The Classics department is really pleased to have moved into our brand new classroom next to the Gadsden Library, at the heart of the school, which we nickname ‘Hades’ because it is underground. This new learning space has great new sound and visual equipment to bring the ancient world into the classroom on film, and much more space to enable us to act out our classical texts.

The study of Latin and Classical Greek isn’t only beneficial for language learning generally, it's useful for boosting understanding of the English language and vocabulary and to help us think logically. The subjects open up a wonderful range of stories, language and cultures. The story is at the centre of what we do at all levels, and students are able to become immersed in the ancient world through reading text in the language. 

Among the texts we are looking at this year in the languages are fictional stories set in Pompeii and Roman Egypt, the story Dido and Aeneas, Odysseus’ encounter with Princess Nausicaa and Cicero’s attack on the character of Mark Anthony.

All students learn Latin from Y6 to Y9, and between a quarter and a third then opt to work towards the GCSE. Students can take up Classical Greek in Year 9 and opt to complete an additional GCSE as Enrichment in Years 10 and 11. 18 students are currently studying Classical Greek. 

Some students will be taking part in the first GDST Latin Certamen at Brighton and Hove High School in November where they will compete with Classicists in other GDST schools in Latin reading and quizzes.

Year 8 students will be visiting Roman Verulamium in St Albans in January where they will attend a new workshop which incorporates their Latin skills with handling ancient everyday objects.

Read more about our school curriculum at Blackheath High School.