at St Lawrence College

Exam Board: OCEAC

Syllabus: Latin

Further Information: initially from Mr Hetherington, or direct from the Head of Classics at St Lawrence College

The A-Level course aims to increase acquaintance with the ancient civilisation and language; it differs from GCSE work in requiring wider reading, deeper thought, learning to organise ideas, and the development of judgement.

An introductory course of wide reading in Latin authors leads to the study of (usually two) prescribed texts for examination. Texts which have recently been available have included: a book of Virgil’s Aeneil; a book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses; a selection of Pliny’s letters; a book of Tacitus’ Histories; and a section of a speech of Cicero.

Pupils have to prepare the translation of set texts, undertake exercises regularly in unprepared translation and comprehension, and write essays from time to time.

Latin is a highly regarded A Level; there are Classics courses at most universities, and those with Latin A Level are welcome in many other courses - particularly, but by no means solely, English, foreign languages, history, law, philosophy, theology, archaeology and anthropology.

The value of Latin in a broad and rounded education, equipping those who study it for a variety of opportunities, remains paramount. Latin is important both for its intrinsic interest and for the breadth of occupations for which it prepares the student. The Times published a list of some of the occupations into which a sample of classics graduates had entered, of which the following are some: accountancy, air force, archive work, army, atomic energy authority, banking, bookselling, civil service, clerical work, computing, holy orders, hospital administration, insurance, journalism, law , museum work, nursing, personnel work, police, public relations, research, retailing, social work, teaching, etc. Latin is an ideal preparation for the employment versatility which the twenty-first century requires.