Curriculum – Classical Civilisation

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Curriculum – Classical Civilisation

Classical Civilisation

The Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

Classics at Southend High School for Girls gives students the opportunity to study a subject that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It will enhance their understanding of both the outside world and the world within, giving them a grounding of the foundations of western civilization and allowing them to explore the nuances of the human condition. Classics is the ultimate cross-curricular subject, comprising literature, history, art, architecture, religion, mythology, philosophy and politics. This will enable students to grasp the links between different parts of the curriculum in a deeper way. The study of Classics will enable students to develop their ability to construct and evaluate arguments, analyse texts and artworks and argue their point of view both in debates and in essays. In addition, it will enhance their vocabulary and develop their cultural literacy, allowing them to understand works of modern literature that would otherwise be obscure. By the end of Year 13, students will be able to read and analyse complex ancient texts, construct logical arguments, produce elegantly written essays and debate their peers with confidence and style. Ultimately SHSG Classics students will become eloquent and culturally literate citizens of the world with an appreciation of the roots of western civilization and the confidence and intellectual apparatus to approach it in their own way.

What does it feel like to be a student in the Classics Department?

Studying Classics at Southend High School for Girls is challenging and exciting. You will be expected to be curious both about the big questions such as the nature of society and the meaning of life and about the everyday nuances of human behaviour. You will be taught to analyse complex ancient texts, evaluate new and unfamiliar arguments and express your ideas with confidence and style, both on paper and in debate with your peers. At A Level you will be expected to support your studies by reading works of classical literature and modern academic scholarship outside the classroom and building up your own body of notes. By the end of your studies of Classics you will have acquired the ability to analyse difficult texts, construct logical arguments and express your views with eloquence and confidence.

Please click on the button below to download the assessment policy for Classical Civilisation.

Download Department Assessment Policy

Journey

Classics Curriculum

Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9)

Knowing more, remembering more and achieving more in Classical Civilisation

At Southend High School for Girls, we teach a curriculum that is ambitious and takes students on a learning journey beyond the required National Curriculum subjects. The SHSG Classical Civilisation curriculum is what we believe will expose and challenge students to the best that has been thought and said in this subject.

The Classical Civilisation curriculum is planned and delivered using the intellectual framework of the classical education model, the Trivium:

  • Grammar (Knowledge and skills) knowledge, learning by heart, subject terminology, cultural capital
  • Dialectic (Enquiry and exploration) debate, question, challenge, analyse, evaluate
  • Rhetoric (Communication)  speeches, performances, presentations

Year 7 – 9

The topics below have been chosen as they reflect the ambitions of a grammar school which includes challenge students beyond the National Curriculum. They have been carefully sequenced in this order to build a student’s learning journey to achieve the aims of our school curriculum. Along the way students are assessed and topics will be revisited in assessments to keep each stage of this learning journey alive. This subject has two lessons a fortnight in a Year 7 timetable.

Year 7

Term 1

Topics

  • What was life like in ancient Greece? 
  • What do the things that were important to the ancient Greeks tell us about them? 

Skills 

  • Debating 
  • Factual recall 

Assessment 

  • Students will be assessed on their participation in one  whole class debate per half term, one on each of the topics above.  
  • Students complete fortnightly short answer content tests, assessing content that will help them in their upcoming debates.

Term 2

Topics

  • What does Greek mythology tell us about the ancient Greeks?
  • What was life like in ancient Rome?

Skills 

  • Debating 
  • Factual recall 

Assessment 

  • Students will be assessed on their participation in one  whole class debate per half term, one on each of the topics above.  
  • Students complete fortnightly short answer content tests, assessing content that will help them in their upcoming debates. 

Term 3

Topics

  • What do the things that were important to the Romans tell us about them? 
  • Introduction to Latin 

Skills 

  • Debating 
  • Factual recall 

Assessment  

  • Students will be assessed on their participation in one  whole class debate on the first topic (What do the things that were important to the Romans tell us about them?) 
  • Students complete fortnightly short answer tests on their Latin vocabulary

Year 8 and 9

This subject is not taught in Year 8 & 9

Recommended reading in Classical Civilisation for Lower School (Year 7)

  • Review key terms from lessons regularly.
  • Revise Latin vocabulary from lessons.

Useful websites, TED Talks and research for Lower School (Year 7 )

  • We will be following the Cambridge Latin course which has an excellent website and additional information and games. Cambridge School Classics project is the name of this website.

English-specific language to master in Lower School (Year 7)

  • All required technical terminology can be found in the students’ books.
  • Key concepts to understand for everyday life in ancient civilisations and their societal structures as well as myths and legends.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10 - 11)

Knowing more, remembering more and achieving more in Classical Civilisation

At Southend High School for Girls, we teach a curriculum that is ambitious and takes students on a learning journey beyond the required National Curriculum subjects. The SHSG Classical Civilisation curriculum is what we believe will expose and challenge students to the best that has been thought and said in this subject.

The Classical Civilisation curriculum is planned and delivered using the intellectual framework of the classical education model, the Trivium:

  • Grammar (Knowledge and skills) knowledge, learning by heart, subject terminology, cultural capital
  • Dialectic (Enquiry and exploration) debate, question, challenge, analyse, evaluate
  • Rhetoric (Communication)  speeches, performances, presentations

Year 10 – 11

Pre-requisite or helpful knowledge from KS3 Classics ready to study in Year 10, if applicable

  • As students at this school do not study Classics in Year 8 & 9, we do not expect them to bring a large amount of precise information into Year 10. However, a basic overview of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses would be very helpful.

The topics below have been chosen as they reflect the ambitions of the National Curriculum, and as a Grammar school, also challenge students beyond the National Curriculum. They have been carefully sequenced in this order to build a student’s learning journey to achieve the aims of our curriculum intent for Classics intent. Along the way students are assessed and topics will be revisited in assessments to keep each stage of this learning journey alive.

Year 10

Term 1

Topics

  • The Gods
  • The Universal Hero: Heracles/Hercules
  • Religion & the City: Temples
  • The Iliad
  • Sparta at War

Assessment 

  • Universal Hero Assessment
  • Iliad Assessment

Term 2

Topics

  • Religion & the City: Temples
  • Myth & the City: Foundation Stories
  • Tyrtaeus
  • Athens at War

Assessment 

  • PPE Examination (pre public mock examinations)

Term 3

Topics

  • Myth & the City: Foundation Stories
  • Festivals
  • The Roman Military

Assessment  

  • Athens at War Assessment
  • Religion & the City Assessment

Year 11

Term 1

Topics

  • Myth & Symbols of Power
  • Death & Burial
  • Journeying to the Underworld
  • The Romans at War
  • Virgil
  • Horace

Assessment 

  • Myth and the City Assessment
  • Roman Military Assessment

Term 2

Topics

  • Myth & Religion: Revision
  • War & Warfare Religion

Assessment 

  • PPE Examination (pre public mock examinations)

Term 3

Topics

  • Myth & Religion: Revision
  • War & Warfare Religion

Assessment  

  • Horace & Virgil Assessment
  • Journeying to the Underworld Assessment

In KS4, we assess students against the core content and assessment objectives as outlines by the relevant GCSE examination board specification. For Classical Civilisaion, this is OCR J199.

To go beyond what is expected of a Classical Civilisation student at A Level and achieve outstanding outcomes in Classical Civilisation, students should:

  • Demonstrate relevant and comprehensive knowledge and sophisticated understanding of classical texts and materials from the classical world, including how sources reflect their cultural contexts
  • Demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of a range of possible interpretations
  • Engage in perceptive analysis, sensitive interpretation and critical evaluation of classical texts and materials
  • Effectively use a range of evidence to construct coherent and reasoned arguments

 

Recommended reading in Classical Civilisation for Middle School (Years 10 – 11)

For those interested in Greek mythology…

‘Mythos’, ‘Heroes’, and ‘Troy’ by Stephen Fry. These books offer an interesting, easy to read introduction to the stories of Ancient Greek mythology, heroes, and the Trojan War.

For those interested in ancient history…

‘Persian Fire’ by Tom Holland.

‘Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic’ by Tom Holland.

For those interested in the stories of women in the ancient world…

‘Pandora’s Jar’ by Natalie Haynes. A collection of stories about women in Greek mythology.


Useful websites, TED Talks and research for Middle School (Years 10 – 11)

  • Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics
  • Omnibus Magazine


Classics-specific language to master in Middle School (Years 10 – 11)

  • Key words are highlighted during lessons and as appropriate written down and defined by students.
  • Language of dialectic: analyse/evaluate
  • Evaluative language is modelled and taught

A-Level (Years 12 - 13)

At Southend High School for Girls we teach a curriculum that is ambitious and takes students on a learning journey beyond the National Curriculum. The SHSG Classics curriculum is what we believe will expose and challenge students to the best that has been thought and said in this subject.

The Classics curriculum is planned and delivered using the intellectual framework of the classical education model, the Trivium:

  • Grammar (Knowledge and skills) knowledge, learning by heart, subject terminology
  • Dialectic (Enquiry and exploration) analyse, evaluate
  • Rhetoric (Communication) PLEE paragraphs, essays, debating

Pre-requisite or helpful knowledge from KS4 Classics ready to study in Year 12

N/A

Year 12

Term 1

Introduction to Ancient Greece 

Invention of the Barbarian 

  • Greek Identity 
  • Greeks and Barbarians 
  • Historical Barbarians 
  • Greek Unity

Assessment  

  • 10 mark stimulus question in first half term (World of the Hero)  
  • 10 mark stimulus question in first half term  (Invention of the Barbarian) 
  • 20 mark essay question in second half term (World of the Hero) 
  • 20 mark essay question in second half term (Invention of the Barbarian) 

Term 2

Invention of the Barbarian 

  • Mythical Barbarians 
  • The Reality of Persia 

Assessment 

  • 30 mark essay question (World of the Hero) 
  • 30 mark essay question (Invention of the Barbarian) 

Term 3

Introduction to Ancient Rome 

World of the Hero 

  • Revision 
  • The Aeneid 

Invention of the Barbarian 

  • Revision 

Politics of the Late Republic 

  • The Roman State 

Assessment 

  • End of year examinations 
  • 30 mark essay question (World of the Hero) 
  • 30 mark essay question (Invention of the Barbarian)

Year 13

Term 1

World of the Hero 

  • The Aeneid 

Politics of the Late Republic 

  • In Verrem 
  • Cato 
  • Caesar 
  • Cicero

Assessment 

  • 10 mark political ideas question in first half term (Politics of the Late Republic) 
  • 20 mark essay question in first half term (World of the Hero) 
  • 10 mark comparison question in second half term (World of the Hero)  
  • 20 mark essay question in second half term (Politics of the Late Republic) 

Term 2

World of the Hero 

  • The Aeneid 
  • Revision 

Politics of the Late Republic 

  • Cicero’s Letters 
  • Revision 

Assessment 

  • End of year examinations 
  • 30 mark essay question (World of the Hero) 
  • 30 mark essay question (Politics of the Late Republic) 

Term 3

  • Revision

Assessment

  • 30 mark essay question (World of the Hero) 
  • 30 mark essay question (Politics of the Late Republic)

Achieving outstanding outcomes in Classical Civilisation – knowing and remembering even more that what is expected of a grammar school KS5 curriculum. 

In KS5 we assess student against the core content and assessment objectives as outlined by the relevant A Level examination board specification.  For Classical Civilisation this is OCR H408. To go beyond what is expected of a Classical Civilisation student at A Level and achieve outstanding outcomes in Classical Civilisation students should: 

  • acquire a sophisticated level of knowledge and understanding of the literature and culture of the classical world through studying a diverse range of ancient materials and making connections and comparisons between them 
  • understand classical literature, thought and material culture in its context, including how issues and values relevant to the society in which they were created are reflected in ancient sources and materials 
  • develop skills of critical analysis and evaluation and apply these to the range of source materials studied in order to gain insight into aspects of the classical world 
  • articulate an informed response to the material studied, using a range of appropriate evidence to formulate coherent arguments with substantiated evidence-based judgements 

Recommended reading in Classics for Sixth Form (Years 12-13)

Course Reading List

These books will give you an insight into the ancient world. It will be helpful to find one which seems interesting to you and read some or all of it.

Modern Works

For those interested in Greek mythology…

‘Mythos’, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Troy’ by Stephen Fry. These books offer an interesting, easy to read introduction to the stories of ancient Greek mythology, heroes, and the Trojan War.

‘A Thousand Ships’ by Natalie Haynes. A highly engaging reimagining of the Trojan War.

‘Children of Jocasta’ by Natalie Haynes. A story about the children of the tragic hero Oedipus and his wife Jocasta.

 

For those interested in ancient history…

‘Eureka’ by Peter Jones.

‘Veni Vidi Vici’ by Peter Jones.

‘Persian Fire’ by Tom Holland.

‘Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic’ by Tom Holland.

‘Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar’ by Tom Holland.

 

For those interested in the stories of women in the ancient world… 

‘Pandora’s Jar’ by Natalie Haynes. A collection of stories about women in Greek mythology.

‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller. A reimagining of Circe, from Homer’s Odyssey. An international No.1 bestseller.

‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint. A reimagining of the story of Ariadne (sister of the Minotaur).

‘The Penelopiad’ by Margaret Atwood. A reimagining of Penelope’s life from her point of view.

 

Ancient Texts

General

Homer’s Iliad.

Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Suetonius’ The Twelve Caesars.

Tacitus’ The Annals of Imperial Rome.

Plato’s Republic.

 

Greek theatre

Aeschylus’ Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and Eumenides.

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex.

Sophocles’ Electra.

Euripides’ Electra.

Aristophanes’ Lysistrata.

Aristophanes’ Frogs.

Useful websites, TED Talks and research for VI Form (Years 12-13)

  • Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics
  • Omnibus Magazine

Classics-specific language to master in VI Form (Years 12-13)

  • Key words are highlighted during lessons and as appropriate written down and defined by students.
  • Language of dialectic: analyse / evaluate
  • Evaluative language is modelled and taught
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