On Tuesday 8th November, the Fettes College Classics Department were joined by 120 pupils from visiting Prep Schools (Belhaven Hill, Cargilfield and Mowden Hall) as well as First Form pupils from Fettes Prep, for the annual Classics Day.

Pupils spent the day in mixed groups to get to know each other, and had the opportunity to take part in different activities with our external guests: gladiatorial training with a Roman centurion and listening to the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice from a visiting storyteller. Fettes College staff ran a Greek Theatre workshop in the Drama Department, the Classics Department looked at Roman pottery and vase paintings with the pupils, and the Art Department helped the pupils to create a huge collaborative mosaic. As ever, one of the highlights of the day was the Roman Feast, hosted by our fantastic Catering Department.The final activity was a fast-paced vocabulary challenge – each school had picked two vocabulary champions who competed against each other in three hotly contested rounds. Blake from Belhaven Hill won the competition, retaining his school’s winning position from last year.

The day was a great opportunity for pupils to take a break from the rigours of Latin grammar and translation and immerse the children in the history, culture and mythology behind the language. It was hugely enjoyable for all involved and we are already looking forward to hosting the next event.