They teach you to think logically, to analyse and to be succinct. Latin is taught from Year 7 up to GCSE and A-Level, with exciting literature combined with linguistic analysis from GCSE upwards. Greek is an accelerated GCSE and A level option.
A lively approach to teaching proves that Latin and Greek are certainly not dead languages. It is really important to see just how much Latin (and Greek) exists all around us. You will probably be surprised by how much Latin you actually already know. Hundreds of words — like memo, alibi, agenda, census, veto, alias, via, alumni, affidavit and versus — are all used in everyday English, as are abbreviations like i.e. (id est, "that is") and etc. (et cetera, "and the rest").
At Blundell’s, one of the main aims of the Classics Department is to instill in pupils an enjoyment of the Latin language, where it comes from, how it forms a greater part of our own language, and to give them a taste of the history, culture and mythology of the ancient civilisations that shaped our modern western society. Latin can be a real linchpin to pupils’ education. Not only are there the linguistic links, but Latin provides root words for the sciences; it is the language of law, government, logic and theology; finally it is about making connections. Latin is like the glue or Velcro of education: it helps connect everything.
