This week, our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils took part in a mock trial exploring a case involving a youth charged with knife crime. The children performed in front of an audience of their peers, showing fantastic speaking, listening and teamwork skills, as well as great confidence.

The Year 6 team took on the role of prosecutors, while Year 5 formed the defence team, each presenting strong, well-reasoned arguments. The experience gave pupils a deeper insight into how the justice system works and encouraged thoughtful reflection on the serious consequences of knife crime – not only for those directly involved but also for the families and communities affected.

We were also fortunate to be joined by Denise from the Magistrates’ Court, who delivered an engaging presentation about the realities and long-term impact of knife crime, and Simon, a Legal Advisor, who shared his valuable experiences from working within the legal system. Their contributions helped the children gain a real-world understanding of the topic and the importance of making positive choices.

Special mentions go to Aisha Ali for her outstanding and expressive performance as a witness and to Nafisa Sayed for her confident and professional portrayal of the Usher. Both showed exceptional stage presence and understanding of their roles.

Well done to all involved for an insightful, powerful and educational performance!

Year 6 Team

Prosecution solicitor – Marwan Warsame

Legal advisor – Iftikar Patel

Ms Verma (witness) – Aisha Ali

Mo Hussein (witness) – Ammar Mohamadyasin

PCSO Tailor (witness) – Maryam Faizal

Magistrate – Halima Umarmia

Court artist – Safaa Muntazar

Court reporter – Athar Patel

Year 5 Team

Defence solicitor – Adnan Sarang

Usher – Nafisa Sayed

Lee Gupta (defendant) – Kinza Ahmed

Frankie Abbas (witness) – Zuha Rehman

Mr Gupta (Lee’s dad) – Ameen Patel

Magistrate – Shaima Raage

Court artist – Nadeem Shaikh

Court reporter – Bilaal Laher