Year 6 Meet a Magistrate

On Wednesday 4th February 2026, Year 6 welcomed Darren Legg from the
Magistrates in the Community project. He taught us all about the criminal
justice system and what it means to be a magistrate. We even took part in a fun
role-play trial, acting as magistrates, barristers, witnesses, defendants and
ushers. It helped us understand how courts really work.
We learnt that the legal age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old and that
magistrates decide punishments for lower-level crimes. These can include fines,
community service, conditional discharge or sometimes prison, although
magistrates try to find alternatives to imprisonment whenever possible. Fines
depend on a person’s financial situation, and refusing to pay could lead to prison.
We also discovered that if someone pleads guilty early, they might receive a
reduced sentence.
It was fascinating to hear that magistrates’ courts have existed for 665 years
and make up 95% of courts in the UK. Magistrates can be aged 17–75, and over
half are women. We also learnt that magistrates are volunteers and do not get
paid! In court, everyone stands when magistrates enter, and there are always
three magistrates to make balanced decisions.
Some important safety messages included that carrying a knife is illegal and
that having a criminal record can affect future jobs. We also discussed the idea
that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Year 6 had an amazing time and learnt so much about justice, responsibility and
making good choices. Thank you, Mr Legg, for such an interesting visit!