February’s Right of the Month at Auchinleck Academy is Article 28: the right of the child to an education on the basis of equal opportunity. We know that despite secondary education being provided free in Scotland, there are still many young people who struggle to access it. At Auchinleck we are currently looking at ways of creating a variety of pathways for pupils for next year when we move to the Robert Burns Academy. It is important that our pupils have a say in this process and many of our S2-S6 pupils have already started, or completed their option choice interviews with the guidance teachers. We aim to ensure that our pupils are given a range of choices that challenge and stimulate them by encouraging vocational learning and making good use of our school partners.

We work hard to ensure that pupils attendance rates are high and that they enjoy their time in school. Over the past few weeks pupils have been involved in an exercise where they will vote for their favourite House names for the new school. It is important that pupils take part in this process as it is their school and all pupils should feel supported in taking up their right to an education.