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The Iris Project's Inner London Latin Project has been running since 2006 in the capital's state primary and secondary schools - offering pupils in large, mixed-ability classes the opportunity to learn about Latin in fun, accessible and relevant ways. Experienced volunteer teachers as well as student teachers from University College London Department of Greek and Latin and King's College London Department of Classics deliver a year long introductory course to year fives and sixes in inner London schools, which introduces Latin using activities and games, and offers a taste Classical myths and culture, using storytelling and drama.

The Project provides access to the fascinating subjects of Latin and Classics for thousands of inner city school children. It is also a fantastic way for students to engage in their local communities, gain experience and training in teaching, and also to develop other new skills. We work particularly with schools in deprived urban regions where literacy levels are often low, and where many children are on free school meals. Our project has been shown to enhance literacy as well as to promote confidence and communication skills amongst pupils.

If your school would like to be involved, please contact us through the website.

What commitment does it involve?

Volunteers teach for one hour every week during each of the three school terms. This is contact time in the classroom and does not include travel to and from the schools.

Volunteers have the unique opportunity to attend training sessions run by the King's College London Department of Education and Professional Studies, one of only three education departments in the UK to offer PGCE training in Classics.

Over the course of the year students are given supervision in class and are supported by the project leaders and liaison officers. Furthermore, lesson plans and worksheets are provided along with a selection of relevant activities and games.

For more information, please see the Iris Course Introduction

How do I become a volunteer?

We have many volunteers involved who are either currently school teachers or in other walks of life, and as well as this, there are usually around 10-15 places per year for student teachers from UCL and KCL, who are in the 2nd and 3rd years of their undergraduate course.
All lesson plans, worksheets and details are available on our website.

If you are a University of London student, and would like to be involved, please contact us through the site or contact your university Iris co-ordinator:

For UCL - Dr Peter Agocs - see UCL website link here

For KCL - Dr Will Wootton - see KCL website link here