Your Rights in School

Schools should do their best to make sure all pupils can be involved in everything to do with their education. And all pupils have a right to the support they need to help them learn.

The Scottish Government has set out four key features of inclusion to explain what it means and what pupils can expect:

Present

Schools should be a safe place for all pupils to feel able to attend in person. Some pupils who can’t attend school may learn in other ways, such as online.

Participating

Participation is about pupils being involved in the wider school community, as well as doing schoolwork and homework. This includes taking part in trips, events and other extra-curricular activities.

Achieving

The law says that each pupil’s education should help them develop their personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.

Supported

If a pupil needs extra help with their learning, for any reason, they have a right to receive the support they need to do their best at school.

Schools must treat all pupils fairly and with respect. Treating pupils fairly may not mean treating everyone in exactly the same way. Schools may need to change the way they do things to help each pupil get the best from their education.

There is a law called the Equality Act 2010 which says that all schools in Scotland must protect pupils from discrimination. Discrimination is when a person is treated unfairly because of who they are. For example, it is against the law to discriminate against pupils because of a disability, their gender, their race or their religion.

Disabled pupils have extra protection under the Equality Act.

All children and young people who need help with their learning should get the support they need to do the best they can at school, whether they are disabled or not.

Your school must do what they can to help make sure disabled pupils aren’t treated unfairly, which could put and them at a disadvantage compared to other children and young people.

Under the Equality Act, disabled pupils are protected from several different kinds of discrimination including:

There is a service in Scotland called My Rights, My Say who support children aged 12-15 with additional support needs to exercise their rights to be involved in decisions about their support in school.

It’s independent, confidential, easy to use, and help support you to make sure your voice is heard. Find out more about My Rights, My Say and how they can help you in the section below, or by clicking this button to visit their website.