The Classical Association

28/05/2026

The latest issue of The Journal of Classics Teaching (Vol 27 - Issue 53 - Spring 2026) is now available online and open-access via Cambridge Core:

Journal of Classics Teaching

22/05/2026

It’s great to see Cait, winner of our 2023 Creative Writing Competition with Bloomsbury Publishing UK, championing the importance of the Humanities in this University of Oxford video

05/05/2026

Stephen Spender Prize 2026

Calling young translators and teachers! The Stephen Spender Prize 2026 is open for entries.

Translate into English any poem from any language, or a Polish poem for the Polish Spotlight, for your chance to join the Prize hall of eternal fame. Includes translation from Latin and Ancient Greek!

Full details below

About the Stephen Spender Prize The Stephen Spender Prize is an annual competition for poetry in translation that celebrates the creativity of young people across the UK and Ireland – and their teachers! The Prize has categories for schools, teachers...

20/04/2026

Classical Civilisation CPD Day

The CA is delighted to be working with the University of Warwick to host this in-person Classical Civilisation CPD day on 17 June 2026.

Designed to support GCSE and A Level teachers alike, this day will offer a range of workshops to support teachers at every stage of career, and give you the chance to network with the community.

Our keynote lecture will be delivered by Prof David Fearn, head of department and Professor of Greek at the university.

We have experienced practitioners delivering sessions on topics such as knowledge retrieval, AI, flipped learning, secondary scholarship, and essay writing skills. We'll also be joined by Dr Clare Rowan, whose session will focus on using tokens to diversify the curriculum, and Dr Emmanuela Bakola, on teaching performance in Greek Theatre.

See the programme and register here:https://classicalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Programme-FINAL.pdf

27/03/2026

Last chance to register for the 2026 CA Conference - in person in Manchester (UK) or online!

With more than two hundred papers, panels, workshops, lightning talks and posters scheduled to be showcased across the three-day Conference (10-12 April), we do hope that you will join us in person in Manchester, or online - you can sign up for both options below.

Don’t miss our Classical Association Hon. President Prof. Michael Wood’s Address on ’The Joy of Classics’ on the Saturday night as well as the Gala Dinner, evening entertainment and a drinks reception. These tickets must be booked before 1 April.

Conference The CA Conference is the largest annual Classics Conference in the UK and brings together everyone with an interest in the ancient world, from across the globe. This year, we're delighted to be heading to Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester - sign up b

26/03/2026

The Classical Association responds to the withdrawal of AS Latin and Greek

The Classical Association, together with the Hellenic and Roman Societies, is urgently engaging with Cambridge OCR following the sudden announcement of the withdrawal of AS Level Latin and Classical Greek. Over the past few days, we have been contacted by many of you regarding this decision. We know this has caused significant concern across the teaching community, and we want to reassure colleagues that, as the Subject Association for the discipline, we are advocating on your behalf.

We have written formally to Cambridge OCR, to express our concerns that this withdrawal:
• Makes access to Latin and Greek even harder, particularly for state-sector schools and regions already facing limited provision.
• Risks damaging the pipeline into A Level Latin and Greek, where the AS provides an essential entry point for many students.
• Creates uncertainty about the long term security of A Level qualifications in classical languages.

The AS qualification is vital for many centres. We know many of you plan AS courses over two years. At the very least, we are pushing for the final assessment window to be extended to 2028 to protect students intending to begin the AS this coming September - but we are also urging Cambridge OCR to reconsider this decision entirely.

We have requested an urgent meeting with Cambridge OCR to ensure the concerns of the teaching community are heard and addressed.

The Classical Association remains committed to safeguarding the future of classical language education, and will continue to advocate strongly on your behalf.

13/03/2026

Omnibus 91 is now available to order from the CA Shop for p&p costs only. Schools can order in bulk and some back issues are also available.

CA members can access a digital version in the members' area of our website.

https://classicalassociation.org/shop/ (see Publications)

13/03/2026

The Open University 2026 Leventis MA Studentships

The OU is once again offering three fully-funded studentships for The Open University’s MA in Classical Studies. These studentships, generously funded by the A.G. Leventis Foundation, are open to candidates who meet one or both of the following criteria:

• Teachers working in state-funded primary schools, secondary schools, or sixth form colleges in the UK, and who intend to introduce or develop the provision of classical subjects in their school;

• UK students from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.

The OU's MA is studied part-time over two years. Successful candidates will be expected to begin their studies in September 2026. The deadline for applications is 4pm on Monday 1 June 2026.

You can find full details of the studentships and the application here:
https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/classicalstudies/?p=1930

Informal enquiries from prospective applicants are very welcome: please contact Dr Stephanie Holton ([email protected])

26/02/2026

The Open University: 'Exploring Ovid's Big Ideas'

We're delighted to share with you the latest in the OU's series of free online short courses in Classical Studies. ‘Exploring Ovid’s Big Ideas’ (see below) was written by Chella Ward and is part of our HeadStart Classical Studies offering, which is designed for anyone who is interested in finding out more about the ancient world.

To date HeadStart courses have been accessed by over 400 000 learners, and in 2025 they helped to secure for the Open University the inaugural Classics for All University Outreach Award. HeadStart courses each comprise around six hours of guided self-study; they assume no prior knowledge and we hope that they will be of interest to anyone who is currently studying, or thinking of studying, the ancient world. The topics connect with elements of the UK school curriculum so may be of particular interest to teachers.

Alongside ‘Exploring Ovid’s Big Ideas’ HeadStart also features:
• ‘Exploring Homer’s Odyssey’ by Emma Bridges;
• ‘Exploring Ancient Greek Religion’ by Alex Wilding;
• ‘The Many Guises of the Emperor Augustus’ by Ursula Rothe; and
• ‘Herodotus and the Invention of History’ by Elton Barker.

You can find all five available HeadStart Classical Studies courses here: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/headstart-classical-studies.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/exploring-ovids-big-ideas/?active-tab=description-tab

In this free course, Exploring Ovid’s big ideas, you will find out why Ovid’s work is still so relevant today. You will meet characters from ancient myth like Actaeon the hunter who was turned into...

25/02/2026

The CA is partnering once again with the National Extension College to offer up to three full bursaries for state sector teachers who can begin studying now and complete the Classical Civilisation A level either in June 2027 or 2028.

At a time when teachers are busier than ever, the NEC course gives you the flexibility to fit your learning around your lifestyle and to study the Cambridge OCR syllabus at your own pace, with a personal online tutor supporting you throughout.

We will not only pay your course fees but also your exam fees, making each bursary worth an estimated £900 based on current course and exam fee scales.

See below for details.

A Level Classical Civilisation with the National Extension College The Classical Association is offering up to three* study bursaries for state sector teachers to take online A level Classical Civilisation with the National Extension College (NEC): APPLY HERE Learners enrolled

23/02/2026

Coming soon - Omnibus 91!

The next issue of Omnibus magazine will shortly be available to order via the CA Shop for p&p only. Schools can order in bulk and some back copies are also available.

Omnibus 91 is available digitally in the members' area of the website, and members who have opted for a print copy will receive it in the March mailing.

See the contents list here:https://classicalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Omnibus-91-contents-.pdf