts in more detail. Authors include Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Tacitus and Livy for Latin, and Euripides, Aristophanes, Herodotus and Thucydides for Greek.
 
Classical Civilisation is also offered for A Level.  Pupils are given the opportunity to study sources in translation and deepen their understanding of the Ancient World. At AS level City Life in Roman Italy, and Greek Tragedy are studied, at A2 Level, Epic and Greek Art and Architecture.
 
Sixth form pupils have a variety of trips, including to the British Museum to see the exhibitions and handle artefacts, to theatres in London and Birmingham to see Greek and Roman tragedies and comedies, and last year a group of sixth formers went to Rome to see the sights.

Classics Tour of Greece – Easter 2010

On 27th March 2010, 49 girls and 7 members of staff met very early in the morning at KEHS to begin our trip to Greece. Each girl was given her own information booklet, which contained information on all the sites we were to visit in Greece, allowing her to guide herself around the sites independently. The booklet also contained information on sculpture, temple construction, Greek democracy and even a beginner’s guide to speaking Modern Greek. The girls were given a diary, in which they recorded their thoughts on the trip, the sites and the museums. This was an excellent opportunity for the girls to reflect on their experiences. 

 

We were lucky enough to have with us teachers with a great deal of expertise, not only in Classics but also in other areas of interest. Dr Coetzee discussed military strategy and how the geography of Greece affected the outcomes of many wars. At the 1896 Olympic stadium, Mr Kavanagh spoke to the group about the Olympic ideals and the events in which athletes participated and how these related to the events of the ancient Olympics.

 

We stayed in Athens for two nights, visiting amazing Classical sites including the Acropolis and the Agora, as well as the superb National Archaeological Museum. After an inspirational start to the trip, we left Athens and travelled to the monastery of Osios Loukas, where we explored the beautiful grounds and had a chance to relax. We also visited the pretty mountain village of Archova before arriving in Delphi. We visited the archaeological site the following day and Dr Gruzelier was kind enough to talk to us in detail about some of the temples. From Delphi, we journeyed to Olympia, where everyone enjoyed racing in the Olympic stadium, even some of the teachers!

 

The last few days were a little less busy, so everyone has time to enjoy the weather and explore the small seaside town of Tolo, where our hotel was located. We also enjoyed shopping for souvenirs in the attractive town of Nafplion. We did, however, manage to squeeze in visiting the major Classical sites of Mycenae, Epidauros and Corinth before heading home.

 

Thanks must go to Mrs Coetzee, without whose hard work and dedication this trip would not have been possible.


Click here to view a gallery of the trip photographs.

From the Iris Project Mission Statement:

"Iris was the Roman messenger goddess, darting tirelessly between worlds; the ancients often drew and wrote about her as a rainbow, or as moving on a rainbow, full of dazzling colour. The Classical world is brimful of colour – its art, stories, religions, buildings, music, thoughts and ideas – so vibrant that our world is still coloured by them to this day. The project has been named after Iris, since like her, it is a messenger between the old and the new."

Click on this link to visit the Iris Project website, which has lots of exciting information and activities on it.


 

The Birmingham and Midlands Branch of the Classical Association Needs You!

As part of its recent re-launch, the BMCA needs a new logo and they are launching a competition for students from across the region to design it.            


Please click the image above to view the competition poster.

Greek

Pupils are also offered the option of studying Ancient Greek for GCSE, and there are on average 15 girls each year who choose to do so. They study a course called Athenaze, which has a similar approach to the CLC. Study of Greek life forms an integral part of the course. In the L5th year study of the Sourdes for Greek paper is begun. Literature is studied in the U5th year.
 
AS and A Levels
Girls are given the option of studying Latin and Greek for A Level. Along with further language development they also study longer sections of texts in more detail. Authors include Cicero, Catullus, Virgil, Tacitus and Livy for Latin, and Euripides, Aristophanes, Herodotus and Thucydides for Greek.
 
Classical Civilisation is also offered for A Level.  Pupils are given the opportunity to study sources in translation and deepen their understanding of the Ancient World. At AS level City Life in Roman Italy, and Greek Tragedy are studied, at A2 Level, Epic and Greek Art and Architecture.
 
Sixth form pupils have a variety of trips, including to the British Museum to see the exhibitions and handle artefacts, to theatres in London and Birmingham to see Greek and Roman tragedies and comedies, and last year a group of sixth formers went to Rome to see the sights. 
 
Pupils are also encouraged to expand their interest in Classics outside the classroom, including work experience in museums and at Roman sites. Sixth formers applying for Classics at university present talks at the regular sixth form Seminar Lunches.