Latin
Head of Department: Mr J D Gedye
Exam board: OCR
Qualification name: Classics: Latin
Qualification codes: GCS A Level H439
What you will study
Across the two-year course, students will study a combination of prepared and unseen texts, as well as learning to write in Latin. These will include Livy (an account of the early history of Rome from it’s foundation), Tacitus’ Annals (a gossip- and conspiracy-laden history of early imperial Rome), Catullus (a collection of witty and moving poems on life, love and everything else in between) and Ovid’s Heroides (a selection of invented letters from famous women to their largely untrustworthy husbands). As well as learning to read the texts, students will be expected to comment on them within their historical and social context, and discuss the author’s style and viewpoint.
How you will be assessed
Unit 1 (H043/01): Unseen Translation
A one-hour and 45-minute written paper (33% of A Level)
Students have to translate two passages of unseen Latin (both verse and prose) into English, as well as scan lines from the verse passage.
Unit 2 (H043/02): Prose Composition and Comprehension
A one-hour and 15-minute written paper (17% of A Level)
Unit 3 (H443/03): Latin Prose Literature
A two-hour written paper (25% of A Level)
Unit 4 (H443/04): Latin Verse Literature
A two-hour written paper (25% of A Level)
Why choose Latin?
Latin is regarded by universities and employers alike as one of the most versatile and academically rigorous subjects, requiring attention to detail, the ability to structure and write essays, and the ability to think outside the box. The new A Level syllabus allows us to study a wide range of authors and texts, spanning hundreds of years, and this variety is what makes A Level Latin so engaging.
Course requirements
We require at least a grade 6 in GCSE Latin.
Related subjects at Sixth Form
Popular subject combinations include French, Spanish, History, English, English Literature, Maths and Music.
Where could this lead?
Latin is a highly desirable subject because of the transferable skills it encourages. Latin students go into a wide variety of fields, with particularly popular ones being law, the Civil Service, journalism and even military intelligence.
