Orwell Park Classics in a Nutshell

ALLOCATION
Years 6 and 7:            
3 x 35m lessons and a 20-minute prep per week.
Year 7 consists of a potential scholars' group and two CE sets below that.

Year 8:
two Common Entrance groups: 4 x 35m lessons and a 30-minute prep per week.
Year 8 Scholarship set: 4 x 35m lessons and a 30-minute prep per week.
Year 8 Greek: 1 x 35m lesson and 1 x 30-minute prep per week.

EXIT TARGETS
13+ exit exams:  Common Entrance Level 1/2/3 depending on ability. Public school scholarship exams for the brightest.

COURSE MATERIALS
  • Latin as an Honour, Books 1/2/3 (in development); Latin Practice Exercises Books 1/2/3; The Jason Story - a reader aimed at consolidating the main constructions - is used by the Yr 8 scholars only, after completing the three course books.
  • Vocabulary booklet aimed at CE syllabus.
  • Greek materials: home-produced (Greek as a Treat Book 1), with emphasis on writing in Greek.

PHILOSOPHY
  • Latin for all - especially for those on learning support. There is no such thing as a permanent non-Latin set at Orwell Park.
  • Enjoyment with rigour! I do not want the children to drop Latin/Greek as soon as they move on at 13+.
  • A solid grammatical foundation is essential.

ADVANTAGES
  • Supportive staff, HM, parents and governors.
  • Subject setting: basically two ability sets per year group (three in Year 7).
  • Small classes of biddable children.
  • No discipline problems.
  • One-man department: no interference, scope to experiment!

CHALLENGES
  • Classes, even within our setted system, in which there are pupils at different stages of Latin.
  • Very brisk pace needed over three years to achieve good scholarship/exit exam results.
  • Poor awareness of English grammar. Latin more than fills the gap here!
  • Laziness in learning work. High standards are expected - the children WILL rise to high expectations if you insist on them!

DEPARTMENTAL WEBSITE
This will be found here.