heart of heartlands lessons

At Heartlands we strive to enrich the lives of students in and out of the set curriculum time. This is why we offer such a broad range of enrichment clubs out of school time as well as a varied GCSE curriculum with a broad range of elective subjects offered.

When joining the school in 2016 this culture was apparent. Students were keen to try new things and had passion surrounding topics way beyond that of the ‘normal’ curriculum. This inspired me to branch out beyond my trained area of teaching (Computer Science), to look to introduce the subject I had been passionate about in my early and higher education, Classics. With a leadership spine whose ethos is so devoted to new ideas, opportunities and enriching our students, I was subsequently supported in realising the researched and planned out proposal I had put to them. Starting with a small enrichment club in 2017, I introduced the idea of Classics to Heartlands, and by the summer of 2018 I had gathered together a group of 12 students to begin studying Latin and Classical Civilisation for their GCSE studies from year 9 onwards.

The most common question asked by students, parents, and even other teachers is ‘What is Classics?’. In its simplest form, Classics is the study of the ancient world (mainly Greece and Rome) with a focus on not only their history, but their art, literature, architecture, culture and even languages (Latin and Greek). It’s a subject that sells itself, with its excitement, mythology, gore, blood, gender equality debates, outstanding archaeology. The main issue comes with making people aware of what that alien term ‘Classics’ means in the first place.

The second is making people aware of the merits of studying such an archaic and an often ‘elitist’ subject. My argument is often this. Latin is still a language used for law, medicine and other elite or academic professions. This tied with its support of modern language and English grammar, makes it an incredibly valuable subject. I also argue that the history so removed from our own in time is not only some of the most interesting and gripping, but also links so firmly to our own - for example the links of democracy and judicial processes of the Greeks and Romans to modern british and world societies.

In an article from 2015 in the Guardian, Jospehine Quinn argues that the merit of Classical studies is the very nature of learning about different cultures, not just the foundation of democracy, or linguistic roots. This is especially true for students of such a diverse range of backgrounds such as those at Heartlands. Arguably the narrow foci of the History curriculum in the UK does not explore issues and culture important and personal to many of the students at the school, that a Classical and Ancient History based course, with links to Turkish, Syrian, Greek, Iranian and African history, would offer.

The charity Classics For All explains the value of Classics very clearly on their site. It isn’t necessarily about what you learn and how that applies to life, but the skills that you gain. They explain that Classical subjects equip pupils with grammar, critical thinking and language skills. Not only that but it does wonders for employability:

‘Evidence suggests that employers have respect for potential employees who have studied classical subjects at school or university. Many Classics graduates have made a name for themselves in various fields, including JK Rowling, Boris Johnson and Mark Zuckerburg. This is because, among other things, the study of Classics encourages clarity of thought, attention to detail, and the ability to argue a case.’

When put to students and parents in this light, and paired with sharing the exciting strands such as mythology and warfare, you begin to get a buzz around the subject.

Overcoming challenges in setting up a new subject has not been easy. When delivering a speech in the Supreme Court in October I was asked ‘What has made setting up Classics such a success for you?’. The answer was simply the support I have had in doing so. In the last year I have received numerous strands of support from many different sources that have made launching this subject possible. Firstly, as aforementioned, the SLT at Heartlands have had a huge role to play in helping me make sure the initial launch and maintenance of the course has been a success. They have not only shared their wealth of experience and advice, but given the time and support networks to make it happen. Alongside this, departmental leaders and teachers in both English and History have shared support and guidance on teaching and learning techniques, as well as feedback, opportunities to give taster lessons, and opening their own curricula to classical content. Some of the greatest support has come from even further afield. With the infinite support of the fundraiser at the school, we have been given support financially for books by the Tottenham Grammar School Foundation, as well as setting up links with the charity Classics for All. Classics for all embodies the exact vision I live by. That is that Classics should not be limited to elite public school students, but open to everyone and anyone who wants exposure to the past and ancient world cultures. With their support not only have I gained training, funding, and a plethora of great resources, but I have gained a network of other like minded individuals to work with to ensure mine and the charities goal.

The honest truth is students who have engaged with Classics genuinely love it. My students often moan when they have to leave at the end of the lesson, and I often hear the phrase ‘Why do we only have 5 hours of Classics a fortnight? It’s not fair!’. To have students in a non selective comprehensive school with such a diverse intake gleefully reading Homer’s Odyssey, appreciating art and architecture from Ancient Rome, and translating and parsing Latin verbs with genuine excitement and interest makes me incredibly proud.

This is in just the beginning for Classics at Heartlands. My goal is to expand the exposure to Classical material and culture far beyond that of the few at GCSE who opt in to study. In a blog I wrote at the end of the last academic year I explored the importance of a varied and intertwined curriculum, with subjects supporting and enriching other subjects (a piece inspired by Christine Counsell) and that is what I intend to do. Classics can play a role in the English curriculum, a curriculum with KS3 foci such as suffering, supernatural and identity aligning closely with the ancient works of Ovid, Homer and Virgil - works which in translation would enrich students literary ability. In KS3 History, when students explore the past and history of areas such as Nazi germany,we can think about the alignment of Adolf Hitler with Ancient Roman dictatorial regimes, or even the impact of Roman rule on the shaping of Britain through history. Most obvious of all the links is that of Latin and Languages. The use of Latin to aid language development (both in MFL subjects and English Language) could strongly support the understanding of etymology, grammar and vocabulary building in students. One thing is for sure. There is scope for so much development and an environment to make Classics flourish.

It is an exciting time. To those who are thinking of trying something new or introducing a different subject such as Classics in their school I would give this advice. Go for it. Follow your passion, put everything you have behind it, and ask for, and take, support wherever you can. With this in mind not only will you realise the vision that you have, but you can begin to make a genuine impact on those most important in a school setting, the students.