Pupils’ rights and duties
The most important rules from the school statute.
This page summarises the statute but does not change its meaning. You will find the full wording of your rights and responsibilities in the statute, which you can download below.
Your rights
To information. You have the right to know the requirements for every subject, the assessment rules and the behaviour grade criteria. Teachers give them at the start of the year, and you can ask for a reminder at any time.
To an open grade. You learn your grade within the time set in the grading rules. If you ask, the teacher will explain it, because you have the right to know what you got it for and what to improve. You can look at your marked work.
To announced tests. The teacher announces a test covering a larger part of the material a week in advance and enters it in the e-register. There can be at most three such tests a week, and one a day.
To rest. You don't get homework for days off, the winter break or holiday breaks.
To safety. Nobody has the right to humiliate you, mock you, threaten you or use violence against you – neither another student nor an adult.
To help. You can go to the school counsellor or psychologist without an appointment and without your parents' consent. We talk in confidence. If someone is in danger, adults must act.
To your own opinion. You can disagree and say so calmly, with respect for the other person. You can also make proposals through the Student Council.
To privacy. We don't discuss your family, health or personal matters in front of the class.
Your responsibilities
Take part in lessons. Come to lessons, prepare for them and work to the best of your ability.
To respect others. Teachers, school staff and classmates – even when you disagree with them.
Don't disturb others. In lessons we make sure everyone can concentrate and learn.
Look after the school. Its equipment, books, furniture and the grounds around the building.
To follow the phone rules. In lessons your phone is put away, unless the teacher asks you to use it for a task.
Speak up. If you see someone being hurt, tell an adult. This way you help someone who may not be able to ask for help themselves.
When your rights have been violated
You can start with any step. You can always go to the school counsellor or psychologist, at any stage.
Talk to the person involved
If you feel up to it and the situation allows, calmly say what is bothering you.
Tell your form teacher
They are the first adult worth going to. Usually this conversation is enough to sort things out.
Write to the Student Rights Ombudsman
The Ombudsman's box is by the school office. You can write anonymously.
Go to the school counsellor or psychologist
The office is next to the school office. You can come without an appointment and without your parents' consent.
Report the matter to the school management
If the previous steps haven't helped, you or your parents can report the matter to the head teacher.
Appealing an end-of-year grade
If you think your end-of-year subject grade or behaviour grade was set in breach of the regulations, you or your parents can raise objections with the head teacher. The deadline is two working days after the end of classes in the school year.
The head teacher checks whether the grade was set in line with the procedure. If not, they appoint a committee. The committee tests your knowledge or sets the behaviour grade again. The grade set by the committee cannot be lower than the previous one.
A resit exam is a separate route. You can take it if at the end of the year you have a failing grade in one or two subjects. The exam takes place in the last week of the summer holidays.