A team of pupils from the Cherwell School triumphed in the Oxford heat of the Bar National Mock Trial Competition, securing a place in the national final.
The school beat teams from seven other state schools at Oxford Combined Court Centre on Saturday, November 19. Teams of students aged 15 to 18 appeared in court as barristers, witnesses, jurors and courtroom staff and presented two specially written court cases, based on cases of actual bodily harm and robbery.
Real judges presided over the trials and selected the winners, and barrister volunteers who practise locally provided advice to the students on points of law and court procedure to ensure realistic proceedings.
The Cherwell School will now join 15 other state schools from across the UK to compete for the coveted first place in the national final, which will take place at the iconic Old Bailey in London on March 24, 2012. Every year, more than 2,500 GCSE and A-level students from state schools across the UK compete in the event.
Andy Thornton, Chief Executive of the Citizenship Foundation, which runs the competition, said: “Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Oxford heat of the Bar National Mock Trial Competition last weekend on their tremendous performances. Special congratulations go to the students from The Cherwell School, and I wish them the very best of luck as they begin to prepare for the national final.”
