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
Taking Responsibility
This lesson is based around the clever traditional poem about four children named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. It introduces children to the idea of taking responsibility in the context…
Democracy (Part 2): Local and Central Government
This lesson forms the second part of a three-part unit on democracy. Pupils learn about the function of central and local government and the difference between MPs and councillors. Pupils explore…
Law Makers
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…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Migration of People
To help you engage your students in the topic of migration Young Citizens have developed a flexible teaching resource...
Citizenship: a privilege or a right?
Students research what the law says about the rights of individuals to become UK citizens and critically examine whether...
Sentencing Guidelines
This lesson asks students to consider the key findings of a harassment trial and conclude what sentence should be given to the guilty party. During the course of the lesson…
More Understanding Rules & The Law resources
Martin Luther King: Sacrificing All for the Dream
This lesson looks at discrimination against African Americans in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement and how Martin Luther King achieved change through peaceful…
Keeping Safe At Home
In this lesson pupils will spot potential risks in the home. They will learn how they can help adults to keep them safe by reporting problems and keeping the home…
Rights and Responsibilities
In this lesson pupils will develop an understanding of the terms ‘rights’ and ‘responsibilities’ and how they balance one another. They will then discuss and prepare a class charter that…
More KS3 (ages 11-14) resources
Mock Trials Classroom Pack
The Mock Trial Competitions are our longest-running active citizenship experiences. Since 1991, we have provided unparalleled exposure to the...
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...
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
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...
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000...
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
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
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...