Brisbane Grammar School have concluded teaching a subject which has featured in their curriculum since their founding in 1868.
On October 23, a cohort of seven Grade 12 students completed their Latin external exam, marking the institution’s final day teaching the language.
In a Facebook post, Brisbane Grammar School said: “A national shortage of specialist teachers and a steady decline in its uptake mean that offering this classical language is no longer viable.
“For 157 years, Latin has been an important language in the BGS curriculum, given its cultural, educational and religious landscapes of Europe.
“However, times change.”
The school’s motto, “Nil Sine Labore” is a Latin phrase which translates to “Nothing Without Hard Work”.
Brisbane Girls Grammar School will continue to teach Latin.
Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology are the only state high school in Queensland to offer Latin on their curriculum.
A 2024 Department of Education dataset listed Japanese as the most commonly taught language in Queensland state secondary schools (154) by a long shot.
The dataset placed Chinese (34), French (27), German (26) and Spanish (33) as other commonly taught languages throughout Queensland.
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