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JUDGES FOUND IN FAVOUR OF
OUR LEGAL EAGLES
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Our team of Year 11 students
did remarkably well to finish third in the north in the Citizenship
Foundation’s Bar National Mock Trial competition, held at Newcastle
Crown Courts. Our team won each of their ‘cases’ and missed out on a
higher placing only on points difference.
The 14 strong-team had to act
as advocates, witnesses, usher, jury and court reporter in dealing with
serious assault and threatened assault cases in front of real Crown Court
Judges. They were competing against sixth form colleges
and were highly praised by the Judges for their high standards of
preparation and presentation.
Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Parnell and Mr. Curran were very proud of the entire
team.
Mrs. Davies says, “It was a highly demanding exercise. Our pupils
spent two months in learning how the legal system operates, preparing the
two cases, visiting the courts and meeting with members of the legal
profession and the police force. The other teams were older and some were
studying ‘A’ Level Law, so to finish third of 12 was a considerable
achievement.” |
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The team comprised: Katy Lee and Rebecca Halas (advocates); Emma Feeney,
Chris Duffy, Siobhan McMillan and Louise Fell (witnesses / defendants); Jessica
Davies (Court Usher / Clerk); Jim Menzies, Joanne Lathan, Elaine Tatters,
Carolyn Sanderson, James Fearon and Ruth Burnup (jury).
After an appeal to the PTA to see if help could be provided, our students
received excellent legal advice from both Mr. Tompkinson and Mr. Chaffey and we
warmly thank them for all they did.
Another visitor to the school to provide legal advice was Mr. Chris Rose QC
and he was the barrister attached to our school during the early part of the
morning session at Newcastle.
* In the separate ‘court reporters’ competition, held the same day,
Andrew Riley was also placed third, winning a book token. In a day of
outstanding achievements, Andrew produced an excellent report
on the first of the mock trials.
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
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Investigating the perfect
crime
A party of fifteen Year 10 pupils recently attended a forensic science
workshop at University of Teesside, accompanied by Mrs Richardson. In
December, we hope to send another large party of Year 10 GCSE pupils to
the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture, also at the University of
Teesside.
Science Year
The Science Department has received an electronic microscope thanks to
the generosity of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and Arts
(NESTA). |
Industry Links
The Science Department visited Oxford Chemicals courtesy of Dr. R. Smith,
father of Rachel in Year 10. Our group learned about the chemistry of smells in
the food industry. We are now looking forward to developing further curriculum
links with Oxford Chemicals. St. Michael’s would also welcome contact with
other industrial and commercial organisations which would help support the
Science curriculum.
Links with our Primary Schools
We are looking forward to visiting St. Joseph’s, Norton, in December and St
John’s Primary School in April 2002. Mr Le Dean and Mr Burgess from the
Science Department will present a series of activities related to the National
Curriculum theme ‘Earth and Space’.
Congratulations
to..... Chris Leighton and Darren Morton, who this week participated in the
National Lifesaving Championships, held at Manchester’s Commonwealth Games
Pool. Results of judging were still awaited at the time of writing.