Petroc Lecturer Mike Beer Helps Bring Classics to Life in Schools Across Devon and Cornwall

Petroc lecturer, Mike Beer, is playing a key role in keeping the ancient world alive for students across the South West, thanks to his work with the national charity Classics for All.

Classics for All is a UK-wide organisation dedicated to supporting the teaching of classical subjects such as Latin, Ancient Greek, and classical civilisation in state sector schools, especially those that might not otherwise offer these subjects.

The charity provides training, resources, and ongoing support to help schools introduce and sustain classical education for students of all backgrounds.

Mike became involved with the charity several years ago while lecturing at the University of Exeter. “I was introduced to the person who was coordinating Classics for All in Devon and Cornwall at the time,” he explained. “She was moving on, she’s now a podcaster, author, and has produced documentaries for Channel 4, and she suggested I take over. So I did!”.

As the regional co-ordinator for Devon and Cornwall, Mike now supports dozens of schools, training teachers to deliver classical subjects at primary, GCSE, and A Level. His efforts have helped build a growing network of schools offering students the chance to explore the languages, stories, and cultures of the ancient world.

That dedication has not gone unnoticed. One of the schools Mike supports in Cornwall has just been named the winner of the South West Regional Impact Award at Classics for All’s national Impact Awards 2025. The award recognises schools that have made significant strides in classical education, and schools can either nominate themselves or be nominated, as long as they’ve received support from the charity.

Mike will travel to Leeds at the end of June to attend the awards ceremony. It’s not the first time one of his schools has been recognised. Last year, a school he worked with in Exeter received a similar award at the event in Leicester.

“Seeing the enthusiasm from teachers and students when they get into classics is incredibly rewarding,” Mike said. “These awards are a wonderful way to highlight the importance and value of classical subjects in modern education.”

To find out more about the work of Classics for All and this year’s Impact Awards, visit: classicsforall.org.uk