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Latin

CENTURION: What's this, then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'? 'People called Romanes they go the house'?

BRIAN: It.. it says, 'Romans, go home'.

CENTURION: No, it doesn't. What's Latin for 'Roman'? Come on!”

(Monty Python’s Life of Brian, 1979)

There cannot be many scenes where learning Latin grammar is portrayed in such an amusing manner.  At King’s Hall School our aim is to instil 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 Mediterranean civilisations that shaped our modern western society.

We do this by making Latin relevant to today and using Disce Latinum, a course which, supplemented by our own departmental materials, gives the pupils a thorough grounding in grammar and syntax.  Latin is taught to pupils in the top sets from Years 6 to 8. 

‘Latin is having the edge’.  For those learning the modern Romance languages, Latin is the ‘Mother Tongue’.  Children also start to acquire a facility with English words and to identify the stem of a Latin word within its English counterpart, which often gives the clue to the English spelling and meaning.  The logical, code-cracking nature of Latin provides pupils with key skills in learning.

Through increasing knowledge, we hope pupils will go on to enjoy the rich poetry and prose of Ancient Rome at King's College and in other schools.

Latin really is ‘having the edge’. 

    
Quotes from children
“I love Latin.  It’s like cracking a code.”  Year 7 pupil.
“What I like are the derivations we get from the original Latin.” Year 7 pupil.