Students’ Bill of Rights

Students' Bill of Rights

A student is defined as any person attending this school for the express purpose of receiving a formal education. The administration of this school has a responsibility to take all available measures to make sure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.

Students have the right to…
An environment which

  • protects and preserves their identity and dignity at all times
  • is free from discrimination, harassment, victimisation and humiliation
  • is physically and emotionally safe, free from violence, danger, abuse and neglect
  • is clean and healthy with access to fresh air, clean water, functioning sanitary facilities, and access to open spaces to play and exercise
  • enables them to achieve high standards of learning and to develop self-confidence, optimism, high self-esteem, respect for others and achievement of personal excellence
  • promotes equal educational opportunities
  • allows them to say what they think should happen in the school and have their opinions taken into account, commensurate with their level of maturity
  • acknowledges the students’ parents’ rights and responsibilities to express their views on matters affecting their children and provide guidance for them
  • enables them to learn their responsibilities for behaving in a socially-acceptable manner that is based on respect and expectation rather than fear and punishment
  • allows them to meet together and to join groups and organisations provided they respect the rights, freedoms and reputations of others
  • respects their privacy and confidentiality in all areas of their school-based life
  • protects them from any activity that takes advantage of them or could harm their welfare and development
  • provides for their physical development and personal health including appropriate use of their leisure time
  • expects the entire learning community to act with moral and ethical integrity, honesty and compassion and to work for the common good

An education which

  • reflects a belief that learning should be student-centred and that all students can succeed in relation to their potential
  • puts their best interests first so that decisions made by adults on their behalf consider how these will affect students first and foremost
  • promotes equity and excellence
  • strives to ensure that all students become “successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens”. (MCEEDYA, 2008)
  • ensures students have an active role in their own learning
  • enables them to develop the knowledge, understandings, skills and values which allow them to make sense of their world now and participate in it later as contributing adults
  • enables them to develop literacy, numeracy, investigation, problem solving, communication and democratic skills so they can be active participants in their world and the world of their future
  • acknowledges the need for the development of physical, social and emotional skills, as well as academic
  • encourages them to “embrace opportunities, make rational and informed decisions about their own lives and accept responsibility for their own actions” (MCEEDYA, 2008)
  • allows them to access,evaluate, interpret, use and share information, as long as the information is not damaging to them or others, and which respects the rights, freedoms and reputations of others
  • promotes freedom of thought, conscience and religion and allows them to examine and express their beliefs provided they respect the rights, freedoms and reputations of others
  • provides access to information that they can understand through books and mass media, including radio, television, newspapers and Internet content sources, in a language in which they are conversant
  • acknowledges and addresses their special needs, whether educational, behavioural, personal, cultural, emotional, financial or social
  • develops their personality, talents and abilities to the fullest, and encourages them to respect themselves, the values and rights of others, human rights, the values of their own and other cultures and protect the environment
  • provides access to fully-qualified teachers who have expertise and experience in their subject area, who design and deliver curricula tailored to their students’ needs through recognised best-practice pedagogy
  • enables them to learn about and practice their own culture, language and religion
  • encourages relaxation and play, and provides opportunities to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities
  • provides the foundation for future education and training

Statements in this document are based on

UN Convention on The Rights of the Child – in child friendly language

FACT SHEET: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

The Hobart Declaration on Schooling (1989)

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