Budding legal eagles were put through their paces when they took part in this year’s Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition at Oxford Crown Court.
The seven students from Aureus School in Didcot competed against teams from eight other schools in the area, taking on a wide range of roles within the courtroom setting.
“The students were given the opportunity to conduct a trial within the Crown Court,” explained Nikki Nicholls, Head of History and Ethics at Aureus, which is a member of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust.
“Teams compete against each other, with one school acting as the prosecution and the other as the defence. Students were given a variety of roles, such as witnesses, lawyers, legal advisors, ushers, defendants, and the magistrates themselves. The students were given the case in advance, and prepared really hard for their roles.”
Open to students aged 12 to 14 from non-fee paying schools across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the contest is run by Young Citizens, and is designed to introduce young people to the workings of the legal justice system.
It was the second time that Aureus had entered the event, which took place this year on Saturday 14 March – and the team had reason to celebrate, with Year 8 student Nathanial Cole awarded the trophy for Highly Commended Legal Advisor.
“This was an invaluable opportunity for students to develop their public speaking and research skills, to build their confidence, and to learn about how the justice system works in the UK,” added Mrs Nicholls, who supported the group alongside Head of Global Citizenship Alison Burbage.
“We are sure it will inspire some future lawyers. We were all blown away by the commitment of the volunteers to the young people to give them as authentic an experience as possible.”