On Monday 20^th April 15 Year 10 girls, accompanied by Mr James and Miss Fones, enjoyed a wonderful day exploring the main campus at Leicester University. We were delighted to be guided by a former student of English Martyrs, who has become an ambassador for the university while continuing to study Chemistry.

For part of the day, all the students worked together on a Crime Scene Investigation, discussing a variety of evidence in different parts of the university to decide which suspect had committed a murder. Then four of them took part in the inaugural Year 10 Leicester City Debating Competition, part of the Magistrates in the Community – City Programme. Having undertaken thorough research in the weeks leading up to the competition, they had the difficult task of proving that putting people in prison is the best way of dealing with those who commit crimes as prison works.

We are pleased that the members of our established Public Speaking Team, who very nearly won the Regional Final of the English-Speaking Union’s Competition in March, decided to give other students the chance to develop their communication skills whilst they acted as coaches. We are delighted that, despite their lack of experience and despite having to argue against their own beliefs, they were judged runners-up in the team affirmative category.