The National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL) delivers hands-on education workshops in courtrooms across the UK by providing a unique learning experience.

Doing justice to learning

The National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL) delivers hand-on education workshops in courtrooms across the UK by providing a unique learning experience using real buildings, real objects and real people to inspire and motivate young people to learn from the past, act in the present and change their future.

Activities are suitable for learners from Key Stage 2 right through to university level (Key Stage 1 sessions are available at some sites). NCCL offers a broad range of workshops that can be tailored to meet the needs of the group. Sessions are particularly popular among schools studying crime and punishment, Victorians, youth justice and careers enrichment. Workshops currently take place across a variety of interesting legal and heritage sites including:

• The Galleries of Justice Museum (Shire Hall), Nottingham
• The City of Caves, Nottingham
• The Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ) and Rolls Building courts, London
• The Civil Justice Centre and Crown Court, Manchester and Bolton Magistrates’ Court

Hear from the professionals

NCCL is part of the registered charity the Egalitarian Trust, whose vision it is to provide opportunity for all to learn about the law. Wherever possible, legal professionals are also engaged in activities. This usually takes the form of Q&A sessions with students to give an insight to their career paths.

Working in partnership

NCCL also works in partnership with several organisations to help broaden the reach and scope of their education workshops. This includes:

• Greater Manchester Police Museum
• People’s History Museum
• Shakespeare’s Globe
• Museum of London
• London Metropolitan Archives
• Arts Council England
• Nottinghamshire County Council
• The Mayor’s Fund for London
• Legal Education Foundation
• John Lyon’s Charity to name just a few!

Links to the curriculum and beyond

Activities are linked to the National Curriculum, GCSE and A Level syllabi for many subjects including history, law, citizenship, English, politics, and sociology. Visits help to support spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) provision, including current DfE guidance in promoting British Values. Groups are able to explore British Values of law and democracy in real contexts where learning is brought to life.

Memorable learning activities not only complement academic knowledge, but also enhance skills and attributes such as confidence, analysis, critical thinking, public speaking and debating that extend beyond the National Curriculum.

During the visit itself, fully trained NCCL education facilitators are on hand to deliver and guide learners through the activities. A variety of resources and activity sheets are used during the sessions. 

Benefits of educational visits 

There are a number of benefits for children and young people who attend educational workshops:

• interactive learning about the law and justice system and roles within a courtroom
• improved motivation, engagement and enthusiasm to learn
• enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem
• raised aspirations towards careers in law

Executive Director of NCCL Pollie Shorthouse, said, “Our extensive learning programmes provide unique access to stimulating heritage sites and educate through kinaesthetic learning to inspire young people to learn about the law, how to live within it and the careers available to widen access to the profession. We’re very proud to deliver such high-quality engaging activities.”

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Find out more

You can visit www.nccl.org.uk, email learning@nccl.org.uk or call 0115 9939 811. Follow NCCL via twitter @NCCLinspiring

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