Troubling times for AS Latin and Classical Greek
- Mar 30
- 5 min read
The three main UK Classical Organizations (The Classical Association, Classics for All and the Association for Latin Teaching) have now published their letters in response to the announcement form Cambridge OCR examinations that it will discontinue the AS Latin and AS Classical Greek qualifications after last exams in June 2027. They hope to persuade the examinations board to change its mind.
The letters, which were released on different social media platforms, are collated at the end of this blog.
For some context, here are some figures for AS Latin and AS Classical Greek:
2025: AS Latin – 41 entries (in 16 state-maintained and 13 independent schools).
2025: AS Classical Greek – 26 entries (in 7 state-maintained and 11 independent schools).
Source: Department for Education Statistics 2026. These figures are confirmed for those who took the examinations in 2025.
The location of these schools can be seen in the two maps below.
No state-maintained or independent school entered more than 4 students for AS Latin. Two entered 4, one entered 3, four entered 2, with the rest entering 1 each. Of those schools which entered students for AS Latin, sixteen did not enter anyone for A level Latin.
No state-maintained or independent school entered more than 3 students for AS Classical Greek. Two entered 3, two entered 2, with the rest entering 1 each. Of those schools which entered students for AS Classical Greek, thirteen did not enter anyone for A level Classical Greek.
The loss of AS examinations may impact significantly on the viability of small Classics departments in schools of all types. Losing AS may mean no student considers taking up Latin or Classical Greek at all at Sixth Form. This would lead to concerns from Senior Leadership about the lack of a smooth academic pathway for students post-GCSE and could put even GCSE at risk.
Cambridge OCR’s figures for future entries are as follows:
2026: AS Latin – 59 entries (to be confirmed)
2026: AS Classical Greek: 26 entries (to be confirmed)
Source: Cambridge OCR 2026. These figures are for those who have been entered, but have not yet taken the examinations. Numbers may change. I am unable to show the location of these schools until the Department for Education releases its own statistics in February 2027.
The Classical Association (27th March 2026)
The Classical Association, together with the Hellenic and Roman Societies, is urgently engaging with Cambridge OCR following the sudden announcement of the withdrawal of AS Level Latin and Classical Greek. Over the past few days, we have been contacted by many of you regarding this decision. We know this has caused significant concern across the teaching community, and we want to reassure colleagues that, as the Subject Association for the discipline, we are advocating on your behalf.
We have written formally to Cambridge OCR, to express our concerns that this withdrawal:
- Makes access to Latin and Greek even harder, particularly for state-sector schools and regions already facing limited provision.
- Risks damaging the pipeline into A Level Latin and Greek, where the AS provides an essential entry point for many students.
- Creates uncertainty about the long‑term security of A Level qualifications in classical languages.
The AS qualification is vital for many centres. We know many of you plan AS courses over two years. At the very least, we are pushing for the final assessment window to be extended to 2028 to protect students intending to begin the AS this coming September - but we are also urging Cambridge OCR to reconsider this decision entirely.
We have requested an urgent meeting with Cambridge OCR to ensure the concerns of the teaching community are heard and addressed.
The Classical Association remains committed to safeguarding the future of classical language education, and will continue to advocate strongly on your behalf.
Classics for All (30th March 2026)
Classics for All has written to Cambridge OCR following the announcement of the withdrawal of AS Level Latin and Classical Greek, expressing our concerns:
Classics for All expresses deep concern over Cambridge OCR’s recent decision to withdraw AS Level qualifications in Latin and Classical Greek.
The AS Level plays a vital role in widening participation, particularly for students in state schools where Latin and Greek are often taught off timetable or as enrichment subjects. For many, the AS provides an essential, accessible progression route beyond GCSE – one that cannot be replicated by the full A Level alone.
OCR’s own data shows that these AS qualifications are disproportionately taken by state school students. Their removal risks significantly reducing, and in some cases eliminating, sixth form provision in classical languages across the state sector. It also creates a substantial gap in the progression pathway between GCSE and A Level, limiting opportunities for students to demonstrate their linguistic potential and undermining efforts to support social mobility.
We urge them to reconsider this decision, engage meaningfully with teachers, students and sector organisations, and work collaboratively to ensure that state school learners can continue to access high-quality, achievable qualifications in Latin and Greek.
Classics for All stands ready to contribute to this discussion and to help identify a solution that protects access and opportunity for all.
The Association for Latin Teaching (27th March 2026)
A message from our president, Dr Sian Foster:Withdrawal of AS Greek and Latin from OCR's portfolio of examinationsIt is with regret, disappointment and surprise that we at ARLT receive the news that OCR is to withdraw its AS Latin and Classical Greek from its examination portfolio. This closes off a pathway to a qualification which is traditionally hard to access. It means that students now have no way at all by which they are able to continue the study of Classical Languages past GCSE in the Lower Sixth with a view to achieving an AS in the UK. In our experience, students value the opportunity presented by the AS, as a means to build their knowledge, analytical and intellectual skills and experience of the subjects, before fully committing to the full A level. Many talented students have taken up the subjects as a bridge between GCSE and A level, often as a fourth A level. Students wishing to pursue a Science route through taking three STEM subjects for example, often benefit from the study of Greek and Latin in this way.
An AS in Latin and Classical Greek has provided countless students with an enriched curriculum, resulting in valuable cultural learning and understanding and in additional UCAS credits as standalone qualifications. In addition, the AS in both Latin and Classical Greek demonstrate to university admissions tutors that students have the intellectual capacity, rigour and perseverance suitable for university study. It is a strong and well-respected academic qualification. We are saddened that OCR has taken this decision and we call upon them to reconsider this course of action.
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