How The Odyssey film is highlighting 'shrinking' access for pupils to the Classics

A new Hollywood film adaption of The Odyssey is set to bring the ancient Greek epic poem to millions of people across the world on the big screen this summer.

But while the film may spark fresh interest in the ancient world, academics warn that, for many students, the chance to study it is slipping away.

I visited Barrs Hill School in Coventry where GCSE pupils were getting stuck into The Odyssey, debating its characters and ideas and linking them to modern life.

The story has been considered the greatest tale ever told, covering the adventures of the wily, complicated Greek hero, Odysseus, in the aftermath of the Trojan War.

But while the government said it wanted more pupils to have the opportunity to study the Classics and point to support for schools and teachers, provision remains uneven across the country.

For Cassidy Phillips, head of history, Classics and politics, enthusiasm for the subject builds year by year.

"Pupils are really passionate about it," she said.

"They start with myths and stories early on and by the time they get to GCSE, they're connecting those ideas to history, politics and the world around them."

Lessons range from epic poetry to Roman city life, with students drawing parallels between ancient societies and today.

"A film like The Odyssey helps them visualise the characters and stories," she said. "It makes it feel more real and more relevant."

Despite strong take-up at GCSE, Barrs Hill does not offer Classical Civilisation at A-level. Like many state schools, it faces tight budgets, limited timetable space and a shortage of specialist teachers.

"There are barriers," Phillips said. "In a lot of schools, you're relying on English, history or languages teachers to step in and deliver it, because there just aren't enough trained Classics specialists. particularly in the Midlands."

That means students who discover a love for the subject often have to give it up at 16.

Researchers at the University of Warwick said Barrs Hill situation was becoming a familiar pattern across the UK.

But Professor Michael Scott said interest in the Classics was far from declining.

"We're seeing more and more students engaged by these stories," he said. "They're asking questions about identity, power and society that still matter today."

National figures from the Department for Education (DfE) back that up. Entries for Classical Civilisation A-level have remained stable and in some years risen slightly—since reforms in 2019.

Over the longer term, combined entries across classical subjects have increased by about a quarter over the past seven years - but academics said those headline numbers mask a deeper issue.

"It's not that students don't want to study it," Scott said. "It's that the opportunity to do so isn't evenly spread."

Independent schools are still far more likely to offer Classics at A-level, while provision across the state sector is patchy—strong in some areas, but absent in others.

Universities have been working to close that gap, sending students into schools, running outreach sessions and helping train teachers.

"We're reaching thousands of pupils across the West Midlands every week," Scott said.

"What we see is clear: When students get the chance, they engage."

But he warned that outreach could only go so far.

"The pipeline is the problem," he added. "If students can't continue at A-level, it becomes much harder for them to imagine studying Classics at university."

Classics have long been associated with private schools, particularly through Latin and ancient Greek.

"There's still this idea that it's an elitist subject," Scott said. "But when you actually look at it, it's a subject for everyone."

At Barrs Hill, that is already being put into practice. The school serves a diverse, largely working-class intake, and teachers say students quickly connect with the material.

"It helps them understand why the world is the way it is," Phillips said. "You're looking at where ideas come from—politics, storytelling, society. That's important for everyone."

The big screen adaptation of Homer's poem is directed by Sir Christopher Nolan, his first since the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer.

It stars Matt Damon, as the hero Odysseus, as he heads home from the Trojan War, with Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson also adding their stardust to the film.

University students I spoke to said movies often played a key role in sparking their interest.

"They're great stories," said first-year student Rosie Finlayson. "Even if a film isn't completely accurate, it still draws people in—and makes them want to learn more."

"I didn't study Classics at school at all," added fellow student Izzy Beales. "So something like this film could show people it's an option—that these stories are still everywhere."

Second-year student Lucindy Osei said: "Not everyone connects with long texts straight away. But stories on screen can be that first step."

While The Odyssey prepares to reach a new audience in cinemas, researchers say access to studying those stories is becoming more unequal in classrooms.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We want every young person to have the opportunity to study these subjects, regardless of where they live or what school they go to.

"Schools can choose to teach Latin and classics as part of their curriculum, and free specialist support is available through organisations that help schools offer these subjects."

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