Part of our WCN funding comes from the charity Classics for All, and the WCN acts as one of the charity's many regional hubs. Our role is to help schools in our region introduce Classics and Ancient History to their curricula, offering advice an support and making schools aware of the funding and training opportunities which Classics for All offers.

Latest - Introducing Classics to the Secondary Curriculum - free event

A Day of Talks and Workshops for Teachers and SLT
14th February 2023, Barr's Hill School, Coventry

Together with Classics for All we are running a day of talks and workshops for SLT and teachers at Barr's Hill School. Follow the link to find out more and information on how to attend.

Want to find out more?

If you are a local school interested in finding out more about how to introduce the ancient world or ancient language such as Latin or even Ancient Greek into your timetable (or as an extra-curricular activity) please email Dr Paul Grigsby Paul dot Grigsby at Warwick dot ac dot uk. He will be happy to offer advice on what support and funding/training is available from Classics for All.

If you are from beyond the West Midlands region, you can find out your nearest CfA hub contact via their website.

Why Study Classics?

If you want to find out more about why studying Classics and Ancient History is such a good idea, check out our information for pupils, parents, and teachers and SLT. Studying the ancient world gives pupils a deep knowledge of civilizations which have had so much influence on the modern world and its culture, politics and history. Ancient languages give pupils the challenge of learning new skills as well as improving their vocabulary and grammar. But above all, we believe that every child should have the right to be able to learn about this fascinating subject simply because it is so interesting. So why not give it a go?

Latest News

September 2022 - Classical Civilisation and Latin GCSEs introduced to two amazing Coventry schools

This September sees the introduction of Classics GCSEs to two of our star Coventry schools, Barr's Hill School and Stoke Park School.

We are pleased to announce that two schools who we helped introduce Classics to in 2018 to their Year 7 pupils, will this year be introducing Classics GCSEs: Barr’s Hill will be introducing Classical Civilisation GCSE, while Stoke Park will be introducing Latin GCSE. Plans are in place to introduce A-level Classical Civilisation at Barr’s Hill in the near future.

11th July 2022 - Classics for All Teaching Award 2022 - Cassidy Phillips from Barr's Hill

Huge congratulations also to the amazing Cassidy Phillips from Barr's Hill who received a Classics for All Teaching Award 2022. As recorded by CfA:

'Since the foundation of the Warwick Classics Network in 2018, Cassidy Phillips at Barr’s Hill has been an inspiration in her devotion to bringing the ancient world alive for the pupils of this inner Coventry School. In 2018 she embedded the teaching of the ancient world in classrooms for every pupil in Year 7, and in 2020 extended this to Year 8. In 2022 she will be introducing a classical civilisation GCSE and is working towards lessons for Year 9, meaning Cassidy will have made classics available on the curriculum for all pupils from Years 7-11! Having employed a new teacher to meet the demand of the blossoming classics department Cassidy now has one eye on classical civilisation in the coming years.'

WCN and Classics for All are planning a conference in COventry this academic year to promote the introduction of Classics and provide practical advice and workshops. Watch this space for more news.

Schools we have helped/are helping to introduce Classics to with Classics for All

Primary Schools

All Saints Catholic Primary School

Received training to introducing Latin to 120 KS2 pupils using Minimus.

Claverdon

Already studting Romans in Y4, in 2020 their plan was to introduce a Latin Club for KS2 (Minimus), with further plans for introducing enrichment to Yr4, then 5 and 6.

Finham Primary School

2022 - have applied for help with introducing Wood Roots

Keresley Grange and Keresley Newland Primary Academies

Applied to Classics for All in January 2021 to introduce MegaGreek to 120 Year 5/6 pupils in the Summer Term 2021, and to introduce Minimus to 120 Year 5/6 pupils from September 2021.

Monksmoor Park CE Primary School

CfA have helped introduce Latin at Monksmoor, who had an amazing 23 pupils studying Latin at KS3 in 2021/2022.

Our Lady Coventry

2022 - have applied for help with introducing Wood Roots

Secondary Schools

Alcester Academy

With the help of WCN and CfA, Latin was introduced to Y7 as an extra curricular class (between 15 and 25 attended) and shall be doing the same this year with added curriculum time. Their plan is to eventually introduce Ancient History and potentially Latin as a GCSE option. Over the next 3 years they shall hopefully have more curriculum time to teach both subjects and then introduce them from year 9 as a subject for GCSE.

Barr's Hill School and Community College

One of our big successes, in 2019 Barr's Hill received funding for 3 days of training and further funding for resources and teacher cover. Introducing Classics to their Y7 in 2019, since then they have introduced the subject to Y8, and Y9 and will be introducing Classical Civilisation this September.

Chipping Campden School

2022 Interested in introducing Latin and Classics for Year 7 and 8, perhaps in the form of a Classics club (extracurricular), with hopes of eventually introducing GCSE.

Eden Girl's School Coventry

An amazing school, winners of the Classical Association 'Making Classics More Inclusive' award in 2022. CfA helped Eden Girls introduce Classics in 2020, and now Classics is part of the curriclum at Year 7, 8, and 9. This summer 34 students sat GCSE Classical Civilisations! Amazing work.

Ernesford Grange Community Academy

2022 Interested in starting Classics and in discussion with Dr Grigsby about best way forward.

Finham Park 2

We have had lots of discussions with Finham Park 2 about introducing both Latin and Classics, and hope to timetable these subjects soon. In 2020 CfA supported one and a half days training and resources to introduce Latin to 6 pupils at Year 12 Sixth Form using Suburani. Dr Grigsby met with the Head Russell Plester in June 2022 to discuss possible Classics and Latin at KS2 with possibility of extension to MAT (Finham Park, Lyng Hall) and eventual GCSEs.

Higham Lane Nuneaton

Dr Grigsby is helping Higham Lane introduce Classics in 2022/2023 with some Warwick Classics students aiming to deliver 4 to 6 one hour sessions to a selected group of Year 9s and Year 10s after October half term. Our aim is for the school to see how exciting the ancient world is and to go forward and introduce this with their own teaching staff with training from CfA.

Hinckley Academy, Leicester

In 2020 Hinkley receieved funding for three and a half days of training for 13 staff to introduce Latin, Classical Civilisations and Ancient History to 150-200 pupils on the curriculum.

Houlton School, Rugby

2022. Houlton is a new school with its first Year 7 cohort finishing this year and moving to Y8 in September. The school has ambitions to offer a curriculum to rival private schools, and classics will form part of this. Pupils already study some ancient topics in translation in English and history classes; they are already doing Romans in Y7 history and Ulysses and Aristotle’s speech writing in Y8. The plan is to devote more time to classics through weekly timetabled enrichment, with a long term goal of building a pathway to examination level and introducing some Latin. CfA are to provide support and training to develop the classics teaching that is already delivered on the curriculum and introduce units of work covering the ancient world for the first year’s worth of timetabled enrichment.

King Edward VI College, Nuneaton

In Feb 2022 CfA provided funding towards the cost of travel for 30 Key Stage 5 pupils to visit Birmingham University Classics Department for a revision conference for the A Level ancient history course.

Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby

In 2019 Dr Grigsby and Steve Hunt of CfA provided materials for the introduction of Classics to Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby as an enrichment subject, Dr Grigsby also leading a session with the WCN VR headsets. Since then the school has delivered enrichment in Classical Civilisation to 150 Year 7 students in 2020/2021 and in 2022/2023 hope to open it up to all year groups. Y9 will have 8 weeks of 2 lessons a week of Classics!

President Kennedy School Academy

In October 2018 WCN and CfA helped staff at President Kennedy School in Coventry to create an after-school classics club, including some Ancient Greek. The club did not run in 2021/2022 due to staffing issues, but they hope to start again in 2022/2023.

Prince Henry’s High School, Evesham

Since 2021 CfA have been supporting Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham. They have given funding to support 6 hours of training for two staff to introduce A Level classical civilisation to 18 pupils at Key Stage 5 on the curriculum. Thanks to the hard work of all involved, in 2022/2023 6 students are continuing to the A Level exam. Dr Grigsby has also facilitated a further application for training on the Aeneid in 2022.

Sidney Stringer Academy

Sidney Stringer was one of CfAs big successes in Coventry prior to the WCN. Unfortuntaly due to the passing of their inspirational teacher Nicola Neto the teaching of Latin at the school has fallen by the wayside, but we hope to re-establish the subject and continue Nicola's legacy.

St Gregory’s Oxford

Dr Grigsby and CfA were contacted by St Gregory’s Oxford asking for training on how to make the Odyssey attractive, tips on teaching literature, and for a session on women in the ancient world. They were offered two half days of training and Dr Grigsby was able to point them to helpful resources such as those found on the WCN website.

Stoke Park School

Another of our amazing local schools, in January 2019 CfA offered funding for 3 days of teacher training to introduce Classics at Key Stage 3 to 180 pupils on the curriculum. Since that enthusiastic beginning, Stoke Part have expanded their offering of Classics and Latin to Years 8 and 9, and in September 2022 they are starting their first teaching of GCSE Latin with a cohort of 12 students. Amazing work!