Latin | Sixth Form | King's Ely | Private School near Cambridge

Kings Ely sixth form

Academic

A Level Latin 

Classroom teaching is supplemented with a rich variety of trips, films, talks and theatre visits.

 

In recent years, a number of students have won places to read Classics at leading universities including Princeton, Oxford and London.

An A Level in Latin will help students to acquire the linguistic and literary skills required to read ancient literature, both prose and verse, in the original language, with appropriate attention to literary techniques, styles and genres.

Students will learn to apply analytical and evaluative skills, and to engage with and respond to the material studied.

A Level Latin encourages the development of a sensitive and analytical approach to language, as well as the development of research and analytical skills that will empower students to become independent learners - a set of skills much in demand from employers in the modern world.

Classroom teaching is complemented by talks from internal and external speakers, visits to museums and theatres, and trips at home and abroad. A successful trip to Greece was undertaken in 2025 and we plan to repeat this in 2027.

Prerequisite
A grade 6 or above in Latin at GCSE (or equivalent qualification). 
Topic overview

 

Sixth Form Latin combines advanced study of the Latin language with in-depth study of literature in the original language, through which the cultural, political and social life of Rome can be explored. 

In preparation for the two language papers, students will develop their understanding of language structures, beginning to appreciate the beauty of this ancient language in its original form and they will have the option, if they wish, to write compositions in Latin. Skills of translation, comprehension and language analysis will be developed and tested. 

In addition, specific texts of prose and verse literature will be studied in detail. As students read and respond to these, they will consider their ancient context, what the content might tell us about the values and events of the Roman world in which they were created, and the relevance of their themes to today’s world.

Students will be asked to translate these texts, answer comprehension questions on their content and plot and analyse the language and themes of the works in essay-style questions. For examination in 2027 and 2028, the set texts will be: 

  • Prose –Nepos Life of Hannibal (AS & A Level) AND Tacitus Annals XIV (A Level only) 
  • Verse – Virgil Aeneid Book 4 (AS & A Level) 

Latin A Level Exam Specification 
Assessment

 

AS Latin 

Language – 1hr 30min written paper comprising translation and comprehension questions (50%) 

Literature – 2hr written paper on one prose and one verse set text (50%) 

A Level 

Unseen Translation

  • 1hr 45min written paper with a prose passage from Livy and a verse passage from Ovid to translate (33%) 

Comprehension or Prose Composition 

  • 1hr 15min written paper in which students either answer comprehension questions on content and grammar from an unseen prose passage OR translate a paragraph of English into Latin (17%) 

Prose Literature 

  • 2hr written paper based on the prose set text that has been studied (25%) 

Verse Literature 

  • 2hr written paper based on the verse set text that has been studied (25%) 

Latin A Level Exam Specification 

 

Meet THE HEAD OF CLASSICS 

Daisy Knox

EMAIL DAISY KNOX


 

eXPLORE Sixth Form Academic

A JOURNEY THAT IS

Uniquely King's

Admissions

King's Ely Sixth Form Pupils doing the hoop trundle outside Ely Cathedral

King's Ely Sixth Form Pupils doing the hoop trundle outside Ely Cathedral

  • PURPOSE
  • PRACTICE
  • PLACE
  • PEOPLE

To prepare each individual to live positive, productive, successful and fulfilled lives, for the betterment of themselves and the world around them.

Find out more

To ensure every child feels that they are known, and receives an excellent academic education that inspires curiosity and intellectual adventure. 

Find out more

To give a sense of place and belonging to all our pupils, and to celebrate our unique environment and make the most of its ecological, historical, artistic, spiritual and economic resources.

Find out more

To create a genuinely diverse community, outward and forward-looking and with a shared purpose. To bring into this community the best teachers, pastoral and support staff and students, and to be a source of friends for life. 

Find out more