Fourteen Sixth Form students headed to Cardiff for the Final of the Bar Mock Trial, a national competition where 18 Regional Heats winners competed for the top prize. One of the team, Freya Peake (12Sherborne) gives her thoughts on being part of Bishop Luffa’s team:
"Bar Mock Trial was a fantastic experience all round. It was great to work through the cases with such a focused group of people, everyone was really great at their individual roles. I was one of the Prosecution Barristers so was trying to prove the defendant’s guilt. Being a barrister was really fun, it was interesting to learn and develop advocacy as a new skill. We started by going through the case in detail, picking out important bits from witness statements and finding the most persuasive lines of argument to use. Then we developed and practised examination in chief/cross examination of witnesses and opening and closing speeches.
"In the real trial, barristers cross examined witnesses from other schools so they often said unexpected things. Everyone had to be able to think on their feet and adapt as there was no script or guide to follow. Although a ‘mock’ trial, it felt like the real thing, appearing before a proper judge in a genuine court room and I got to experience a taste of what real advocacy would look like. Speaking in a court room is a unique environment that was really exciting, if a little scary. This was a really enjoyable experience that allowed me to learn a new skill, meet and work with some great people and see how the legal system works practically. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make it happen."
