Annelise
School
Bryanston School, Dorset (1990-1995).
A Levels in Latin, English, History and German (AS) all at A grade.
University
Newnham College, Cambridge (1995-2004). MA, MPhil and PhD in Classics.
Teaching and tutoring experience
Head of Classics at Port Regis Preparatory School, Dorset (2014-2024). Preparation of pupils for Common Entrance Latin (and a few for Greek) and for senior school scholarship Latin to schools including Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Radley, Wycombe Abbey, Wellington, Bryanston, Canford etc. Top available grades on individual schools' Latin papers achieved every year by my pupils, contributing to many overall successes in scholarships over 10 years. High success rate on CE papers too, with the majority of my pupils achieving A* and A grades at CE Levels 1, 2, and 3, including multiple top grades for pupils with SEND and EAL profiles.
I was also on the Senior Leadership Team at Port Regis for 2 years (2015-2017) with a particular interest in/focus on the academic and pastoral well-being of girls at the school, and was a pastoral tutor as well, to pupils in Years 7 and 8.
During my time at Port Regis, I also taught my classes online, on Microsoft Teams, as part of the school’s Remote Learning programme during the Covid period.
Head of Classics at Chafyn Grove Preparatory School, Wiltshire (2010-2014). Preparation of pupils for CE and scholarship Latin, exactly as at Port Regis above.
Private after-school tutor, preparing 2 candidates (elder siblings of pupils at Port Regis) for GCSE Latin (both achieved A*).
Teacher of Latin and Classical Civilisation at The Leys School, Cambridge (2000-2003 and 2008-2010). Taught GCSE Latin and GCSE/A Level Classical Civilisation. I was also assistant houseparent in a senior boys’ boarding house for 2 years between 2001-2003.
Supervisor in Latin literature/language to 1st and 2nd year undergraduates in the Faculty of Classics at Cambridge while I was studying for my MPhil and PhD (1999-2004)
Teaching style and philosophy
Style: Warm, relaxed, friendly, calmly authoritative. Known to my pupils over the years as ‘Dr F’. I pride myself on creating a learning space where every pupil, regardless of academic ability, feels welcome and looked after. I’m a fan of a great textbook and believe very much in learning by ‘doing’, with lots of modelled written exercises, but I also try to incorporate songs, fun mnemonics and so on (eg. There are some great Latin grammar videos by a London teacher called ‘Rapteach’ which I make regular use of).
Philosophy: Latin for all. During my tenure at Port Regis, I transformed the Classics department from one in which Latin was a subject only available to the higher academic stream and made it accessible to everyone from years 6 to 8. I believe passionately in high academic standards and know how to push and inspire the most able. I also empathise with those who find the subject harder to crack, for whatever reason, and see it as my job to find the right way of communicating with them so that they can achieve their best.
Additional information
Under the name Annelise Gray, I currently write a popular children’s adventure series called Circus Maximus for readers aged 9-12, published by Zephyr/Bloomsbury, about a girl charioteer in Ancient Rome. More details on my website: www.annelisegray.co.uk (I do multiple school visits a year in this guise, including online events).
Under the name Annelise Freisenbruch, I’m also the author of a critically-acclaimed history of the women of the Roman Empire, The First Ladies of Rome, published in 2010 by Jonathan Cape/Random House, and published/translated overseas in 8 languages. More details on my other website - www.annelisefreisenbruch.co.uk - and I have appeared as a talking head in relation to the research included in this book on documentaries produced for the Discovery Channel and for CNN.
I have also worked as a specialist researcher on numerous books and TV programmes about the ancient world, including Helen of Troy by Bettany Hughes, and Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (BBC).
I am based near Shaftesbury in Dorset and would be willing to teach in-person within a 30 minute radius. I’m also very happy to tutor online.