Programme of Study & Syllabus

Read Icon.png Contents

Introduction

Classical Studies

Course Aims

The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment

Your Textbook and Resources

The Structure of the Course

How Your Work is Assessed on the Course

The Transition from AS to the Full A Level - Some Tips

Happy to Help

Download Download your Programme of Study

 

Introduction Icon.png Introduction

Welcome to your Wolsey Hall Cambridge AL Classical Studies course. Please take the time to read carefully through this page as it explains how the course is structured, how to get the most out of your studies and how your work will be assessed. At the end of this page, you will find details of the reading you will need to do from your set texts and also how each module links to the CAIE syllabus and the final examinations. Much of this will be the same as the AS Classical Studies Programme of Study but there are important differences in the texts and the form of the examinations.

This course will lead you step-by-step through the syllabus by way of resources, video and audio links, assignments and, of course, the texts, so that by the end, you will be confident and fully prepared for your final examinations.

Explore Icon.png Classical Studies

The history, literature and architecture of the Greeks and Romans has had an astonishing influence on the way the Western world thinks of itself. The evidence is all around Europe in the language, the buildings (including the many examples of ancient buildings still standing) and the politics. In reading about these civilisations, you are not only following in the footsteps of some of the greatest thinkers the world has seen, but you will also be able to laugh and cry at some of the most moving and timeless literature ever composed.

As you progress through the course, try to read as widely as possible to get as many different views as you can, but be constantly critical. Is the argument valid? Is it based on the evidence? Use your own common sense too, and come to your own conclusions. Remember that the best literature has resonance throughout time: Greek tragedies and comedies are still being performed today; epic poetry still makes us think and cry, and Thucydides wanted to produce a history that might stop us repeating our mistakes. Has he? The influence of the Greeks and Romans is still in evidence today in our political institutions and language: why is this?

Thinking Ahead Icon.png Course Aims

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for two civilisations which have greatly influenced the literature, thought and political history of the Western world;
  • Understand the values and assumptions of a different culture, having gained a more developed awareness of diversity in civilisations;
  • Interpret, analyse and evaluate critically a range of evidence, and organise and present information in a coherent and effective manner;

Implement your skills as an effective and independent learner, and as a critical and effective thinker;

  • Understand the core foundations of Western traditions of history, literature, and political thought – traditions which have had major influences on the shape of the modern world;
  • Understand the diversity of civilisation by analysing the cultures, values and assumptions, which are different from contemporary views;
  • Develop a personal response to a range of material from the Greek and Roman world.

Exam Prep Icon.jpg The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment

This Wolsey Hall course is designed to prepare you for the Cambridge AL Classical Studies examinations which you will sit at a Cambridge exam centre. It is vitally important that you become familiar with the syllabus which can be found below:

Download READ - Syllabus 2022-24 (CAIE)

Download READ - Syllabus 2022-24 Update (CAIE)

Download READ - Syllabus 2025-27 (CAIE)

The examination code for AS and A Level Classical Studies is: 9274

In addition to the two AS papers, which you may have taken in an earlier exam sitting, for the AL in Classical Studies, you will sit two papers:

  • Paper 3: Classical History – This paper is worth 25% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

This paper carries 50 marks in total and candidates answer two questions on Topic A: Athens and Sparta – one compulsory, source-based question and one essay question.

  • Paper 4: Greek Literature – This paper is worth 25% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

This paper carries 50 marks in total and candidates answer two questions on Topic B: Homeric Epic – one compulsory source-based question and one essay question.

All components are externally assessed.

THE SYLLABUS IS ONLY EXAMINED IN THE NOVEMBER EXAMINATION SERIES. PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANNING YOUR UNIVERSITY APPLICATION.

Assessment Objectives

The assessment objectives (AOs) for AS and A Level Classical Studies are as follows:

  • AO1: Knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of literary, cultural, material or historical sources in their appropriate contexts.

  • AO2: Analysis and evaluation

Analyse, evaluate and respond to literary, cultural, material or historical sources to produce coherent and reasoned arguments.

Read & Make Notes Icon.png Your Set Texts and Resources

Wolsey Hall offers a unique model of offline and online resources to our homeschooling students – a model which we have developed based on our many years’ experience of providing homeschooling courses to students.

Set Texts

Each subject specialist team carefully selects the best books for you to use as you study. There is no core textbook for Classical Studies, but your set texts are as follows:

Paper 3: Classical History – The Histories, by Herodotus (translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt) (Penguin, 2003); ISBN: 9780140449082; The History of the Peloponnesian War, by Thucydides (translated by Rex Warner) (Penguin, 2000); ISBN: 9780140440393; Frogs and Other Plays, by Aristophanes (translated by David Barrett) (Penguin, 2007); ISBN: 9780140449693 and Lysistrata and Other Plays, by Aristophanes (translated by Alan. H. Sommerstein) (Penguin, 2003); ISBN: 9780140448146

N.B. You will also find a list of Prescribed Sources for Paper 3 in General Resources. This includes texts which are not included in the books you have been sent by Wolsey Hall. Access to these texts is provided on Canvas.

Paper 4: Greek Literature – The Iliad, by Homer (translated by Martin Hammond) (Penguin, 1987); ISBN: 9780140444445 and The Odyssey, by Homer (translated by E. V. Rieu) (Penguin, 2003); ISBN: 9780140449112

Resources

In addition to your textbook and set texts, we have sourced a range of additional resources to support your learning. The resources are clearly marked out in the module pages and you should make use of these alongside your textbook to ensure that you get the very best out of your course. 

You will also find a range of key resources in the General Resources section of the course. These are items which relate to the course as a whole, rather than to specific modules, and as such, you should make regular use of them. For AL Classical Studies these are:

  • Specimen Papers and Mark Schemes
  • Prescribed Sources for Paper 3
  • Key Concepts for AS and AL Classical Studies
  • Command Words for AS and AL Classical Studies
  • Optional Further Reading List
  • Useful Websites

You should also make use of the extensive exam preparation material at the end of the course to help you to prepare for your final examination. 

Optional Activities Icon.png The Structure of the Course

All the files required for your course are uploaded onto our Learning Management System, Canvas. Once you have read through this page and downloaded the Programme of Study (POS) then you are ready to begin the course.

The key course content is covered in ten core modules, each of which has an assignment at the end of it. These modules will help you to get the most out of your textbook and set texts.

Module Eleven, at the end of the course, is focussed on revision and exam practice. It contains tips and tasks for you to work on once you have completed the course.

Each module is subdivided into topics so that you can study the course in manageable chunks. The topics contain the following elements, as appropriate:

  • Read and Make Notes – these sections include the prescribed sections and page references for reading and note-making from your set texts and sources. There are also frequent links to articles which will extend your understanding of key themes, characters and ideas in your set texts.
  • Tasks – these sections identify activities and exercises that build up your core knowledge and understanding as you learn new material.
  • Reflect – these sections include questions which allow you to reflect on what you have learnt so far.
  • Consolidate – at the end of each module, there is a topic in which you will find key questions and activities designed to draw together what you have learnt. These questions will assess the knowledge you have gained from the module and help you make connections between topics.
  • Links – throughout the course there are links to a range of websites, videos and lectures that will enhance your understanding of key concepts and your set texts.
  • Terminology – you will keep track of key terminology by making flashcards for revision as you progress through the course.

Worksheet Icon.png How Your Work is Assessed on the Course

Your progress will be assessed by completing an assignment at the end of each of the ten core modules. We recommend that you do NOT look at the assignments until you've studied all the topics in the module. This will ensure that you focus on everything you need to know for the exam. If you focus only on what you need to know to do well in the assignment, you will miss important elements in each module that you need to know and understand.

The assignments have been designed to help you prepare for your final examination. All assignments are modelled on examination style questions and cover a range of aspects of the topic you have been stuydng. Answering questions which are similar to examination questions is crucial in developing your exam technique, understanding exactly what the examiner is looking for in each case and ensuring you are confident when you tackle the real exams. 

Although you will not be able to refer to notes in the examination, in your assignments you may refer to your notes to help you get into the correct way of thinking. As you progress through the course though, you may like to try completing assignments without referring to notes. What is important is that you are aware of how long you are taking to write an answer. Roughly speaking, you have 45 minutes per question, so it is a good idea to time yourself in the assignments. Do not stop after 45 minutes, but make a note of the point where you reached 45 minutes as this  gives both you and your tutor a feel for how long you are taking to write the answers.

There are two types of question: the source-based question essay worth 20 marks and a 30-mark essay which will require knowledge of, and reference to aspects of the full literary texts and visual sources, if relevant. The assignments are designed to give you practice in both types of question.

The assignments allow you to think critically about what you have learned and will enable your tutor to see how well you are progressing. Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide you with detailed feedback. Once you have had your marked assignment returned, you will be able to access the mark scheme and/or a specimen answer (an A-grade piece of work). You should always reflect carefully on your tutor’s feedback and apply it in your future assignments.

You should read the assignment questions carefully, identifying the key words, and answer the questions to the best of your ability, providing relevant examples where necessary and explaining why they are relevant. Try using the acronym PEEL to help you:

  • Point
  • Example
  • Explanation
  • Link

The linking is important because if you link back to the essay title you will remain on track and focused on the precise terms of the question. If you don’t do well in your first assignment, don’t worry; your tutor is there to provide advice.

We ask that you do not submit multiple assignments at the same time. For you to see a steady improvement in your marks, it is very important that you reflect on your tutor’s feedback before beginning each new assignment, so that you can incorporate their tips for improvement into each new piece of work.

To get the best out of your course, before submitting each new assignment, you must:

  1. Complete all the reading, notes and activities in the preceding module;
  2. Read carefully through all of your tutor’s comments on your last assignment;
  3. Use the mark scheme and/or any exemplar or specimen answers provided to help you plan for the next assignment.

We cannot guarantee that tutors will be able to mark multiple assignments within 3-5 days and your work may be returned to you to complete again in light of more recent feedback.

All assignments are submitted via Canvas – you should consult the Canvas Guide for more information.

Speaking.png Happy to Help

When you study a Wolsey Hall course, you are never alone. There are lots of people who are willing to help you. Everyone is on your side! 

  • Tutors: At Wolsey Hall, all our tutors are friendly and knowledgeable. They are subject experts and you should not be shy about asking them questions about your course. You will meet your tutor at the start of your course and you should contact them via Canvas messaging if you have any questions.
  • Student Progress Managers: You have already been assigned a Student Progress Manager who can help with your Assignment Schedule.
  • Exams Officers: Wolsey Hall’s Exams Officers are here to help students with any queries regarding exam centres.
  • Canvas Help Desk: Canvas is a great virtual learning environment, but we understand that sometimes, even the best things can go wrong! If you have any problems with Canvas (e.g. uploading assignments or unable to access resources) you should submit a Canvas Help Ticket.

For information about how to create and submit a Help Ticket, please refer to the Canvas Guide.

We hope you’ll enjoy your course and studying at Wolsey Hall. We wish you the best of luck in your studies and success in your examinations. Please do let us know how you get on when you receive your examination results!

The Wolsey Hall Team