This Wednesday, Years 4, 5 and 6 celebrated the annual Junior School Classics Festival. This year’s focus was on the technology and culture of the Greeks and Romans. After Years 5 and 6 showed off their recent classwork to their peers, Year 5 presented posters on art and storytelling, medicine, democracy and law. Year 6 presented on gladiators and charioteers, mosaics and the baths (and toilets). Year 4 then got the chance to vote on their favourite culture, just like the ancient Athenians in their democracy, by dropping tokens into a cup for Rome or Greece. They decided, by a vote of 12 to 9, that they found the Romans more interesting. We are obviously delighted that the result was so tight, as it gives the Classics Department the mandate to carry on teaching about both cultures after the Prep School moves to Manresa Road!

After this, we broke out into classrooms for three short workshops inspired by the culture and technology of the ancient mediterranean. Mr Hayward ran a pop-up Roman building workshop developing architectural skills; Mrs Bird led a weaving activity that showed pupils how to make friendship bracelets; and Dr Hayes ran a mosaic-making session using glue and coloured pieces of card. These sessions allowed our pupils to explore the ancient world in a fun and creative way.

At the end of the day we ran the awards ceremony, where we elected our annual Classics Champions, with prizes for each year group given to Megumi in Year 4, Lilivi in Year 5, and Sofia L-W in Year 6. This year’s Junior School Classics Champion was Cara in Year 4, who blew away all of her teachers with her creativity and curiosity in the afternoon’s sessions.

As ever, the Senior School’s Classics Department thoroughly enjoyed leading such fun activities in the Junior School. We would like to thank everyone for their participation and sense of fun throughout the afternoon’s event.

Dr Hayes, Head of Classics