Classics for All

07/10/2026

🎟️ A MOCK TRIAL OF ODYSSEUS, KING OF ITHACA TICKETS 🎟️

🗓️22.10.2026

🕧6pm

📍Livestream

'Be strong, saith my heart, for I have been through far worse than this.'
- Odysseus, Homer's Odyssey, Book 20, Line 18

Many figures from the Ancient World are notoriously questionable characters. What if we put them on trial like any other criminal today?

Every year, Classics for All does just this with real lawyers in the Supreme Court

Debate online and decide if Odysseus is guilty or not...

Odysseus will be tried for: ‘failure by the master of a vessel to preserve the safety of his ship and those serving under his command,’ and, ‘the reckless navigation by the master of a vessel, thereby endangering the lives of those serving aboard, contrary to the Ithacan Merchant Shipping Act 1195 BC.’

To purchase tickets to view the event click here: https://classicsforall.tfaforms.net/4876993?EventID=701N100000qgrd5&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAUzItZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAnNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzU2NzA2NzM0MzM1MjQyNwABp9o5TVUnmDxkMotEJOvo46qPlxl6AVgm00NgXizrkOgleOthcuPf3_OleOI-_aem_AN7WAlS8wsvn_Uhqy0tmiQ

Classics for All’s Lawyers’ Group Mock Trial is returning on Thursday 22 October from 6pm at the UK Supreme Court. The format is simple: a controversial figure from antiquity is selected and taken to court for their actions. The verdict will be presided over by Lord Briggs, but our audience memb...

07/10/2026

It's spooky season! But we have to remember, the Greeks never had to pleasure of carving a pumpkin, despite it being their word. Pumpkin from the Greek 'pepon' (πέπων).

Pepon = 'melon' or very literally 'ripe fruit.'

Pumpkins, as we know them, are from North America. However, the Greeks describe the kinds of melons they grew as 'pepon,' which is closely related to the verb 'pepto' meaning 'to ripen.' 'Pepon' literally meant ripe fruit. At its very deepest etymology root, it is 'the sun-ripened fruit/gourd.'

From the Greek 'pepon,' the Latin word 'peponem' means melon/gourd as well, and this undertakes a fairly linear journey through French and Early English as 'pompion,' still referencing melon-like fruits, and after the discovery of the infamous orange gourds in North America, people started calling them 'pumpkins,' as -kin was a familiar English suffix of the period.

Greek is not just something you study in a classroom; it is hiding in your everyday conversations. That is what makes Classics for All’s work bringing the wisdom of the ancients to state schools so important.

06/10/2026

Loved seeing The Odyssey this summer? ⚓📚

If the film has sparked your students’ interest in myths, heroes and epic adventures, why not bring Homer’s world into your classroom?

We've created a complete 17-lesson mastery course for English and History (and Classics) teachers at KS3 that is ready to use and designed to build engagement without sacrificing academic rigour.

The curriculum includes:

✨ Cultural Capital - Explore ancient Greek values, mythological storytelling and the world behind The Odyssey.

📖 Literacy-Rich Learning - Vocabulary development, close reading activities and structured writing tasks woven throughout.

🎯 Built-In Differentiation - Ready-to-use scaffolds and stretch challenges to support learners at every level.

✍️ Creative Writing Opportunities - Optional modules focused on sensory language, atmosphere and crafting compelling narratives.

Best of all, the accompanying CPD is fully funded, helping you bring the ancient world to life while saving valuable planning time.

👉 Find out more and register here: https://classicsforall.tfaforms.net/5112712&EventId=701N100000rkfUf

02/10/2026

Finish the line:

'Where there's ____, there's hope.'

A) Love
B) Life
C) Peace

This quote from Cicero is a poignant summary of his life and times. Although the orator is famous for his ridiculously impenetrable prose and lengthy sub-clause riddled rhetorical prosecutions, he clearly was capable of channelling his intellect into a more candid form of wisdom.

Access to these foundational stories is limited for state school students, and that is what we’re working to change.

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

30/09/2026

When that sudden, overwhelming and totally irrational fear takes hold, maybe Pan is near.

Panic comes from the ancient Greek word, panikon (πανικὸν), or more precisely the term panikon deima (πανικὸν δεῖμα).

Panikon (πανικὸν) In reference to Pan, the God.
Deima (δεῖμα) Fear of.

Pan was the ancient Greek God of the wilderness, forests and shepherds. He was part goat and roamed the untamed wildlands, which occupied large amounts of ancient Greece's landscape. If a traveller saw Pan, they would be struck with a sudden and irrational fear. Pan was depicted as chaotic, unruly and sometimes nefarious. This word became a general term for referring to a sudden or overwhelming fear, especially in warfare.

Greek is not just something you study in a classroom; it is hiding in your everyday conversations . That is what makes Classics for All's work bringing the wisdom of the ancients to state schools so important.

25/09/2026

Finish the line:

'Come back with your _____, or on it.'

A) Shield
B) Horse
C) Country

Ah, the Spartans. Despite being popularised through media and historiography, the Spartans wrote few things down and even less has survived. We rely on the accounts of contemporary sources from other places or interested writers in the centuries following their downfall to piece together who they were. Plutarch attributes this quote as a famous parting farewell from Spartan women to their loved ones. We will never know if it was actually said, but it makes for a very evocative image.

Access to these foundational stories is limited for state school students, and that is what we’re working to change.

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

24/09/2026

We are delighted to announce that Andrew Copson OBE will become the new Chair of Classics for All this October.

Andrew brings extensive experience in charity leadership, governance and education, alongside a lifelong commitment to widening opportunity. A classicist himself, he knows first-hand the transformative impact that studying the ancient world can have on a young person's life.

As we look ahead to the next chapter of Classics for All, we are excited to work with Andrew to ensure that more state school pupils can access the opportunities that Classics, Ancient History, Latin, Ancient Greek and Classical Civilisation can provide.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Jimmy Mulville for his outstanding leadership, support and dedication to the charity over many years.

To read more about the appointment see: https://classicsforall.org.uk/news-and-events/andrew-copson-obe-appointed-chair-classics-all

Please join us in welcoming Andrew and thanking Jimmy for his remarkable contribution to Classics for All. 👏

Classics for All is delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew Copson OBE as Chair of Trustees. Andrew will take up the role in early October, succeeding Jimmy Mulville, who has chaired the charity since November 2020 and overseen a period of significant growth and development. Andrew brings ex...

23/09/2026

As the world gets darker, and daylight draws to a close, we must gather our resources for the winter ahead. Harvest comes from the Old English word, hærfest.

Hærfest = the period of time between August and November.

Hærfest is thought to be derived from the Proto-Germanic harbistaz, a word associated with the autumn period. Across ancient northern Europe, this was the time of year when entire communities organised their survival around bringing in crops, storing food, and preparing for the colder months ahead.

During the harvest season, gods were thanked, communal feasts were held, and rituals were performed to ensure prosperity through the winter. Life depended on a successful harvest.

It is tempting to view Classics as just the Greeks and Romans, but the world is and always has been a culturally rich tapestry, so it is important to look a bit deeper than what we get from Latin and Greek, as many surprises are waiting in the words.

Historical languages are not just something you study in a classroom; they are hiding in your everyday conversations . That is what makes Classics for All's work bringing the wisdom of the ancients to state schools so important.

18/09/2026

Finish the line:

'____ is the wisest counsellor of all.'

A) Loss
B) Fear
C) Time

Pericles, the Athenian statesman, saw Athens through one of its most transformational and pivotal eras. From peace to war and prosperity to plague, he may have been controversial in his time, but he certainly knew a thing or two about learning from mistakes.

Access to these foundational stories is limited for state school students, and that is what we’re working to change.

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

18/09/2026

**[FREE CPD & RESOURCES] 📜 Bring the Bayeux Tapestry to life with a twist!**

Hi everyone! 👋

Looking for a fresh, low-prep way to stretch your Key Stage 3 students during your Norman Conquest unit, or want an off-the-shelf framework for an after-school History Club?

We’re hosting a **free 1-hour twilight CPD session** for secondary teachers introducing a brand-new set of classroom resources that use the **Bayeux Tapestry** as a gateway to introductory Latin!

Across six complete modules, your students will explore the historical context of the tapestry while learning to decode the original Latin *tituli* (captions).

**What you’ll get:**

* 📚 **Turnkey Classroom Resources:** Ready-to-use slides, decoding tasks, vocabulary support, guided questions, and consolidation activities.
* 💡 **Zero Language Barrier:** Gentle, entry-level Latin concepts—**absolutely no prior Latin knowledge required** for you or your students!
* 🔀 **Flexible Use:** Easily drop individual tasks into Year 7 history lessons, use them as literacy stretch activities, or run it as a 6-week club.

Whether you're a History teacher wanting a unique primary source hook or a Classics teacher looking for accessible KS3 material, you’ll walk away with everything you need to start right away.

📅 **When:** Thursday 24th September 2026

📍 **Where:** Online via Zoom

👉 **Sign up for free here**: https://classicsforall.tfaforms.net/5112712&EventId=701N100000rWLap

Feel free to tag any colleagues who might be interested! 👇