Latin and Classics

Latin and Classics

Latin and Classics have replaced French to form part of our broad and balanced curriculum. We will introduce Latin and Classical culture (e.g. mythology, everyday life) to our pupils to support the aims of the KS2 National Curriculum in modern foreign languages and English. The Latin language component, which forms the main part of the scheme, is designed specifically to support the grammar and syntax learning required at KS2, while bolstering literacy through an English-Latin etymological approach. Learning about the roots of the English language offers a key to understanding novel words and enriching vocabulary. At upper KS2, children will be introduced to a real family that lived at Vindolanda (near Hadrian’s Wall) at the beginning of the second century AD and through them learn about life at Roman times which includes short Latin stories and key vocabulary.

‘Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.’ Benjamin Lee Whorf

Classics Implementation Overview

• Listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
• Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
• Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
• Appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
• Broaden vocabulary and develop ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
• Write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
• Describe people, places, things and actions in writing
• Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English

“I love Latin lessons because they are interesting and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot from them but they are also really fun.  We made a Greek God card game which was great.” Coby Year 3

“You get to understand new things and new words and where they have come from.” Talia Year 3

“Latin helps us with the understanding of where some English words come from.  We found a word with fridge in it and in Latin frigus means cold so that’s why a fridge is called a fridge because it is cold.” Hugo and Archie Y5