‘Latin is the maths of the humanities but Latin also has something that Mathematics does not and this is the history and mythology of the ancient world. Latin is maths with goddesses and gladiators and flying horses or flying children.’ So says Llewelyn Morgan, Professor of Classics at Oxford. Latin is a historically significant language that is embedded in many modern languages. Its study not only gives important insights and shortcuts to other languages but also leads to a greater understanding of how language works. Most importantly, Latin gives pupils the chance to experience the literature and culture and society of the ancient Romans. Fundamentally, the study of a classical language trains the mind, developing skills of critical thought, memory and close analysis, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of language. Linguistic skills lie at the heart of the course since it is through a deep understanding of the workings of a language that true intellectual contact can be made with people of the past. Through the different genres of classical texts, pupils examine ideas and artistry within their historical, political and cultural contexts. At the end of the Sixth Form, they truly learn exactly what it is that the Romans did for us! The A Level course builds on the GCSE, giving pupils a more sophisticated understanding of the language. This enables further study of prose and verse literature, through which they gain a deeper understanding of the life and culture of the ancient world. There are separate papers in language and literature. For the language component, both prose and verse authors are studied (Livy and Ovid). For the literature, pupils study two from Cicero, Tacitus and Livy as prose authors and two from Virgil, Catullus and Ovid as verse authors.