Classics for All North. The view from Liverpool

• Published in: The Journal of Classics Teaching 2020-10, Vol.21 (42), p.86-87
• Main Authors: Case, Alice, Haley, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ancient history; Classical studies; Departments; Educational Practices; Egyptology; Elementary Education; Elementary Schools; English Curriculum; Latin; Latin language; Museums; Partnerships in Education; Private Schools; Secondary schools; State Schools; Students; Summer Schools; Teacher Improvement; Teacher Qualifications; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Trainees
• ISSN: 1741-7627; 2058-6310
• DOI: 10.1017/S2058631020000549

In June 2019 the Classics for All Hubs in the North of England (Blackpool, Liverpool, Durham/North-East England and Manchester/Leeds) met together in Leeds and agreed to combine our forces, rebranding ourselves as Classics for All North. The intention was to create a stronger presence in the North for schools and teachers of classical subjects and to share events and planning. We now have a combined Classics for All North website (https://classicsforallnorth.org.uk/) and social media presence (Twitter handle @ClassicsNorth, Instagram @CfANorth), we produce a combined quarterly newsletter and, where practical, share events and planning. It also means that schools that fall between our hubs or outside our metropolitan centres can feel more included. As we have set up our hubs and got to know teachers, a common difficulty has been raised: a feeling that so much that happens in the Classics world happens in London and the South. We are trying hard to change that. As individual hubs it can be difficult to make an impact. Individual numbers of schools in one area may be too small to run a Teach Meet event, but by combining them and running them across the whole region, we are able to accomplish more and our local schools are noticing more what we have to offer. Of course, our individual hubs are still busy in their own areas, recruiting new schools and training teachers.