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• The rights of children to be heard and to participate in decision making in matters that concern them has become a recent dominant theme in policy (Prunty et al, 2012).
• Furthermore, some have highlighted that including the opinions of young people can have potential benefits which can improve the quality of their school life (Prunty et al, 2012).

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• Education policies, such as Every Child Matters promotes the rights of all children to express their views in matters affecting them (Prunty et al, 2012).
• There aim is to ensure that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential by reducing levels of educational failure (DfES, 2003).
• Every Child Matters has established five outcomes which matters most to them, with one of the outcomes being to make a positive contribution, which includes being involved with the community (DfES, 2003).
• Thus meaning that all children should have an active participation in constructing their policy and practice in education provision.

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• Similarly, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognised each child as an active participant in the construction of knowledge about his or her life.
• Article 12 in the convention specifically looks at the right for children to express their views in all matters affecting them (Prunty et al, 2012).
• Thus meaning that taking account of children's perspectives can have the potential to challenge and inform policy and practice.