Head of Department: D.G. Hope                                            Board: OCR

Latin requires clear thinking, linguistic ability, a taste for style, and a feeling for and an interest in literature and history. In the Sixth form the emphasis is on the language and literature, but this is studied in the context of classical history and civilisation. The teaching is shared at present by three masters.

OCR sets two units of assessment at AS and a further two units to complete the full A level. A candidate may take units 1 and 2 (Latin Language & Latin Verse and Prose Literature) in June of the first year of the Sixth Form and complete the assessment by taking units 3 and 4 (Latin Verse and Latin Prose) at the end of the next year.  It will be possible to take the Latin course only as far as the AS level. 

AS Unit 1 Latin Language: translation from Latin into English, with the option of translating from English into Latin.

AS Unit 2 Latin Verse and Prose Literature:  a study of 400 lines of prescribed texts, such as the works of Ovid and Cicero.

A2 Unit 3 Latin Verse: a study of 250 lines of prescribed verse texts, such as the works of Virgil or Catullus and an unseen verse passage with comprehension questions and translation.

A2 Unit 4 Latin Prose: a study of 250 lines of prescribed prose texts, such as the works of Livy or Tacitus and an unseen prose translation with comprehension questions or a prose composition from English into Latin.

In preparing for these papers translation into and out of Latin is a weekly exercise, and there is close study of texts by prose and verse authors. The language work directly strengthens the sense of structure, vocabulary, and style: good use of the texts also contributes to linguistic skills.

Latin combines well with almost any other A levels: obviously with Greek, but also with History, Modern Languages, English, and Mathematics. It makes an interesting contrast as a fourth subject for a student of the Sciences. It can lead to almost anything at university: it is a foundation for Classics (even for those who have not studied Greek: it is very common now for students to begin Greek as part of a university Classics course), Classical Studies, Oriental and other languages, History, English, Law, Philosophy, Theology. 

Classics graduates find employment in a wide variety of jobs: some in research, education, librarianship or museum work, but most in management and administration, the civil service banking, insurance, the law, advertising, publishing and journalism, accountancy and various forms of commerce. A Classical training is very attractive to the computer industry.