WHY STUDY LATIN AT TRANBY

Studying Latin at Tranby makes our pupils stand out from the national cohort, with only a 1000 or so pupils each year sitting a GCSE in the subject and many fewer an A Level. At all levels it is an excellent partner to English, French and Spanish both in terms of vocabulary and grammar. Studying the more intricate grammar of the Latin language, pupils become adept at decoding, recognising patterns, learning and applying rules – it helps to strengthen their powers of reasoning and logical thinking. But Latin is more than just language studies; at KS4-5 we also read highly regarded Roman authors in the original language, learning about Roman society, customs and attitudes through these works as well as analysing them from a literal point of view, reinforcing those skills which are key to success in English Literature. Our studies of the civilisation of the Roman empire also gives us a fascinating insight into what made the Romans “tick” and also just how profound their impact was on British & European society and how keenly we still feel that impact today – it is no exaggeration to say that the Roman invasion shaped our society and culture and we would be very different today had they not succeeded. Some of the aspects of their civilisation are hard for us to come to terms with – their bloodlust, slavery, treatment of women for example – but all of these give us opportunities to develop our critical thinking skills when we address the differences between the 21st century and the 1st century.

Mrs N Carrizales