The Latin department at West Kirby Grammar School - the only state school in Wirral and Chester to offer this fascinating subject - is a thriving and flourishing part of the school, with an experienced subject specialist sharing his enthusiasm and passion for the subject with students in Key Stage 3 and 4.
As they begin, students are given the option to start studying Latin (in place of one of the two modern languages they have studied in Year 7). They will then study Latin for two lessons a week throughout year 8 and 9, following the newly updated Cambridge Latin Course. Not only do students have the opportunity of studying the Latin language, its impact upon English, and its similarities with modern European languages, but they are also able to learn about the Roman Empire and the legacy which is still felt in the world today. With this foundation, they can then choose to continue their studies into Year 10 and 11, should they so wish.
At Key Stage 4, the GCSE course incorporates a diverse range of skills including Latin translation and comprehension, grammatical analysis, evaluation of Roman civilisation sources, and the thematic study and criticism of literature - a skill which dovetails neatly with the English curriculum. The department follows the Eduqas GCSE specification.
In both Key Stages, the department makes extensive use of eLearning resources to enhance teaching and learning, including iTV technology, access to designated websites at home and in school to support the course, and apps to aid vocabulary learning. As an integral part of the Languages Faculty, teaching also borrows from techniques more commonly seen in the modern languages classroom, pioneered by Gianfranco Conti.
Periodically, we also offer visits to enrich our curriculum, including trips to Rome and the Bay of Naples, and to Chester, in order to experience Roman sites at first hand.
examination results
of GCSE students achieved grades 9-7
of GCSE students achieved grades 9-6
of GCSE students achieved grades 9-4