Latin Report Oxford University

Two students, Zainab Lakda (ypear 8) and Tilly Binucci, (year 9) at Great Marlow School were recently selected for a once in a lifetime opportunity, to study Latin at Oxford University, taking an early GCSE within the course of two and a half years.

GMS is one of the ten state schools in the country privileged enough to be partaking in The Oxford Classics Faculty’s Latin Teaching Scheme (OXLAT). This programme is funded by a donation from the Stonehouse Educational Foundation and the University’s Van Houten Fund, and is open to all year 8 and 9 pupils at state schools, who do not have any provisions to enable them to learn Latin.

It was late autumn when the opportunity arose for GMS pupils to start learning Latin. Tilly was called out of her lesson to discuss the GCSE Latin course with her head of year, Mr Ross. She learned that the course would take place on a Saturday, but this fact did not deter her. Despite having to write an application before being able to participate in the course, she was eager to begin learning.

Zainab’s introduction to the course was equally direct. It began with Mr Bullock, her head of year, asking her which languages she would like to have learned at school. By coincidence, she said Latin because she thought it would help her with her science and other subjects in the future. A week later, she was told to write an application letter for the Oxford Latin Teaching Scheme.

Both were enthusiastic to start Latin, despite neither of them knowing how challenging it would be!

After a painstaking wait, both Zainab and Tilly were accepted into the OXLAT course.

Not only are they studying Latin at one of the most renowned universities in the world, but they are also taught by professional university teachers, who teach this widely respected and academic subject to graduates and post-graduates alike.

As the interest for Latin becomes more and more popular in schools nationally, with nearly twice as many state schools offering Latin now as five years ago, Latin is being recognised as a way of understanding many other languages.

Although the Latin GCSE involves a considerable amount of commitment and hard work, the girls say, “It is one of the best things we have ever undertaken and is a lot of fun. Our teachers, Mrs Gruar and Mrs Murray, are hardworking and effective at drawing us into the language by teaching using a variety of methods: role plays, translations of intriguing stories, all fun ways to learn the extensive vocabulary and grammar. Each week is an adventure as we step into a whole new world of the Ancient Greek and Roman era, learning about Pompeii, its history and its wonderful language. This course includes organising an exciting enrichment activity at the end of each term, consisting of food tasting, so we can experience what it was really like in ancient times.

We are given regular exams to provide an indication of what we have learned over the year. So far we have had three increasingly challenging exams, along with countless vocabulary and grammar tests. We are expected to revise at home as part of our homework. Unlike most school subjects, OXLAT is built on a vital foundation – homework.”

Because there is just two hours of Latin learning per week, the course relies on all pupils completing homework punctually to practise what they have learned in the lessons. The homework normally includes learning keywords and verb and noun tables for regular exams. Also there are translations and comprehensions to complete. The course is incredibly fast paced and homework allows pupils to solidify their knowledge. As a result, in half a year of doing Latin the girls have already learned as much as two years of French and Spanish at Great Marlow.

“The overall reason why we are doing Latin is to gain enough skills to sit a GCSE exam at the end of year 11 or year 10 (as in the case of Zainab, the year 8 currently studying Latin). Having a GCSE in such a respected language will certainly give us an advantage in whatever we do in the future. We will stand a better chance of entering excellent sixth form colleges. Just as importantly, we are building a close relationship with Oxford University that will give us a higher chance of attending university courses there. We also think studying Latin as a GCSE will benefit us in all our other subjects, especially languages. Since Latin is such a technical language it helps us gain a broader knowledge of how to tackle Spanish, since it helps us think in a more methodological way when making verb tables, for instance. Even though the sentence structure is completely different, the vocabulary is sometimes identical or very similar. Many English words are derived straight from Latin so it helps us understand our own language better as well.”2

Latin will help the pupils write more advanced essays because learning it makes minds more analytical and focused and they will understand how to pay attention to detail.

Although the OXLAT scheme requires a great deal of dedication, commitment and hard work, it also gives pupils the opportunity to learn an amazing language, which, otherwise, would not be accessible, enabling them to achieve above and beyond their expectations.

GMS are very grateful to the directors of learning for nominating the girls and hope that other children will be inspired and motivated to take up this life-changing opportunity to study Latin at the University of Oxford.

Ad altiora tendo – I strive towards higher things.