Classics

Salvete! Amelia Wellington has been working at Wetherby School since 2004 and enters into her fifth year at the Prep as Head of Classics. Having studied a BA Honours Classics degree at the University of Birmingham, she went on to complete her PGCE at King's College, London. She is very much looking forward to repeating the incredible success of last year's candidates at Common Entrance.

"The Classics Department is responsible for the teaching of Latin and Classical Studies, encompassing not only the language, but also cultural and historical elements of the ancient world. The study of the classical world is an invaluable resource for its intrinsic worth and its capacity to increase pupils’ understanding of themselves and of the world in which they live.

All boys are given an introduction to Latin in Years 4 and 5, starting with one 30 minute lesson per week of the Minimus course, progressing to two 30 minute lessons per week of the Cambridge Latin Course. There is no homework or formal assessment in Year 4. Half an hour per week of homework is assigned in Year 5, consisting mainly of grammar exercises and vocabulary learning, in addition to the boys sitting an exam in the summer term. Both courses have excellent interactive websites to enhance learning in class and at home (www.minimus.com and www.cambridgescp.com).

Preparation for the Common Entrance (CE) starts in Year 6 and continues through to Year 8. There are two 60 minute lessons, 35 minutes of set homework per week in Year 6 with an exam at the end of the year. Years 7 and 8 receive two and a half hours of lessons per week, together with 45 minutes of homework. The boys are formally assessed throughout the year, based on CE past papers as well as continual testing of the prescribed vocabulary. The main text used is ISEB Ab Initio: A Latin Companion for CE, which provides the rigorous level of grammar required for CE and Scholarship standard. As the Common Entrance exam provides for different levels of ability within the subject, each pupil will be entered at an appropriate level according to his ability and progression. Greek Mythology forms an important element of the non-linguistic aspect of the syllabus. "

Miss Amelia Wellington,
Head of Classics

Classics links:

• Latin vocab games - http://www.reall-languages.com/Latinvocab/Latinindex.html
• Variety of grammar activities/games – www.quia.com 
• Greek Mythology - short versions of myths and lists of deities and their attributes. 
  http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/
• www.mythweb.com
• www.wingedsandals.com
• Year 5 Latin Revision Guide
• Year 6 Latin Revision Guide
• Year 7 Latin Revision Guide