The Mayor of London Boris Johnson is lobbying for more schools to teach Latin to enable all young people to benefit from a classical education. Currently only two – four per cent of state primary schools teach Latin compared to 40 per cent of independent primary schools.
The Mayor is a firm believer that Latin enriches the education of young people and wants more state educated pupils to have the opportunity to study. He will discuss taking the ‘class’ out of the classics today at a City Hall event which brings together head teachers to discuss the educational benefits of Latin.
At the event the Mayor will welcome the findings of a new survey by Friends of the Classics which found that:
- More than half of state schools struggle to find space on the timetable for Latin, with 33 per cent forced to offer it as an after school lesson
- 40 per cent of state schools found difficulty in recruiting staff trained in Latin;
- Nearly 20 per cent of state schools found resources generally tight
- 72 per cent of independent schools teach ‘classical civilisation’ compared to 38 per cent of state schools
- All schools reported that studying Latin offered excellent mental training – intellectual rigour, developing logical and analytical skills
The Mayor said: “It is absurd that the progenitor of many modern European languages is not recognised on the national curriculum. I firmly believe that we must not starve the minds of students eager to embrace the great intellectual disciplines of Latin. And we must stop the classics being the fodder of the independent sector alone. I commend the efforts of the educational organisations and volunteers bringing Latin back into state schools. I hope the event today will enthuse head teachers to join the campaign to get Latin back onto the curriculum. We cannot possibly understand our modern world unless we understand the ancient world that made us all and there is simply no better way than to make young minds think in a logical and analytical way. “
Dr Peter Jones, co-founder of Friends of Classics, said ‘Our survey produced important findings and there is no question that the demand is there for Latin. Since it is clear that the heavily regulated educational establishment has taken its eye off this particular ball, it is up to classicists, all those who value their classical education and those who know a good thing when they see it, to see what can be done. This is a problem that money will solve.’
Historical author and TV presenter Bettany Hughes will join the Mayor to champion the resurgence
of interest in Latin. Bettany who is President of Joint Association of Classical Teachers, said: “When I was at school, the consensus was that Latin was a dead language and that if I studied it I'd end up in a dead-end job. Well, luckily, that is not the case. Not only has my research taken me all over the globe - to some of the world's most extraordinary corners - but the films we have made about antiquity and the power of the past have now been seen by over 100 million worldwide. Not bad going for a passion that was kicked off in the classroom by amo amas amat!”
At the event today guest speakers from successful Latin projects across the capital will discuss the immense educational benefits and detail how more schools can get involved. The Barking Abbey state secondary school, in Barking and Dagenham, introduced the study of Latin a few years ago and it is now a very popular subject.
Anthony Moloney, Head of Classics and Ancient Studies at Barking Abbey School said: “Making Latin relevant to our current young generation is key to its longevity and success. We currently have 50 students across all years studying Latin and I believe it has a place in every school. With a modern twist and innovative pedagogy Latin can live on into its fourth millennia!”