Classical Studies - National Moderator's Report

Insights

Primary source evidence

Across all standards, there is a noticeable decline in the explicit use of primary source evidence. The use of primary sources is a requirement for all standards, and the extent to which students incorporate these sources effectively is often a key factor in distinguishing grade levels. Supporting students to engage with, and use, primary source evidence in a purposeful way will help them meet the requirements of the standards and provide a stronger basis for demonstrating understanding.

91398: Demonstrate understanding of the lasting influences of the classical world on other cultures across time

Performance overview:

This standard requires students to show understanding of the lasting influences of the classical world on other cultures. Evidence should demonstrate how a classical context has influenced later cultures. Common topics include the classical hero over time (for example, how Odysseus influenced later interpretations of heroes), propaganda from Ancient Rome and its impact on later forms of propaganda, as well as mythology in art and developments in theatre, drama, and comedy.

Successful assessments typically focused their discussion on specific aspects within the classical context.

For example:

• Focus on one classical artwork in depth rather than covering multiple examples broadly.
• Identify specific aspects within the classical context, such as use of colour, symbolism, pose, or composition.
• Connect these aspects explicitly to artworks from two later time periods.
• Discuss the influence through the lens of these aspects, showing how features from the classical work are reflected or adapted in later works.

Practices that need strengthening:

A greater focus is needed on establishing the influence (either direct or indirect) of the classical world. This should form the centre of the analysis and is a requirement for achieving the standard.

To support this, assessors should encourage students to:

• Avoid describing each context in isolation. Instead, showing clear connections between aspects of the classical context and later contexts.
• Move beyond simple comparison of time periods by focusing on where, how, and why influence is evident across contexts.
• Unpack similarities and differences through the lens of influence, as required for Excellence. The influence itself should already be clearly established before this level of analysis, as it is a requirement of the standard.

91397: Demonstrate understanding of significant ideology(ies) in the classical world

Performance overview:

This standard requires students to analyse one or more ideologies from the classical world. Popular topics include aspects of religion, Roman values under Augustus, Alexander the Great and the policy of fusion, funeral rites, and Socratic moral philosophy.

Assessments that maintain a clear focus on the chosen ideology and use examples or sources that are directly relevant to that ideology tend to be more successful than those that attempt to cover all aspects of a topic broadly.

Practices that need strengthening:

Student responses should be explicit and clear about the ideology being discussed. This is most readily achieved by defining the chosen ideology at the start of the assessment and referring to it throughout the response. By doing this, students maintain focus on the ideology and ensure their discussion aligns with the requirements of the standard.

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