Twelve students from Nexus, Camborne Science and International Academy’s Centre of Excellence, spent a day at Truro Magistrates’ Court recently, taking part in the Citizenship Foundation’s Mock Trial Competition.

Assistant principal Dan Chapman said: “This fantastic competition gave our students the opportunity to demonstrate and practise their skills in communication, evaluating evidence and making a persuasive argument.

“It was a fascinating day from start to finish, giving students a unique insight into the courtroom experience and the opportunity to learn more about our legal system.”

The students from years seven, eight and nine, narrowly missed out on the winning trophy but they all agreed that it was an invaluable experience.

Jacob Necke, in year seven, said: “I really enjoyed the day and it gave us a real insight into how the criminal justice system works in this country. I would like to take part again next year!”

Falmouth Packet:

Another student, Millie Lever, also in year seven, said: “Even though we knew it was only a mock trial, I actually found it quite daunting standing in the courtroom and speaking in such a formal environment.”

Mrs Megan Benton, Lead Practitioner for English, said: “Both the lead magistrate and deputy lord lieutenant described the students as a credit to the school and commented on how well the students expressed themselves, and performed, despite being much younger than their competitors.

“A special mention should be made of Millie and Aaron who stepped in very last minute to new roles due a team member's absence. They performed with confidence and coped extremely well in the situation.”

The next competition is planned to take place in March 2020. Mrs Benton added: “We received some very helpful feedback from the competition judges and the team are excited about entering again next year.”

Ian Kenworthy, Principal at CSIA, said: “This competition supplements traditional classroom learning by encouraging the development of essential skills such as logical reasoning, clear communication and teamwork. We commend all the students involved.”