This is a two year course and although no previous knowledge of the language is necessary, it is more suitable for those with a natural aptitude for languages. We use the Cambridge Latin course books in conjunction with other materials.

 

The Latin GCSE course is particularly special because we look at Latin Literature, reading, translating & discussing the same poetry and prose that Shakespeare would have studied in his Latin lessons 450 years ago.

 

Subject

Exams / Length of exam / weighting of exam

Latin - OCR

Paper 1 Language 50% 90 minutes. Translation of unseen Latin; comprehension questions from a piece of unseen Latin; straightforward English to Latin; English words derived from Latin   Paper 2 Prose Set Texts 25% 60 minutes. Abridged texts originally written by authors such as Apuleius, Tacitus & Pliny; translation, comprehension and literary criticism   Paper 3 Verse set texts 25% 60 minutes. Section of Virgil’s Aeneid; translation, comprehension and literary criticism

 

Demands of study:

• Logical, organised approach to the learning of accidence (noun and verb endings etc)
• Creative response to canonic European literature
• Complex work on the links between Latin words and English words derived from them
• Equal weighting of language and literature