Overview
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the judicial system, its venues and access to senior legal professionals.
Some of you may have already brought a team to one of our Mock Trial Competitions and know how transformative the experience can be for young people. Some of you may have a legal background and are looking for a way to engage young people in the law. Some of you may have no legal knowledge at all but are curious about the law and want to bring it to your classroom. Whatever brings you here, we hope this free classroom pack acts as a springboard for criminal legal education throughout classrooms (virtual or otherwise) across the country.
What’s in the pack?
The pack moves through three ‘phases’:
1. Session One: Courts, Roles and Procedure – Introduces young people to the differences between the Crown Court and the magistrates’ court, the roles of legal bodies and professionals within a courtroom.
2. Session Two: The Case – Students have a go at analysing a case, resources including full witness statements and annotations to support their learning. All students will take on the role of either the prosecution or defence.
3. Session Three: The Mock Trial – The last session culminates in students rehearsing and conducting a mock trial in your classroom.
The classroom pack is designed to be flexible and adaptable. Some activities can be done independently and others are teacher-led. This pack is intended for your whole class. The pack can be used for students in KS3 upwards.
Suggested next steps:
- View the full competition timeline to see when to apply.
- Read the Rules to see what is involved in the competition.
- Explore our FAQ pages to find out more.
More Lessons resources
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working...
Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
Sexting and the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores what the law says in relation to the sending of sexually explicit images by those aged under 18. The lesson examines two scenarios of young people involved…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Mock G7 Pack
The UK hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021. Young Citizens wants to engage young people across the UK...
Who’s Really Paying for COVID?
Young people are, and will continue to be, some of the most impacted by COVID. However their voices have...
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore...
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
Conflicting Rights
In this lesson pupils will revisit their knowledge of human rights to consider situations in which people’s rights may appear in conflict with one another. Pupils will debate how they…
Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of their legal rights and responsibilities and explores how the law impacts their daily lives. Students explore the different ages that various laws…
More KS3 (ages 11-14) resources
Learning About the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson gives students an introduction to the legal system in the UK. During the lesson students will examine the roles of the various professionals involved in the law and…
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
How to share learning with your peers
Originally designed to be a companion pack for the Democracy Ambassadors programme, this handy toolkit will support students who...
Fake News: The Evolution of Media
In this lesson, students explore how media has changed since the 1900s and the impact this has had on...
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
The Government and the Economy
By the end of the lesson students will: Understand key economic terms including taxation, welfare benefits, public spending and...
Who’s to Blame? (SmartLaw Subscription)
This activity is based on the case of R v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – two sailors accused of murdering cabin boy Richard Parker, after being cast adrift on the…
Ethics, Innovation and the Law
Aimed at KS4 and Post-16, your students will: Explore the way technology is developing and the impacts this has...