Teaching Board
OUR PURPOSE
The Classical Association Teaching Board (CATB), made up of teachers, examiners, subject reps, academics, curriculum providers and practitioners, was established to support teachers of classical subjects and ancient history at all levels
As the Subject Association for Classics, the CA offers a wide range of support for teachers of all classical subjects, at all stages of their career. The Classical Association Teaching Board (CATB), made up of teachers, examiners, subject reps, academics, curriculum providers and practitioners, was established to support teachers of classical subjects and ancient history at all levels. The CATB is leading on qualifications reform and provides teaching and learning resources, and Continuing Professional Development; it works closely with examination boards and other subject associations; and advocates for the wider Classics community. The CATB builds on the work of the Joint Association of Classical Teachers (JACT) which was founded in 1963 and merged with the Classical Association in 2015.
The CATB is currently undertaking a major review of the English classical qualifications, with the aim of better preparing the subject community for reform, and ensuring that the voices of teachers are at the forefront of these conversations. The CATB’s collaborative working relationship with the exam boards ensures that the views of the teaching community are heard, and can help shape their work on the development of both current and future specifications.
If you would like to bring an issue to the attention of the CATB, please contact Gráinne at education@classicalassociation.org.
Co-chairs: Dr John Holton and Henry Cullen
John is Senior Lecturer in Ancient History and the Director of Education in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at Newcastle University. He has led a number of briefs in this role, including as institutional lead for digital assessment development and for virtual learning environments, and has extensive experience of curriculum development, quality assurance, and strategic planning in education. His research and teaching centre around ancient political history, principally of the Hellenistic period, and he designed and introduced Newcastle’s innovative ‘Global Ancient Histories’ offer. He was also part of the advisory group that produced the latest QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Classics and Ancient History, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Henry is a Classics teacher and Director of Studies at St Albans High School for Girls, having previously been Head of Department at Colfe’s School, Lewisham. He followed Classics from school to university and into teaching because, quite simply, no other subject could match it for intellectual breadth and intrinsic interest; we must enable as many young people as possible to experience and enjoy it. He was Director of Studies of the JACT Greek Summer School (held annually at Bryanston) for nine years, and established the courses for teachers which are now offered there. He is currently an examiner for the newly-launched Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek and believes strongly that well-designed and attractive qualifications – along with high-quality teaching resources and CPD to match – are essential for the long-term future of the subject. He is co-author of Latin to GCSE and Latin Stories.
Gráinne Cassidy
EDUCATION CO-ORDINATOR
Gráinne is the CA’s Education Co-ordinator, having previously been Head of Classics at Nower Hill High School, a diverse comprehensive academy with a thriving Classics department where Latin, Classical Civilisation and Greek are taught to A Level. Her interest in the classical world was nurtured by her sixth form Classical Civilisation teacher, who inspired her to read a Classical Studies BA at KCL. In her role, Gráinne is leading on a major review of the English school Classical qualifications in anticipation of the next round of reform, as well as developing our work as the UK Subject Association for Classics; expanding our CPD provision for teachers, partnering with other organisations on joint projects, and promoting collaboration across the Classics community.
Alongside her role at the CA, Gráinne also sits on the Board of Directors for the Council for Subject Associations; an umbrella organisation that represents subject associations nationally and allows them to speak with a single voice on key issues and consultations. Through this united collective Gráinne is advocating for marginalised subjects and strengthening the CA’s relationships with key stakeholders in the wider education community.
Contact Gráinne: education@classicalassociation.org
James Renshaw
SUBJECT ADVISORY TEAM LEAD: ANCIENT HISTORY
James is an experienced Classics teacher, and most recently taught at at Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, which offers all four classical A Levels in the 6th form as well as IB Latin and Greek. He also ran the school’s Ancient World Breakfast Club, a community project which provides a weekly talk during term-time, and which is open to any member of the public. As well as teaching, James has written a number of educational textbooks, and is the general editor for the OCR/Bloomsbury suite of endorsed textbooks for the Ancient History and Classical Civilisation qualifications at GCSE and A Level. He is currently working on a book about the history of the marathon race. He has also worked for the OCR exam board as a marker and trainer in Ancient History, Classical Civilisation, and Latin, and is currently the OCR trainer for Ancient History A Level. He is passionate about developing a network of teachers for Ancient History which will support new entrants to the subject, and enhance subject knowledge and pedagogy amongst current practitioners.
Contact James: jamesajrenshaw@icloud.com
Rob Hancock-Jones
SUBJECT ADVISORY TEAM LEAD: CLASSICAL CIVILISATION
Rob is Head of Classical Civilisation at Townley Grammar School, where he has taught for the better part of a decade. His interest in the ancient world began with a childhood obsession with Greek myths, which developed into an academic interest in Sixth Form when he was first given the opportunity to study the ancients in school by taking A Level Classical Civilisation. He went on to read a Classical Studies BA and later a Classics and Ancient History MA, both at the University of Bristol, before training to teach Secondary History at the University of Bath. As Classical Civilisation Rep on the Teaching Board, Rob is keen to support current teachers and students of Classical Civilisation and to promote the expansion of the subject into as many classrooms as possible.
Contact Rob: rhancock@townleygrammar.org.uk
Dr Chris Burnand
SUBJECT ADVISORY TEAM LEAD: GREEK & LATIN LITERATURE
Chris is a Classics teacher at Abingdon School, where he has now taught for almost twenty years. Having fallen in love with the Greek language at an early age, he is keen to promote the teaching of Greek as widely as possible throughout the country. He is Chair of the Management Committee of the JACT Greek Summer School which is held annually at Bryanston. He studied Classics at Oxford and his doctoral thesis was on oratory in the late Roman Republic and, when time permits, this remains a research interest as well as Tacitus’ imperial historiography. He also served as co-editor of Greece & Rome for five years.
Contact Chris: chris.burnand@abingdon.org.uk
Dr Jessica Dixon
SUBJECT ADVISORY TEAM LEAD: GREEK & LATIN
Jessica is Head of Department at Woldingham School. She did not have the opportunity to study Classics at school herself and so started as an undergraduate at the University of Liverpool, moving on to the University of Manchester to do a PhD on adultery in Ancient Rome. She has taught for ten years in Oldham, Liverpool and London and is an active member of the Classics teaching community, having previously held the role of Exams Officer for the Teaching Board since 2020.
Contact Jess: dixonj@woldinghamschool.co.uk
| Board Members | Sana van Dal, Grants Officer |
| Steven Hunt, Journal of Classics Teaching, University of Cambridge | |
| Dr Aisha Khan Evans, King’s College London | |
| Dr Jane Ainsworth, University of Leicester | |
| Dr Joanne McNamara, Liverpool College | |
| Alex Orgee, Cambridge OCR | |
| Angharad Williams, Eduqas | |
| Professor Robin Osborne, Omnibus | |
| Dr Alex Imrie, Classical Association of Scotland | |
| Helen McVeigh, Classical Association in Northern Ireland |
Subject Advisory Teams
Working with our Team Leads are our experienced and diverse Subject Advisory Teams, who are driving our conversations about qualifications reform and helping us shape our CPD and resource provision. You can find out who is on these teams here.
