This Thursday afternoon, pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 were taken out of lessons to watch the annual Lauda Sion spoken Latin competition.

Despite some extreme temperatures in the Senior Hall, pupils avidly watched dramatic readings from stories in their textbooks. They enjoyed spectacles such as baby dolls being thrown across the stage, enormous scrolls being unfurled, and villainous characters being stabbed to death.

The quality of performance from all year groups was very impressive, and reflects the hard work that these pupils have been putting into their Latin lessons this half term. This year was the first time that our Sixth Form Latinists also joined the party, reading dramatically from their prose literature A Level set text, a section from Tacitus’ Annals which details the political intrigue that encompassed the reign of the emperor Tiberius.

Ms Bhatti, Mr Hayward and Dr Hayes were joined by two colleagues from FHS Regent’s Park, Miss Young and Miss Willis, to judge the results of the competition. Each year group had a chance to win a prize of Suburani stickers and stationery, and sets 7Y, 8Z and 9V all covered themselves with glory as year group winners.

The ultimate Lauda Sion prize, however, can only be won by one individual whose dramatic performance and quality of spoken Latin stood out to the judges. This year, the overall Lauda Sion Champion was Katie D in Year 8, whose depiction of the enslaved boy Currax was very empathetic and vivid.

Congratulations to all of our winners for triumphing amongst a field of very capable and dramatic Latinists.

Dr Hayes, Head of Latin