Is it relevant today?

Thinking of choosing
Classics?
At George Abbot, you can choose to study Latin and
Classical Civilisation at GCSE and both lead on to ALevel. You do not have to have a qualification in Class
Civ or Latin GCSE to do Class Civ at A level
1. Short presentation by C J Currie HOD
2. What do the courses involve?
3. Display of exam papers /resources etc.
Why study
Classics?
Do something different .
Add that UPS to your CV
Meet the people
Clytemnestra , Medea and
Antigone
Aeschylus Agamemnon
The Odyssey includes the
Tale of Troy
Meet the authors
Homer and
Euripides
Virgil A2
Dido and Aeneas
Greek art and architecture
Architecture
Study the material
culture
Class Civ beyond the classroom
Attend lectures by world
renowned experts
British Museum –
visit collections
and study days
TRAVEL IN ITALY – gas trip 2015
TRAVEL IN GREECE possible
destination 2016
Is it relevant today?
“How can we understand our
world unless we understand the
ancient world first?”
asks Boris Johnson mayor of
London and Classics graduate.
LITERATURE
J K Rowling:
“draco dormiens nunquam titillandus”
Philip Pullman; Lindsey Davis; Robert
Harris; Rick Riordan
MUSIC
The opera: Dido & Aeneas; The name of the
popstar, Dido; The title of a Toploader song,
Achilles’ heel; ….
Bastille Pompeii –
continues to inspire today
ART & ARCHITECTURE
Botticelli, Birth of Venus
Antony and Cleopatra
by Lawrence Alma Tadema
The Athenaeum Club London
St Pancras Church Euston London
The Senate Washington DC USA
Lincoln monument
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
FILMS
Gladiator 2003
The 300 2007
The Eagle 2011
The Hunger Games
Pompeii - released 2014 May
Is it relevant today?
“Intelligent actions today are
informed by a knowledge and
understanding of what went
before, and a curiosity about what
brought us to where we are now.”
Whether we consider
politics, philosophy, engineering,
language, literature or art,
the study of Classics enhances
our understanding of our lives
Why Classics at A level ?
 Classical Civilisation is traditional A level
subjects which is highly regarded by all
good universities including those in the
Russell group which includes Oxford and
Cambridge.
 Students who study this subjects at A
level have gained places on courses as
diverse as History , Medicine , Law ,
Philosophy , Politics , Public Relations,
Economics, Zoology, Marine Biology.
Destinations of ex
students
 2014 – 2 A2 students have started
degrees in Archaeology /Anthropology at
top universities.
 2011 – Jack Johnson – graduated from
at Gonville and Gaius, Cambridge with
2.1 in Classics 2014 .
 2009 – Tom Light MA in Classical
Archaeology at Kent ; Veronica Hastings
reading English with Classical Studies at
Enrichment for Classics a
level students
 Essay competitions in conjunction with Oxford
colleges
 Classical WEX
 British Museum London – tour of Greek/
Roman galleries
 Classics Forum – at RGS Guildford
 Eton Summer School for Classics
 Visits to the theatre in London
 Tutoring through the UCAS process – mock
interviews / open days / personal statement /
Benefits of Classics a level
in UCAS / Oxbridge
application
 Students gain good grades – A and B
 Top universities regard Classics as a traditional subject
which fosters skills which are directly applicable to
independent study of any subject at undergraduate
level.
 Few state schools offer Classics at A level and this
makes your choice of A levels unique and it will catch
the eye of the admissions tutor when they see Classics
on your UCAS form.
 Some say that , simply by your choice of subjects you
give a clear indication of the calibre of student you are.
What do I do with it
next?
Classics beyond school
AT UNIVERSITY
CLASSICS DEGREES may include:
Greek language / literature -start from scratch
Latin language / literature- ditto
Ancient History
Philosophy
Greek & Roman Art & Architecture
Philology (origins & development of language)
Archaeology
Any one of the above can also be studied as a degree in itself
What to do with that
Classics degree!
 What skills will you gain?
 Studying classics will highlight your ability to learn and
comprehend challenging subjects. You will also develop your
ability to research, collate and analyse materials and learn to
critically evaluate resources in order to formulate arguments,
which you can present competently. You will be able to work
alone or within a team and to think imaginatively, a talent
Harry Potter creator and classics graduate JK Rowling
(pictured) has in abundance. Perhaps she also found
studying different societies, cultures and civilisations helped
her create a completely new fictitious one. Classics
graduates therefore enter the jobs market with specific,
practical, intellectual and theoretical skills.
CLASSICS GRADUATES
…are highly employable in all fields
An ability to study the subject to a high level indicates
an ANALYTICAL and LOGICAL approach
ACCOUNTANCY, CONSULTANCY, MANAGEMENT,
HOME/FOREIGN OFFICE, LAW….
as well as an EMPATHY for
the LITERARY and the AESTHETIC
JOURNALISM, PUBLISHING, TEACHING….
What do the courses
involve?
GCE Classics (OCR)
Specification for
2015- AS/ 2016-A2
AS Class. Civ. for June 2016
Homer’s Odyssey and Society
Study the whole of Homer’s Odyssey
(context questions on Books 4- 12 and 18 – 22 )
Examined by 1 context question
(choice of 2)& 1 short essay (choice of 2).
Key skills:
Ability to read & understand complex vocabulary & storylines.
Ability to comment on writer’s story-telling
/characterisation technique
Ability to comment on society , history , archaeology of the
Homeric world.
Or Mycenaean Greece or
City life in Roman Italy
 Both topics are archaeologically based
and introduce the subject and then
explore it in depth with reference to the
major archaeological sites of Greece and
Italy
 This topic can be studied in place of the
literary Homer topic.
AS Class. Civ. For June 2016
Greek Tragedy in its Context
Study Euripides :Medea , Electra;
Aeschylus: Agamemnon ;Sophocles: Antigone
Examined by 1 context question
(choice of 2)& 1 short essay (choice of 2).
Key skills:
Ability to read & understand complex vocabulary & story-lines.
Ability to comment on dramatic technique & conventions
Ability to relate the plays to contemporary society & attitudes including politics and
attitudes to women and slaves.
A chance to study the texts as works of literature in their historical context alongside the
artistic and architectural achievements of 5th century BC Athens
A2 Class. Civ. 2015
Art & Architecture in the Greek world
Study : Free standing Sculpture Architectural Sculpture, a selection of
Greek vases & the buildings of the Acropolis at Athens, the sanctuary at
Olympia & the oracular shrine at Delphi.
Examined by 1 context question (choice of 2) & 1 essay (choice of 2).
Key skills:
Ability to analyse vase painting and sculpture for historical insight,
especially into material culture
Ability to assess artistic merits of vase paintings
Ability to appreciate & comment upon historical, social, political &
religious significance of specific Greek temples & sanctuaries
Ability to recognise key stages in artistic & architectural development
during the Archaic & Classical periods
A2 Class. Civ. For June 2017
Art & Architecture in the Greek world
Study : Free standing Sculpture Architectural Sculpture, a selection of
Greek vases & the buildings of the Acropolis at Athens, the sanctuary at
Olympia & the oracular shrine at Delphi.
Examined by 1 context question (choice of 2) & 1 essay (choice of 2).
Key skills:
Ability to analyse vase painting and sculpture for historical insight,
especially into material culture
Ability to assess artistic merits of vase paintings
Ability to appreciate & comment upon historical, social, political &
religious significance of specific Greek temples & sanctuaries
Ability to recognise key stages in artistic & architectural development
during the Archaic & Classical periods
A2 Class. Civ. for June 2017
Epic: Virgil and the world of the hero
Study of Virgil’s Aeneid and Homer’s Iliad
Key skills:
Ability to read & understand complex vocabulary
& story-lines.
Ability to comment on writer’s story-telling
/characterisation technique
Ability to comment on moral & social values
expressed & implied
Please collect :
TAKE THE LONG VIEW
LEAFLET – AVAILABLE FROM
MRS CURRIE – EMAIL AT
CCURRIE@GEORGEABBOT.SURREY.
Finis
(The End)