Sixth-form college adopts Ancient Greek methods

A LEADING state sixth form is planning to adopt the teaching methods of Ancient Greece to help pupils win scholarships to Ivy League universities.

Newham Collegiate Sixth Form, in east London, is preparing to introduce lessons based around the “classical trivium”, with grammar, logic and rhetoric as the foundations of learning.

Mouhssin Ismail, chief standards officer of the City of London Academies Trust which runs the school, said the move would enable pupils to develop deep, analytical thinking skills.

He added that the two-year liberal arts programme would help them land places at top US universities, as well as giving them an edge when applying for jobs.

The new programme, which is set to begin in September, involves two hours of classes each week, studied alongside A-levels.

Lessons will include the Socratic method, pioneered by philosopher Socrates, to help students develop critical thinking skills.

Mr Ismail said: “A classical education, with a rich diet of knowledge that private school children are taught, gives them a grounding in the skills required to succeed. This programme will give them the building blocks of the ancients to be competitive in job interviews for the most sought after positions.

“We have also developed very strong partnerships with Ivy League schools who focus on a classical liberal education. Giving our students this strong foundation will hugely improve their chances of getting fully funded places at these highly prestigious institutions.”

Newham Collegiate Sixth Form has helped hundreds of deprived pupils get into Russell Group universities in the UK.

Last year, its pupils received 41 Oxbridge offers, while two pupils were offered places at Ivy League institutions. Former pupils have also won places at Harvard, MIT and Princeton on full scholarships.

The programme will also be introduced at Islington Collegiate Sixth Form and Hackney Collegiate Sixth Form, both of which modelled on the sixth form in Newham.

Mr Ismail, a former City lawyer, said that despite pupils outperforming peers at top private schools in their exam results, they were missing out on top jobs.

He said: “Helping our students get top grades in their exams is only half the job. They are still not accessing the top jobs their educational performance deserves.”