Network Co-ordinator: Dr Paul Grigsby, [email protected]
Follow us on Twitter: @WarwickClassNet
The Warwick Classics Network was set up in 2018 by Professor Michael Scott and is led by lecturer Dr Paul Grigsby to promote and support the development of classics teaching in state schools in Coventry, Warwickshire and beyond. It aims to make the study of classics accessible for everyone, irrespective of economic or social background. Since establishment, it has supported the introduction of classics in 25 schools (9 primaries and 16 secondaries) across Warwickshire, reaching over 4,000 pupils and training 62 teachers.
- We support teachers currently offering classics with resources, advice, and a platform to share ideas and new approaches to teaching.
- We promote the teaching of classics in schools with no tradition of the subject offering free advice, training and Continuing Professional Development for teachers keen to introduce classics, even if they have no previous specialist training.
Our achievements include:
- The creation of GCSE ancient history and A Level classical civilisation online resources, which attracted over 180,000 visits during lockdown, as well as resources for home schooling and the teaching of Key Stage 2 and 3 Latin, ancient Greek and classical civilisation.
- 50 teachers attended A Level classical civilisation lectures by Warwick academics. Pre-recorded video resources from the day have been viewed over 1,300 times.
- 50 teachers from 10 schools across Coventry and the West Midlands attended online Key Stage 2 etymology taster sessions.
- Barr’s Hill School and Community College and Stoke Park School have extended Latin teaching into year 8 as well as year 7, reaching an extra 300 pupils.
- An outreach team of Warwick undergraduates ran extra-curricular projects at Sidney Stringer Academy, Barr’s Hill School and Community College, and President Kennedy School.
- A Roman Coventry project to tie in with Coventry City of Culture 2021, which aims to bring resources on Roman Coventry to 35 schools in the city by digitising artefacts at local museums.
- The establishment of the Warwick Institute of Engagement by Professor Michael Scott. This will aim to increase public engagement activities across the university, including those in the field of classics.
In 2021-22 we will continue to bring classics to Coventry, Warwickshire and beyond. Our main goal is to introduce classics to more state secondary schools and primary schools. With our Roman Coventry project, we will also bring Coventry’s Roman past alive for every Coventry school child and distribute free teaching resources to all schools in the city.
If you would like our support to bring classics alive in your school please contact us.
The Warwick Classics Network is supported by Classics for All, the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Warwick Widening Participation Fund.
We invite individual or corporate sponsorship of our regional networks. If you would like to find out more, please get in touch at [email protected].
Below is a video containing highlights from the Warwick Classics Network’s ‘Ancient Worlds Study Day’ held at the University of Warwick in 2019. The Study Day saw almost 1,000 school children and members of the public welcomed to the campus to hear talks by classical authors including Caroline Lawrence, Alexandra Sheppard, Emily Hauser and Natalie Haynes, and to take part in workshops led by academics from the Warwick Classics Department.