Students arrived at school and were faced with a crime scene in the main hall, with evidence and information to consider, including a witness video from the Head Teacher who was first on the scene. Soon the (female) offender came forward and explained the unfortunate chain of events that led to the murder. 

After considering the crime scene, students turned their attention to female offenders and women's prisons. We enjoyed a short lecture from Dr Emma Cooke from the University of Kent, and students learnt more about offending rates, female offenders' specific needs, prison design in the UK, America and Norway, and the current prison crisis.

Students were then challenged to design their own women's prison, with a focus on impacting society and providing genuine rehabilitation.

Prison designs and accompanying budgets were presented to a panel of judges, including members of Kent Police, a criminal lawyer, a local psychotherapist, Sociology students from Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Girls, and some of our very own staff and students, including Mr Booth.

The judges, and teachers were impressed with the high-level thinking, compassion, evidence-based decision making, and original designs put forward by our Year 9 and 10s, giving awards for Courage, Compassion & Curiosity. The quality of public speaking was exceptional, and the students faced challenging questions from the panel, answering with reflection and confidence. 

Well done to all students who took part for demonstrating excellent sociological thinking, and ethical and moral reasoning! 

We would like to extend a thank you to the following parents, staff, students and members of our local community for being part of this event, and for taking time out of their busy schedules to join us and offer valuable input. Without your generosity and support this event would not have been possible. Many thanks to: 

-Inspector Joe Breen and his colleagues from Kent Police. 

-Dr Emma Cooke and postgraduate Criminologist Cerys Barton from the University of Kent.

-Keima Payton, Criminal Defence Solicitor, Payton's Solicitors. 

-Lorraine Curtin of Spring Grove Psychotherapy, Pembury. 

-Mrs Maywood Head of Sociology & Psychology at TWGGS for organising four wonderful student volunteers. 

-Year 12 Sociologists Maisie Lagden and Tara Biswas for supporting and mentoring our younger students and sharing their Sociology expertise. 

-Miss Hardman, Mr Gladman and Mr Booth for representing the Weald of Kent Senior Leadership Team on the panel each day. 

View photos from the day and some of the innovative prison designs here: