Copthall in Court

Sixteen students from Years 11 and 12 found themselves in court this weekend.  Don’t worry – they had not broken the law, rather they were part of it!  The team were at the Inner Crown Court in South London, taking part in the London heat of the Bar Mock Trial.  Students had to take on the roles of barristers, witnesses, jurors, Court Clerk and Usher and enact 3 court cases against other schools.  The competition had three rounds.  We had to both prosecute and then defend a case about fraud, and also defend a case where the charge was causing grievous bodily harm.  Before the competition began the excitement, (and stress) from all competitors was tangible.  While the Copthall team did not make the final round, the students performed exceptionally well and were able to develop their skills of public speaking and performing under pressure.  All cases were presided over by an actual Judge, who in each case was very complimentary about the students’ skills.  The competition is a true challenge, and a fantastic way of learning more about the law and its processes.