Study at PSC

Year One

Students will study both language and literature:

• Language:  Students will build on their knowledge of the Latin language - building up a wider range of vocabulary than covered at GCSE and covering more complex sentence structures. There will be regular exercises in unseen translation and, as confidence increases, unseen comprehension, the aim being to help prepare for the two language exams at the end of the course. Our intention is to start “bit of a step up from GCSE, but with lots of help” and move to “a bit more tricky with not so much help” as we progress, but it’s not always an exact science.
• Literature:  Students will study a selection from a Roman prose author and a Roman poet. Though still to be confirmed, the prose text is likely to come from Cicero's Pro Roscio - his powerful defence of a man framed for killing his father, a defence which would launch the upstart lawyer from Arpinum on the path to political greatness; the verse, extracts from Book 4 of Virgil's Aeneid and the tragic story of the legendary queen Dido.

Year Two

Again, students will tackle language and literature:

• Language:  Essentially a progression from Year One, with a bit more focus on the authors likely to be selected in the final exams and on the traditionally more difficult poetry translation and unseen comprehensions.
• Literature:  More prose and verse. Again still to be confirmed, the prose will likely come from Tacitus' colourful account of Boudicca's Revolt and of the young emperor Nero's unconventional relationship with his mistress Poppaea; the verse, the culmination of the “Tragedy of Dido” - hankies will be provided!

At the end of the course, students will tackle four externally-assessed exams:

• Unseen translation – verse and prose
• Unseen prose comprehension
• Prose literature
• Verse literature

Students will work as a class, in small groups and individually. The “Language” aspects of the course will mainly be delivered, particularly at first, using a didactic approach – in short, we will look to explain how the language works, not just what particular words mean. Increasingly as they become confident in the language, students will be helped to produce their own translations of “unseen” passages, whilst there could also be some scope for translating English into Latin. The “Literature” aspects will comprise a mixture of didactic to ensure students understand the texts, but also teacher-led discussion of them as pieces of literature rather than as a chunk of a foreign language for translation. Here students will be actively encouraged to offer their own personal responses to the material. We place great emphasis on students’ taking responsibility for their own workload.

Latin is not the easiest subject a student can choose in that there aren’t too many convenient short cuts. It does require a good power of recall and loads of discipline as grammar and vocabulary are committed to memory. There will be regular exercises to test this – think Hermione Granger! Further, students will practice the type of questions they will face in each of the units; where appropriate, such questions will be assessed according to the guidelines laid down by A level subject examiners.

Latin is widely accepted (and in many cases positively admired) for university entrance whether or not students continue their studies in it or related subjects – in short, it is seen to be an academically challenging subject. Whilst there are few, if any, careers which will enable students to make direct use of their Latin, the skills and disciplines needed to succeed in the subject are widely admired by a diverse range of potential employers.

Each student will be provided with essential reading material to support their study, either on paper or by way of the Google Classroom; this has historically included a version of each set text, but this will need to be confirmed for students starting in 2025. Students will need to provide their own materials for note-taking, tackling unseens and essay writing and the college has a Student Support Fund which may be able to help students in financial difficulty. Those looking to extend their reading in the subject will be welcome to borrow through College a range of texts and commentaries. Subject to their taking place, students of Latin would be invited to join the Classical Civilisation trips to Italy or Greece – these would be of particular interest to students looking to take a Classics‑oriented course at university. Such trips are likely to cost in the region of £1,000.