We discussed the new QCA proposals at our meeting at Fettes and we decided to send the following proposal to both the schools minister and the head of OCR:
New QCA/OCR proposals for GCSE Latin

Dear Mr Watson,
We have just discussed at our Department meeting these new proposals by the OCR and the QCA and we thought the following:

1. The current arrangement seems to be flexible enough for departments with generous timetables and the fact that one can do the civilisation aspect or prose alongside coursework is a considerable advantage for a flexible Latin teacher.
2. We understand though that OCR considers itself being bound by the QCA. The OCR’s argument for 55% language and its consequent denial of literature being part of the grammar is rather untenable. How can teaching the literature not be part of the language? I know that perhaps some pupils learn the specification by heart but they can never answer the questions properly (they invaribaly get a maximum of C) and to be honest it is harder work to learn it by heart rather than understand it. We suggest:
a. That literature (verse) is somewhat shortened for even more detailed study but to satisfy QCA/OCR some linguistic element could be brought in (i.e. mercatorem. What case is this and why?)
b. The current paper 1 is a good gauge of standards but allow Paper 3 to remain as an option for some schools.
3. Keep the literature – it is a huge achievement for pupils of that age to tackle some superb literature BUT
4. OCR has a short course ready if it is just makes the literature optional or can have even a new GCSE where Paper 1 = 30% Latin, Paper 2 Civilisation 50%, Coursework 20% and call it Classics just like it has done for the A Level. This would keep Latin in but also allow the teaching of much more classical civilisation.
5. The link with the CLC civilisation is excellent but it should not be a mould. Teachers should be allowed to look elsewhere for material.
6. Similarly the break with the Anthology is not a hostile move. The Oxford version is just as good – the Scottish version Ecce Scriptores is also excellent.
7. No need to equate set texts verse and prose content – although desirable.

We basically think that the current GCSE is good and it has worked very well for us. On the other hand we are an Independent school and thus have an excellent timetable allowance and consequently good numbers; we are concerned for colleagues re-introducing it or teaching it at a reduced timetable who would struggle if any more language was squeezed into it.
These are our thoughts and we hope they add something into the whole effort