St Mary's Calne
Last week, our Sixth Form Classicists and Latinists were joined by students from Winchester College for an inspiring and intellectually enriching evening in the library, dedicated to exploring Vergil’s Aeneid. The event was a great success, marked by lively discussion, thoughtful analysis, and warm collaboration between the two schools.
We were delighted to welcome Ashley Carter as our guest speaker. With numerous publications and commentaries on the Aeneid to his name, and over 20 years’ experience as a Principal Examiner at both GCSE and A Level, Ashley delivered a fascinating and accessible opening lecture. Focusing on Book 2 - the A Level Latin set text - he blended literary insight with practical exam advice, which students found particularly valuable.
Following the lecture, our guests were invited to supper, where the conversation continued in a more informal setting. With the evening light still lingering, we enjoyed guiding our visitors around the school grounds, pausing to reflect on the Cicero quote in the garden and to share the history behind the cast of the Calne Fates near the dining room.
The second session of the evening took the form of an interactive workshop, where students worked in small groups to analyse a selection of similes before presenting their interpretations to the wider group. It was a joy to witness such enthusiastic engagement, as students from both schools exchanged ideas and deepened their understanding of the text together.
The evening was not only a celebration of classical literature but also a testament to the vibrant intellectual community shared between our two schools. We very much look forward to continuing this collaboration and visiting the Classics department at Winchester next year.
Mrs Lucy Weeden, Head of Classics