Whales Dive into the World of Latin at Putney High School

Year 5’s Whales Class recently enjoyed a fantastic and memorable trip to Putney High School, where they took part in an exciting introduction to the world of Latin and the classical past. In just two hours, the children managed to do something truly remarkable – learn new Latin vocabulary, explore elements of Roman culture, and even perform short plays entirely in Latin!

The session was energetic, creative and brilliantly engaging from the very start. Rather than sitting quietly and learning from books, the pupils were immediately drawn into the language through interactive activities, games and drama. The specialist teachers at Putney High School showed the children how Latin words form the roots of many English words we use today, helping them spot surprising connections between ancient and modern language.

The highlight of the session was undoubtedly the drama workshop. Working in small groups, the children were given short scenes inspired by Roman life and mythology. With guidance from the teachers, they learned key Latin phrases and practised their pronunciation before bringing the scenes to life through acting.Before long, the hall was filled with laughter, enthusiasm and a little bit of Roman theatre! Each group confidently performed their short play in Latin to the rest of the class. From dramatic Roman characters to humorous moments of mistaken identity, the children embraced the challenge brilliantly. It was impressive to see how quickly they picked up the language and used it with such confidence.

For many pupils, this was their very first encounter with Latin, yet by the end of the session they were speaking it, understanding it, and performing it in front of an audience. The experience showed just how engaging classical studies can be when brought to life through creativity and performance.

The trip also gave pupils a wonderful opportunity to experience learning in a secondary school environment and to see the impressive facilities at Putney High School. A huge thank you goes to the staff and students at Putney High School for hosting such an inspiring session. The Year 5 Whales returned to school buzzing with excitement – and perhaps with a few future classicists among them!