Classics for All

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Classics for All

Classics for All raises funds to support the teaching of classics in state schools across the UK.

Classics for All was founded in 2010 to reverse the decline in the teaching of classics in state schools. Our vision is that all pupils in state schools across the UK should have the opportunity to study classical subjects, regardless of their background or ability. We believe that exposure to classics has many positive benefits. Head teachers and governors report the value of classics in raising

pupils’ aspirations, improving their literacy and cultural awareness and enhancing the school’s reputation, particularly for schools in areas of low social mobility. To date we have reached over 1,100 schools and offered over 144,000 young people aged 7-18 the opportunity to study the ancient world either as part of the curriculum or as an enrichment activity. A growing number of pupils supported by Classics for All are now studying classics at examination level or at university.

30/07/2026

Some books find you at exactly the right moment. For Jo Hobbs, CEO of Classics for All, it was a book about the Romans.

"I can still recall, just before the summer holidays one year at school, finding a book in the library about the Roman Ninth Legion. I was completely mesmerised. I remembered exactly where it sat on the shelf. But over the summer, the school library was reorganised, and when I came back I couldn't find it or the books around it. It's amazing how these things stick with you. How a story discovered at the right moment can set something alight that never quite goes out."

Jo studied Latin and Classical Civilisation at school and had a starring role as Eurydice in the school production of Antigone. She has spent almost twenty years as a senior leader in the charity sector, enabling children and young people to fulfil their potential. As CEO of Classics for All, she's working to make sure every child in every state school gets the chance to have that moment.

What book opened up new worlds for you?

Share your summer reading recs below. Classical inspiration very welcome.

29/07/2026

The smell of sun cream. A cold drink. The soothing crush of waves.

These sensory images conjure up beaches, sand and sun. One of the most iconic is, of course, the Mediterranean.

Romans gave us this word over 2,000 years ago.

Medi (from medius = middle) + terra (earth).

The sea at the centre of their world.

Latin isn't just something you study in a classroom. It's hiding in your everyday conversation. That's what makes Classics for All's work so important. We want to bring the wisdom of the ancient world to every child and young person in UK state schools.

The Amalfi Coast, French Riviera or somewhere else on the Med. Where would you pick?

24/07/2026

Finish the line: "Carthago _______ est."

A) Delenda
B) Servanda
C) Laudanda

The wars between Rome and Carthage were a defining multi-generational struggle that engulfed most of the Mediterranean. However, Cato's salty ambitions and utter contempt for the Carthaginians was made famous by this line which he insisted on cramming onto the end of any sentence he could.

Right now, only a fraction of state school pupils get the chance to explore the foundational stories that have helped shape the way we think, speak and act. That's what we work to change.

If you believe every child deserves access to a holistic education that includes Classics, comment with the missing word.

18/07/2026

With the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup coming to an end, it’s fitting to reflect on the fierce competition and mass spectacle that have captivated audiences and societies since ancient times.

The Zliten Mosaic, showcased below, dates back to the 2nd century AD and includes depictions of gladiatorial contests and animal hunts. It’s clear that classical roots remain foundational—the roof of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was directly inspired by the oculus of the Roman Pantheon!

Thousands of years on, the rivalries continue, fuelled by historical clashes that rehash themselves through sport.

Image Reference: Unknown Original Author, The Zliten Mosaic, depicting Roman entertainment and gladiatorial sports. Libya: Jamahiriya Museum.

17/07/2026

Finish the line: "My name is _____."

Odysseus, the complicated man who twists and turns. Within Homer's Odyssey, the infamous protagonist is notorious for his wit, intelligence and rhetorical brilliance. Although this line may have seemed like a brilliant ruse, it did end up getting Odysseus and his crew into a lot of trouble with Poseidon. Was it worth it? Perhaps not, but it sure is an great one liner.

Right now, only a fraction of state school pupils get the chance to explore the foundational stories that have helped shape the way we think, speak and act. That's what we work to change.

If you believe every child deserves access to a holistic education that includes Classics, comment with the missing word.

15/07/2026

Time is of the essence, and it’s also the essence of many weighty words. Chronos, the ancient personification of time, still wields his influence: chronology, the order of time; chronicle, a record of events; anachronism, something from another time. The list goes on and on.

Greek and Latin are woven into the English language more deeply than most people realise. That's what makes Classics for All's resources so powerful in the classroom. When pupils have access to etymological information, they can make better connections to English vocabulary, broadening perception and strengthening meaning-making.

Our mission is to ensure that all pupils regardless of background or ability can benefit from the insights that a Classical education provides.

We have a whole section of word roots video snippets on our YouTube channel – just search for Classics for All to find them.

12/07/2026

12 July, 100 BCE, Gaius Julius Caesar was born.

Caesar was born to a rich patrician family that claimed ancestry from the early kings of Rome as well as Aeneas.

Caesar quickly proved capable, intelligent and a forceful soldier in the Roman army. He rose through the ranks of both military and public office, becoming respected, feared, hated and loved in equal measure. Within his lifetime he held the consulship, expanded Rome's frontiers exponentially and subverted the entire definition of what it meant to be in power in Rome.

Contrary to popular belief he was NOT the first emperor of Rome, but he did do the legwork for this position to be created a couple of decades later.

Arguably one of the most famous figures in the entirety of Classics, Caesar's legacy was immortalised when he was stabbed to death by conspirators on 15 March, 44 BCE.

But, for today, Happy Birthday Caesar.

10/07/2026

Finish the line: "Abandon ___, all ye who enter here."

When Dante entered Hell in this neoclassical epic, he found that he was not alone... He was guided by the Roman poet, Virgil, author of the Aeneid. Virgil’s paternal presence provided narrative guidance through the poem but also pointed to the lineage of Classical wisdom that persisted from ancient times into the 1300s, when Dante composed The Divine Comedy. A lineage of culture, wisdom and thought that we embrace to this day.

Right now, only a fraction of state school pupils get the chance to explore the foundational stories that have helped shape the way we think, speak and act. That's what we work to change.

If you believe every child deserves access to a holistic education that includes Classics, comment with the missing word.

07/07/2026

Stop! This is important. Consider it educational. Strictly classical.

Now, open a bag of salt and vinegar crisps. That bag contains three Latin roots.

Sal is Latin for salt. This seasoning was so valuable to the Romans that soldiers received a salarium (an allowance connected to salt), which is where we get the word salary. It's also hiding in salad, salami and
saline.

Vīnum + ācer is Latin for wine and sour. Vinegar was vinum acetum, or ‘wine turned sour’.

Crispus is Latin for curly or crimped, hearkening the crunch in crisps we savour today.

Latin isn't just something you study in a classroom. It's all around you, including in your kitchen cupboard.

📹 We have a whole section of word roots video snippets for you to check out on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmciJ5Zr2Lbxn4JsIWtLG6TJ-TU9i_KFX

04/07/2026

Our annual Impact Awards are one of the highlights of the year. The achievements, effort and commitment of our teachers to enrich the lives of their students through Classics deserve to be honoured, and we are grateful to everyone in the Classics for All community that braved the heatwave to celebrate them.

Thank you to and for providing the winners' prizes, and thanks once again to these brilliant teachers and schools for the vital, inspirational work they do. It is through them that we look toward a brighter, more just and inclusive future for the UK by sharing wisdom, both ancient and beyond, with future generations. Bravo!

Address

Room D1, North Wing, King's College (Strand)
London
WC2R2LS

Website

http://www.classicsforall.org.uk/

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