Since Autumn 2021, children at Sir Henry Fermor have learnt Latin in KS2.

Current educational research indicates that there are great benefits to learning Latin – it supports childrens’ knowledge of English vocabulary because about 60% of words in the English language have Latin origins. Latin is also a useful basis to help and prepare our pupils for their transition to Secondary school and the modern foreign languages they will learn there. Learning Latin prepares children for the comprehension of the languages they may study in Key Stage 3 and their grammatical structures and also aids comprehension of Tier 3 vocabulary in other secondary subjects, such as Geography and Science.

We use the Minimus Latin course, which is based on a real family who lived at Vindolanda, the site of a Roman fort near Hadrian's wall in 100AD. Flavius was the fort commander and he lived at Vindolanda with his wife Lepidina, their three children, assorted household slaves, their cat Vibrissa - and Minimus the mouse. Each term, pupils will discover more about this family and what life was like in Roman Britain through stories and fact files. Through these stories, pupils will also learn to read and speak Latin, making links to English grammar and vocabulary. Each lesson has a word root focus, linking a Latin word to words in English and building on children’s vocabulary. The Latin course supports the spelling and grammar requirements of the English National Curriculum and therefore contributes to improving children’s reading and writing skills.

By teaching Latin at Fermor, we are fostering a curiosity about languages and encouraging children to be confident to widen their vocabulary, whilst learning in an engaging, interactive way through stories, videos, activities and games. Children also have opportunities to learn about the Romans and their culture and develop empathy for the characters and their experiences.