Birkbeck welcomes London teachers into Latin classes
New project aims to increase number of teachers trained to teach Classics
This October, 20 teachers from London secondary schools have started Latin classes at Birkbeck as part of a project aiming to increase the number of teachers trained to teach Classics in state primary and secondary schools in London.
The Capital Classics project, run by Classics for All, has been awarded £250,000 by the London Schools Excellence Fund and includes BSix College in Hackney, which Birkbeck has been working with since 2012, providing specialist lectures and workshop at the College for sixth-formers, and other schools and colleges across north and east London.
The latest grant will train 70 teachers to deliver or improve Classics teaching, increasing access to Classics for pupils in areas of London with limited or no Classics provision.
Catharine Edwards, Professor of Classics and Archaeology at Birkbeck, said: “We are delighted to welcome this year’s cohort of teachers into our Latin classes. This module will give them a firm grounding in the language so that they can teach it at an elementary level and perhaps build on it in future through attending further modules. Equipping teachers to teach Classics in schools means that more pupils will have the opportunity to explore this rich and exciting subject area.”
Eddie a teacher from Christ the King sixth form in Lewisham who started classes at Birkbeck this week, said: “This is a great opportunity to further my own understanding of an incredibly important discipline – and build on my future teaching.”