CLASSICS AT RBAI

Introduction

RBAI has a vibrant and flourishing Classics department.  The school has a long and distinguished tradition of classical scholarship and Latin continues to occupy a well-supported place in the ever-enlarging curriculum.  Numbers opting for Latin for the GCSE and AS courses are at a record level, and the standard of pupils taking the subject remains high.  There has been a steady increase in support for the subject over the last ten years and the results have exceeded the UK national average.

The Department

Mrs AM Howe (Acting Head of Department) has a MA and MPhil in Classics from Jesus College, Cambridge.  She began her teaching career at Marlborough College and returned to teaching in 2006 after several years working for an executive search firm in London and Wellington, New Zealand.  She is a tutor in Pirrie House and is a member of the rowing coaching staff.

WO’D Jacques was an Entrance Exhibitioner and Foundation Scholar in Classics at Trinity College Dublin.  He spent eight years in southern Africa teaching at Diocesan College Cape Town and, in Rhodesia, at Hamilton High School and St George’s College.  He then taught at Methodist College Belfast and worked for four years in the Sports Council.  He is Master in Charge of Rowing.

Mrs L Livingstone has a MA in Classics from New Hall, Cambridge.  She has taught at St Mary’s Calne and several other schools in England.  She speaks fluent Italian and is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language.  She has most recently been teaching TEFL at Armagh Royal School and joined RBAI in 2008.

Latin at Key Stage 3 (Years 8, 9 and 10)

All boys in the school are taught three periods of Latin per week in Years 8 and 9.  In Year 10, classes are streamed in conjunction with Modern Languages and English.  The top four sets continue with Latin.  The Cambridge Latin Course is used which is well supported by ICT and the internet (www.cambridgescp.com).

Latin at GCSE

For Latin GCSE, pupils study the language and literature of ancient Rome, reading famous and influential authors such as Virgil, Ovid, Horace, Caesar and Pliny.  There is an option to study background topics such as daily life in Rome, Roman Britian, and Roman religion.  There is no coursework and assessment is entirely by examination in the summer.

Latin at AS/A2 Level

AS and A2 Latin offers the opportunity to study both language and literature.  Half of the work focuses on translating unseen passages of Latin and the other half is spent studying in depth a prose set text and a verse set text.  There are no modules and no coursework – assessment is entirely by examination in the summer.

Why study Latin?

Latin remains one of the most challenging and rewarding subjects in the curriculum and RBAI is one of the few Northern Ireland grammar schools to offer the opportunity to study the subject.  It is known to build analytical and problem-solving skills and it combines literature, language, politics and history all in one subject.  It holds significant credibility with universities and sets pupils apart, which is increasingly important when such large numbers of university applicants attain A grades at GCSE and A level.

Latin gives pupils a rigorous understanding of grammar and so it is useful for any career where verbal or written expression is important.  This is of course almost any job but, in particular, Latin helps with journalism, law, advertising, PR, publishing.  Because it builds (and is proof to future employers of) analytical skills, it is useful for absolutely any career, but particularly for any business or financially-related career.

Latin at AS and A2 level combines well with English, History, Modern Languages, or Maths and it makes an ideal 4^th subject to combine with, and balance, sciences.

Classical Greek

Classical Greek is currently taught on an extra-curricular basis to an interested and growing number of students.  Pupils study both language and literature and have the opportunity to study, in the original language, famous literary works of authors such as Homer, Herodotus, Plato and Euripides.  The expectation is that students will sit the GCSE in Classical Greek.

Classical Civilisation

RBAI offers Classical Civilisation at AS and A2 level in collaboration with Victoria College.  Pupils have the opportunity to study Latin and Greek literature in translation; Greek art and architecture; and Greek and Roman history.

Summer Schools

Keen senior pupils are encouraged to enrol in one of the several summer schools offering intensive tuition in Latin and/or Greek – an experience universally found rewarding.