As a student, can I challenge my school results?

Got an unfavourable attestation? First of all, look into your exams and your attestation. The attestation should be thoroughly justified by the teachers concerned. Who knows, maybe the class council had good reasons for giving you that attestation.

If you still do not agree with the decision of the class council, first read the school regulations to find out how to challenge this decision.

The procedure for challenging your school results is always broadly as follows. First, your parents (or you yourself if you are of age) will have to contact your school in writing within a very short period of time (often three days after the day the class council gave you its decision) for a personal interview with the chairman of the class council.

After that conversation, the chairman may decide to convene a new class council if he thinks you have good reasons that warrant it. Otherwise, he will not convene a new class council convene.

If the chairman decides not to convene a new class council, or if you and your parents do not agree with the class council's new decision, your parents (or yourself if you are of age) can - often again within a very short period of three days - address the appeals committee of your school. To ensure an independent assessment of your arguments, this appeal committee is composed of people who are and are not connected to your school. Before making its decision, the appeals committee must invite you and your parents to an interview. At that meeting, you may be assisted by a trusted person, such as a lawyer. Then the appeals committee can confirm or change the class council's decision.

Do you still disagree? Then the last option is to start proceedings at the Council of State.

If you want to challenge the class council's decision, you have to react very quickly because of the short reaction times. It is therefore important to make every second count. A lawyer can not only advise you and your parents in advance about the chances of success of a challenge, but will also be able to prepare the necessary documents and arguments for you in time.

In addition, he or she can assist you as a confidential adviser during the meeting with the appeal committee and guide you during proceedings before the Council of State (if it comes to that, of course).