PUPILS in Cirencester and the Cotswolds role-played as magistrates, solicitors and witnesses in a court trial for a suspected arson crime.

A court trial performance competition took place on Tuesday, March 14, and Friday, March 17, at Cirencester Baptist Church.

The Cirencester Primary School Mock Trials Competition, organised by the Gloucestershire Magistrates Association Branch, had 11 schools participating: Powell’s, Cirencester, Chesterton, Cold Aston, Meysey Hampton, Coberley, Watermoor, Ashton Keynes, Stratton, Bourton-on-the-Water and Kempsford primary schools.

At each trial of the competition, one school played the prosecution, and the other, the defence. There were also students playing the usher, the clerk, witnesses, magistrates, court reporters and court artists.

The school with the highest overall performance score will be crowned the winner. 

There are also awards for the best individual performer, the best court artist, the best court reporter (judged by the Standard), and the best costumes.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

(Stratton Primary School year six pupils Robin Hailstone and Andrew Woods play defence lawyers)

Robin Hailstone, year six pupil from Stratton Primary School and defence lawyer in the competition, said: “I am finding it quite exciting. I have learned that the defence have quite a big job, because they have got to try and win the case.”

Ashlee Burgess, year six pupil from Kempsford Primary School who acted as a defendant, said the experience was “petrifying” because of having to stand up in front of other people.

Speaking after the trials had finished, Sergeant Peter Godwin told the children: “What a fantastic opportunity for you all.

“Everyone was very clear and expressive. I have spent hundreds of days in court and every single time, I am still nervous. It is brilliant of you for giving it a go.”

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Rennie Thompson, of Gloucestershire Magistrates’ Association Branch and a judge in the competition, commented: “It amazes me how children of such a young age in a room full of grown ups, they are absolutely not fazed by the situation in a way we see grown ups in the court. I am captivated.

“It is all about teamwork. It is not about one-on-one performance. The team has to play the roles well.

“What we love seeing is when there is somebody who gets nervous and struggles and somebody steps in to help them. It is about how you can achieve more and more as a team.”

So far, it has only been Gloucestershire which has invited primary schools to take part in mock trials.

But as of this summer, the initiative will be rolled out to other areas in England and Wales.

In November 2015, Gloucestershire’s Magistrates’ Association branch won the Magistrates in the Community Innovation Award for its work with primary school children in the mock trials.

Results and winners to be announced.