Latin
Anyone who has enjoyed success at GCSE Latin should find the AS and A2 course equally stimulating and accessible. In many ways the work follows on naturally from GCSE in aiming to develop not only the ability to translate and comprehend clearly but also an appreciation of literary style. The fact that the GCSE course in Latin is itself quite rigorous and challenging ensures that solid foundations are already in place for those wishing to study the subject in the Sixth Form. For some students an A-level in Latin leads on to a degree in Classics; for others it can be a useful support for a university application in another subject, such as Law, Medicine or Modern Languages.
We follow the OCR syllabus. The format of the course is as follows:
The AS-level consists of two units which are examined at the end of the Lower Sixth year:
Unit 1: Latin Language. This unit involves unprepared translation from Latin into English and includes the option of translating short English sentences into Latin. A defined vocabulary list is published by the board to help candidates prepare for this unit.
Unit 2: Latin Verse and Prose Literature. This unit consists of commentary questions and short essays on texts which the students will have read over the course of the year. The texts for 2010 are Cicero in Catilinam and Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII.
Candidates for the full A-level take two further units, which are examined at the end of the Upper Sixth year:
Unit 3: Latin Verse. This unit involves translation of an unprepared passage of verse, along with a commentary and essay on a verse set text. The set text for 2011 is Virgil, Aeneid I.
Unit 4: Latin Prose. This unit consists of either a translation and comprehension exercise on an unprepared passage of prose or a short prose composition, along with a commentary and essay on a prose set text. The set text for 2011 is either Tacitus, Annals XIV or Livy, Book XXIII.
Classical Greek
The A-level course in Greek follows on naturally from the GCSE course, and the structure is exactly the same as for Latin.
The AS level consists of two units which are examined at the end of the Lower Sixth year:
Unit 1: Greek Language. This unit involves unprepared translation from Greek into English and includes the option of translating short English sentences into Greek. A defined vocabulary list is published by the board to help candidates prepare for this unit.
Unit 2: Greek Verse and Prose Literature. This unit consists of commentary questions and short essays on texts which the students will have read over the course of the year. The texts for 2009 are Lysias, Against Eratosthenes and Homer, Iliad XVI.
Candidates for the full A-level take two further units, which are examined at the end of the Upper Sixth year:
Unit 3: Greek Verse. This unit involves translation of an unprepared passage of verse, along with a commentary and essay on a verse set text. The set text for 2010 is Euripides, Hippolytus.
Unit 4: Greek Prose. This unit consists of either a translation and comprehension exercise on an unprepared passage of prose or a short prose composition, along with a commentary and essay on a prose set text. The set text for 2010 is either Plato, Republic or Thucydides, Book VII.
Classical Civilisation
This subject is non-linguistic in content and is suitable for any pupil interested in literature, drama, art and the ancient world in general. There is absolutely no need to have studied any form of classics before as there is little overlap between the topics studied in the Sixth Form and those studied at GCSE. All literature is studied in English translation.
Three of the four units are text-based, so the subject is likely to appeal to pupils who are studying English in the Sixth Form and enjoy reading. Students of Art may be attracted to the Greek Art and Architecture topic and historians may be interested in the historical background to the topics. These are just a few of the subjects which are commonly taken in combination with Classical Civilisation. For some the A-level leads on to a Classics-related course at university; for others a good result in this subject is a useful support for a university application in a different subject.
We follow the OCR syllabus. The format of the course is as follows: The AS level consists of the following two units which are examined at the end of the Lower Sixth year: Unit 1: Homer’s Odyssey and Society. We study the Odyssey, focussing not only on literature but also on the society and values portrayed. The unit is also concerned with history and archaeology.
Unit 2: Greek Tragedy in its context. For this unit we study Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Euripides’ Medea and Bacchae. Here again the focus is on literature, society and values. The unit is also concerned with the historical, cultural and religious context.
Candidates for the full A-level take two further units, which are examined at the end of the Upper Sixth year:
Unit 3: Art and Architecture in the Greek World. The focus here is on Greek sculpture, vase-painting and the architecture of Greek temples.
Unit 4: Virgil and the world of the hero. We study Virgil’s Aeneid, comparing and contrasting it with Homer’s Iliad. The focus is on literature, society and values. The unit is also concerned with history, politics and religion.