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Durlston Court Latin Department

We offer Latin to the pupils who show aptitude in English by the end of year 5. The course we have chosen is ‘So you really want to learn Latin Prep’ by Theo Zinn and this is published by Galore Park. The aim of this course is to give a firm, grammatical foundation to the study of Latin. The Latin language is complex and beautiful but learning Latin often proves challenging for pupils and is therefore well suited to stretch the Gifted and Talented.

All pupils will gain a greater understanding of the roots of the English language and a wider appreciation of the links between English and Latin words. This often helps with spelling words derived from Latin. This solid foundation will make it easier to grasp the grammar and syntax of other languages, both ancient and modern. Latin is an inflected language which means it shows changes in meaning by altering the ends of words.  It is an introduction to languages such as Greek and German which have a similar pattern. There are so many lexical links with modern languages such as Spanish and Italian that a student of Latin will often take to other languages like a duck to water.

The Common Entrance course also includes some background knowledge of Classical Civilization but this is not its main focus. An introduction to Greek and Roman mythology is an integral part of the course and opens the door to the world of European art and culture inspired by the classical texts of the greats such as Homer and Virgil. 

Parents can do much to help their child learning Latin as it is a necessary discipline to learn vocabulary off by heart and to memorise the patterns of verbs and nouns. We trust the study of this academic subject will prove of lifelong benefit to our pupils.

Mrs. Rosalyn Reid
Head of Latin

"All pupils will gain a greater understanding of the roots of the English language and a wider appreciation of the links between English and Latin words."
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