We are one of very few schools to offer the full range of classical courses at this level: Ancient History and Classical Civilisation at AS/A2, Latin and Greek at AS/A2 and within the International Baccalaureate at Standard and Higher Level.
The Latin and Greek AS both consist of a Language Paper for which students prepare by revising and extending the grammar and vocabulary acquired at GCSE and reading widely, especially in the author set for this paper (Cicero for Latin, Lysias for Greek). There is plenty of practice of comprehension and translation and a vocabulary list is provided. The second AS unit is Latin/Greek Verse and Prose Literature, where students prepare texts in detail, with translation and discussion of content, style and context. For Latin, they are Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII. 6-121, 125-235 (the master storyteller’s version of the story of Scylla and Minos) and Cicero, In Catilinam 1-19 (the great orator’s blistering attack on the conspirator Catiline). For Greek, Homer, Iliad 16, 632-861 (the death of Patroclus) and Lysias, Against Eratosthenes 1-36 (was Euphiletus justified in killing his wife’s lover?).
For A2, there are again two units: Greek/Latin Verse and Greek/Latin Prose. For the verse paper, some of the ancient world’s best-loved poetry is set: Euripides’ tragedy Hippolytus for Greek and the opening book of Virgil’s Aeneid or Catullus’ love poetry for Latin.
For Classical Civilisation AS there are two units: selected books of Homer’s Iliad and a topic on Women’s Lives in Athens and Rome. The first work of European literature – the famous stories of the Trojan War - is studied in depth and the techniques of oral poetry investigated. The topic on women involves a wide variety of source material – law-court speeches, letters, a comedy by Aristophanes – to assess the role of women in the Greek and Roman worlds and what was expected of them (by men).
The A2 offers two further literature units: the tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides and selected books of Virgil’s Aeneid. This allows students to experience different genres and to become familiar with the major works of both Greek and Roman literature. 
Ancient History is again a four unit course. For AS. working throughout from original source material, students investigate the military state of Sparta, its social and political structures, its education and values, the roles of men and women and Sparta’s relations with other states and their views of her, as well as her mythical founder, Lycurgus and the Spartan mirage. The set texts include comedy, history, biography and poetry.
The Roman unit for AS is Augustus and the Principate, an in-depth study of the achievements of Rome’s first emperor and how he presented them, through a range of original sources, many of them – such as the Aeneid and Horace’s Odes – great literature in their own right. Archaeological and inscriptional evidence is also used to build up a picture of the aftermath of the civil war against Antony and Cleopatra, the nature of Augustus’ new regime and the roles of his family, friends and supporters, as well as the opposition he encountered and his relationships with the people of Rome, the senate, ordinary soldiers, the Roman plebs and provincials.
The A2 has the same mixture of Greek and Roman history, with the emphasis on original source material. To contrast with Sparta, we turn to the great age of Periclean Athens and study the intellectual climate and the rise of the art of persuasion, dramatic festivals and the theatre, religious festivals and sanctuaries and the visual arts in their social context. Finally we consider the Athenians’ view of themselves and of outsiders, women and children. The set texts include Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Sophoclean tragedy and Plato’s dialogues.
Finally, the use and abuse of power in Rome: the invention of imperial Rome (31BC-AD96). Augustus and his successors transformed the government and appearance of the city of Rome and its place at the centre of the empire. The topic focuses on the planning and infra-structure of the eternal city, its art and architecture as a means of imperial self-presentation, relations between the emperor and the different social classes and the transformation of the social, moral and religious life of the city. Again, the sources are a mixture of literature, inscriptions and archaeology.
Sixth form Classics students are encouraged to become involved in a range 
of extra-curricular activities, including making Roman sweets for the UIII at Christmas and organising Classics Club events; attending lectures, conferences and summer schools, editing the school Classics magazine, The Muse; helping in lower school lessons, running a Minimus Latin Club in a local primary school. At times, girls have helped to host the weekly Ancient World Breakfast Club for the community. There is a lively extra-curricular programme and all girls are encouraged to take part click here.
