Learning Latin opens up the astonishing history and vibrant culture of an empire that once stretched from the north of Britain to the banks of the Euphrates. At the same time, it instils academic rigour and equips boys to understand and use other languages well.
Like the Romans from whom it sprang, Latin is a systematic, disciplined language. Those who study it gain a ready grasp of the mechanics and structure of language in general, giving them a foundation of clear thinking and academic competence that will serve them well in their overall development as scholars.
In their lessons, boys acquire a thorough understanding of Latin through the study of texts and literature. There is a rich seam to be mined: Roman authors were diverse, their influence long-lasting. In fact, these writers inaugurated a western tradition in writing that was continued by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Eliot and Heaney: tremendous benefits therefore accrue to serious readers of English and European literature who are familiar with the classics of the Roman world.
The Roman Empire is fascinating in other ways beyond literature, and our pupils relish the many opportunities we provide to learn about a civilisation that was at once sophisticated and brutal, and whose influence has resonated down through the centuries to the present day.
The visits we run include our Latin Enrichment Day in Year 7, trips to St Albans and Bath, in Years 8 & 9, and the Latin Enrichment Day at Cambridge University in Year 10.