Advocating Classics Education – a new national project by Edith Hall and Arlene Holmes-Henderson

he ‘Advocating Classics Education’ democracy, and develops identities large number of schools. Hunt (2013) T(ACE) project is an initiative led by founded in citizenship on the national, provided a more recent, relatively brief, Professor Edith Hall and Dr Arlene European and cosmopolitan, global overview. The ACE project will remedy Holmes-Henderson, based at King’s level. the absence of an authoritative history College London. The project seeks to Unfortunately, qualifications at of the teaching of these subjects in extend the availability of Classical GCSE and A or AS Level in Latin and schools and sixth form colleges, and Civilisation and Ancient History Ancient Greek languages are rarely of a description of what they entail, (CC/AH) qualifications to learners in available outside the private education by producing as its major output a non-fee-paying schools across the United sector (Lister, 2007; Hunt, 2016). There 60,000-word book, available freely online, Kingdom. To do so, Professor Hall has is, however, a financially feasible solution jointly written by the Fellow (an expert in been awarded a Leadership Fellowship of for state sector students: the Classics in Britain beyond the elite) and £250,000 from the Arts and Humanities introduction of courses leading up to the Research Fellow (an expert in Research Council (AHRC). The project’s qualifications in Classical Civilisation or contemporary Classical pedagogy). The full title is ‘Studying Classical Civilisation Ancient History. Between three and four research element of the project addresses in Britain: recording the past and fostering thousand teenagers currently sit A Level two fundamental questions: it asks (1) the future’ and it runs from 1st May 2017 in the state sector in these subjects, but what is the history of the study of CC to 31st August 2018. these numbers could be substantially and AH at secondary level in British increased since (in most parts of the schools? and (2) what are the skills and U.K.), both Classical Civilisation and intellectual competencies conferred upon Ancient History can be taught by any students who take such courses? The Background teacher, of any subject, currently fundamental evidence they will examine employed in a school or sixth form consists of all the printed documentation Far too few British children are educated college and in possession of qualified relating to qualifications in these subjects about the ancient Greeks and Romans at teacher status, enthusiasm to teach the issued historically by examination boards, secondary level. Studying ancient Greek ancient world, and sufficient support. and the results of a questionnaire and Roman civilisation, history, thought, These subjects prove extremely distributed to as many individuals as literature, art and archaeology is not only popular and successful wherever they are possible who have experience of exciting and instructive, but confers introduced (Khan-Evans, forthcoming Classical Civilisation or Ancient History profound advantages: it hones analytical 2018; Watson, 2013). But they are poorly courses at secondary level at any time and critical skills, trains minds in the understood even by academic Classicists now or in the past. comparative use of different types of (Goodman, 2017), let alone the general evidence, introduces young people to the public. There is no fully comprehensive finest oratory and skills in argumentation study of their history: the canonical and communication, enhances cultural account (Stray, 1998) of classical Aims of the ACE project literacy, refines consciousness of cultural education in British schools ends its difference and relativism, fosters survey in 1960, which was almost exactly The Leadership Fellow and the Research awareness of a three-millennia long past, the moment when Classical Civilisation Fellow will engage directly with teachers, along with models and ideals of began to be introduced in a relatively schools and the public in a series of

The Journal of Classics Teaching 18 (36) p.25-28 © The Classical Association 2017. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits Downloaded non-commercialfrom https://www.cambridge.org/core re-use, distribution,. IP andaddress: reproduction 170.106.33.19 in any, on medium,24 Sep 2021 provided at 06:16:17 the, originalsubject to work the Cambridge is unaltered Core and terms is properly of use, available cited. The at written 25 https://www.cambridge.org/core/termspermission of Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000198 University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work. Citizenship Teaching, OCR, International Baccalaureate and Eduqas.

ACE project partners

The project has 16 university partners: Durham University, King’s College London, Liverpool Hope University, Queen’s University Belfast, the Open University, Swansea University and the Universities of Bristol, Exeter, Glasgow, Kent, Leeds, Nottingham, Reading, Roehampton, St. Andrews and Warwick. Each partner university will host one high-profile public event in 2017-2018 and academic staff will support schools in their region to introduce and develop the teaching of CC/AH. Each event will Delegates at the ACE Opening Conference: Arlene Holmes-Henderson and Edith Hall both feature a range of activities and talks rd th front row, 3 and 4 from the left. including: (i) a talk by an invited ‘celebrity classicist’, whose appearance will maximise publicity in local news media; events designed to maximise dialogue The project’s website will create a (ii) a ‘Question Time’-type panel debate that will feed into the research and permanent hub for discussion, sharing including local teachers and pupils public impact across the British Isles - in and dissemination of news, information, answering questions posed by the public; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as ideas and resources which further the (iii) discussion led by the Research Fellow well as in 12 English regional centres. project’s objectives amongst stakeholders. of the subject-specific and transferable The goals are to introduce or support These include not only official project skills and intellectual value of such the teaching of Classical subjects in new patrons and partners, but teachers in studies; (iv) an illustrated presentation by schools or sixth form colleges, to raise schools, sixth form colleges and other the Fellow illustrating how people have their public profile and initiate a public universities, related charities, study groups been inspired by classical culture locally, debate about their value and and subject associations. using historical examples since the 18th sustainability, and to influence Short promotional films featuring century (evidence here will be drawn from educational policy, especially by getting the researchers, project partners, patrons, her now completed research into regional Classical Civilisation accepted alongside teachers and students will be used to classical education, entertainment, art and Ancient History as a core Humanities advocate the policy goals of the project. architecture already amassed in the course subject on the English Baccalaureate. A Filming has begun and these will be of her AHRC-funded project ‘Classics & template letter will be available on the posted on the website in due course. Class in Britain 1789-1917’). project website for members of the Following the regional event, each public to use to lobby their MP to partner institution will provide ongoing provide 1) equal recognition for Patrons and collaborators support to local schools including helping Classical Civilisation (alongside History, teachers secure curricular space for CC/ Geography and Ancient History) and 2) The project has six patrons. Professor AH and by providing professional additional funding for the learning/ Paul Cartledge, Professor Malcolm mentoring (which might include enhancing teaching of Classical subjects in Schofield, Professor Greg Woolf, Dr subject knowledge, or visiting schools to non-fee-paying schools. Emma Bridges, Natalie Haynes and observe and/or team teach). The national At the policy level, Professor Hall Charlotte Higgins. Their biographies can charity Classics for All will help coordinate and Dr Holmes-Henderson will meet be read at aceclassics.org.uk. this follow-up, and will provide funding to representatives from the Education Collaborators include: the Classical help non-fee-paying schools establish the departments in each of the four nations Association, the Society for the teaching of Classical subjects. to raise the profile of the study of the Promotion of Roman Studies, the Society Classical world as an important element for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, of 21st century education. Meetings with the Historical Association, Classics for the five exam boards offering All, the Institute for Classical Studies, ACE events accreditation in Classical subjects will Euroclassica, the Council of University ensure that qualification bodies contribute Classics Departments, the Women’s Full details of ACE partner events are to discussions affecting policy and Classical Committee, Cambridge available on the website but those practice. School Classics Project, Association for confirmed to date include:

Downloaded26 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.19Advocating, on 24 Classics Sep 2021 Education at 06:16:17 –, a new subject national to the Cambridge project Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000198 Edith Hall demonstrates the ACE Facebook page.

• University of Kent 30th September 2017 content and assessment criteria of CC/ AH courses, and answer any questions • University of Leeds 13th December 2017 History teachers may have. Further direct engagement with teachers (of th • University of Bristol 29 January 2018 Religious Education, Philosophy, English, Drama and Citizenship) is • University of Exeter 3rd February 2018 planned via our subject association collaborators. • University of St Andrews 3rd March 2018

• Open University 12th March 2018 How to engage with ACE? • Liverpool Hope University 21st March 2018 The Project has its own Twitter account • University of Glasgow 28th March 2018 @classcivanchist where project events, • Swansea University 11th May 2018 images and updates are recorded. Activities are also recorded on the ACE • University of Warwick 2nd July 2018 Facebook group https://www.facebook. com/groups/1403604912993457/ which provides a forum for teachers, policy Professor Hall has been invited to and secondary schools. As all children in makers and exam board representatives to deliver the keynote address to the England and Wales learn about the discuss key issues facing the future of Historical Association conference in May Greeks and Romans in the Key Stage 2 CC/AH in classrooms. 2018, and Dr Holmes-Henderson will History Curriculum, this project is The ACE website has a blog which facilitate a workshop for teachers. By well-placed to support and improve showcases updates from our 16 attending the Historical Association’s continuity of learning across transitional university partners, as well as features conference, they will establish direct phases. Events such as this provide an based on meetings with collaborators. channels of communication with ideal forum in which the project team There is also a ‘contact us’ facility, which existing teachers of History in primary can share information about the syllabus allows members of the public to share

Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.19Advocating, on Classics 24 Sep 2021 Education at 06:16:17 – a new, subject national to the project Cambridge Core terms of use, available at 27 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000198 information with the research team Dr Arlene Holmes-Henderson is Hunt, S. (2016). Starting to Teach Latin, London, and to volunteer their help in various AHRC Research Fellow in Classics Bloomsbury. ways. The project email address is Education at King’s College London. She [email protected] researches the value of Classics for 21st Khan-Evans, A. (forthcoming 2018). ‘The appeal of non-linguistic classical An important tool for data collection century learners, trains teachers studies among Sixth form students’ in A. is a survey on Classics education. If you internationally and provides specialist Holmes-Henderson, S. Hunt and M. were educated in the UK (whether your consultancy for curriculum bodies and Musié (eds.) Forward with Classics: Classical school offered Classics or not) please exam boards. languages in schools and communities, London, complete this (and share the link widely): Bloomsbury. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ WTDM76R Lister, B. (2007). Changing Classics in References Schools, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Professor Edith Hall is Professor of Goodman, P. (2017). ‘Bridging the gap: Greek at King’s College London where teaching and studying Ancient History and Stray, C. (1998). Classics Transformed: Schools, she teaches, researches and provides Classical Civilisation from school to university’, Universities, and Society in England, 1830-1960, Journal of Classics Teaching, 35, 48-53. specialist consultancy for a number of Oxford, Oxford University Press. organisations including the Royal Hunt, S. (2013). ‘Classical Civilisation: the last Watson, J. (2013). ‘Challenge or Chance? Shakespeare Company. She writes for 50 years’ in Joint Association of Classical Classical Civilisation at GCSE and A newspapers, broadcasts on radio and Teachers 50 years of the Joint Association of Level’, Journal of Classics Teaching, 28, appears on television. Classical Teachers, London, JACT. 50-53.

Downloaded28 from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.19Advocating, on 24 Classics Sep 2021 Education at 06:16:17 –, a new subject national to the Cambridge project Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631017000198