King Edward VI Shakespeare's School | Stratford-upon-Avon

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We believe in the value of a Classical education at K.E.S.

The Classical World includes two languages and spans a history of almost two millennia. Its myth, literature, philosophy and politics resonate through the ages and can be seen in our own today. There is much we can learn from the lives and writings of the ancients and, as such, every boy at K.E.S. studies Classics in Year 7 and 8 as a core part of the curriculum. Students can continue to study Latin, Greek, or both languages all the way to A Level if they choose. Many do, and each year we send students to study the subject at some of the UK’s top universities.

In Year 7 students are introduced to the fundamentals of Latin through our own course devised by staff in the department. The language is taught using stories from the Ancient World, focussing first on Aeneas, who fled Troy for Italy after the Trojan War, and then through the myth of Romulus and Remus and the foundation of Rome. Finally, students are introduced to each of the seven kings of Rome. In this way, students are taught not only linguistic flexibility, mastering new vocabulary and being exposed to a fundamentally new form of grammar, but are also encouraged to think empathetically about the characters in the stories and to place the language in its context.

In Year 8, students continue to study Latin, this time through the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. Students encounter more complex grammar and expand their vocabulary but, alongside this, engage in debate about the nature of myth, what drives civilizations to create these stories, and whether they are still relevant today. Students in Year 8 are also provided with an introduction to Ancient Greek, including the alphabet and some short stories (also taken from myth) to allow them to decide whether they would like to study the language at GCSE.

As students progress through the School, they continue to develop their linguistic fluidity and, at GCSE and A Level, are exposed to some of the great thinkers of the Western World by studying extracts from Greek and Roman literature in the original language. In doing so, they have their assumptions about the world challenged while developing their analytical skills, their ability to think critically, and to present arguments.

The department itself is housed in two dedicated Classics classrooms with two members of staff, both of whom are specialists in teaching both languages. The curriculum is supplemented by a regular array of trips including study-tours, generally to Greece or Italy, and museum and university visits in the UK. There is also a weekly Classics Society, which provides students with an opportunity to present their own research into areas of interest, or to explore literature beyond the curriculum. The society has also hosted visiting speakers from several UK universities. For students wishing to explore the Classical World more broadly, the department also offers the opportunity to study Classical Civilisation as an enrichment option in the Sixth Form.

We firmly believe that there is something for everyone in the Classical World and strive to provide our students with the tools they require to approach material, whether in the original language or not, with confidence, openness, curiosity and a critical eye – qualities which will undoubtedly benefit them in later life. More than this, however, we seek to instil in our students a lifelong interest in the Ancient World, simply for the joy of it.