On Monday 29th January 2018, our Bristol partners hosted their ACE event in the Roman Baths at Bath. They invited a number of decision-makers in education to attend the evening event, including chief executives of multi-academy trusts in the South West, headteachers, teachers and policy makers. The evening started with an overview of the project by Bristol and SW Classics hub coordinator Hannah Walsh, and by AHRC Leadership Fellow Professor Edith Hall. Teachers of Classical Civilisation from local state schools gave short presentations on the way in which Classics has evolved in their school curricular structures. Rob Flitton from Orchard School in Bristol explained that all students now study Latin and Classics at KS3. He explained that funding from Classics for All had made possible the introduction of Classics as an extra-curricular club and that follow-up funding had allowed it to be rolled out on curriculum. Jo Carrington explained how Classical literature is read in translation as part of an aspirational English curriculum at Clevedon School, North Somerset. She and her pupils have written a play based on the life of Socrates which they’ll perform in Greece later this term. The teachers’ enthusiasm for Classics was infectious and the attendees were clearly impressed by what they heard.

 

The evening finished with a torchlit, after hours, behind-the-scenes private tour of the Roman Baths. This was a special and spectacular experience. Our tour guide, Lindsey Braidley is the education manager at the Baths and she picked out a few highlights from the museum collection for the ACE group. Lindsey showcased the educational facilities available at the Baths and described ways in which the Baths could enrich the study of Classics in local schools. Participants left with goodie bags including stickers, pens, pencils and information on upcoming events at the hub.

 

For more information, please contact h.walsh@bristol.ac.uk.