A unique opportunity for students: The Rolls Building Education Programme
The Rolls Building Education Programme offers students a unique opportunity to prepare and present a civil dispute hearing based on a previous High Court case in a real courtroom at the Rolls Building. The programme is aimed at students in Key Stage 5 who may face barriers to entering the legal profession.
The last session took place in summer and consisted of an introduction to the Rolls Building, discussing different areas of law and the types of cases heard in the Rolls Building. Students then examined the legal principles involved in their case study and split into groups to prepare the case for either the appellant or the defendant, with another three students acting as judges before enacting the hearing and deciding the case. The case the students explored was based on a negligence claim and the decision the students came to was extremely close to the outcome in the real case.
Students also had the chance to meet and question High Court judge Mrs Justice Cockerill to discuss routes into the legal profession and how to pursue a career in law.
Mrs Justice Cockerill commented on how the event went: ‘’It is always so good to meet the students. We had a packed courtroom and lots of really focussed and thoughtful questions. It was great to hear that so many were already thinking of the best ways to become lawyers – and then possibly judges. Law offers so many wonderful careers and we really want talented students like these to find their way to them.”
Feedback from the students showed that they most enjoyed being able to act out the hearing in a real working courtroom as well as being able to hear directly from the judge. The programme hopes that it can make a big difference to the students who take part in terms of raising aspirations and ensuring they feel that a career in law is achievable for them.
Further Information
The Rolls Building Educational Programme is delivered by the Rolls Building Art & Education Trust (RBAET) and National Justice Museum Education. You can find more information on the programme and other educational activities on the Rolls Building Education Programme webpage.
For more information on the Rolls Building session and how to apply, please write to the following email: london@nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk or call a member of the learning team on 0207 947 7047.