The study examines secondary school students' perceptions of the quality features required by them and how well they judge their school to be performing in relation to these. Strengths and weaknesses are identified to ensure the school improves the quality of the students' experience. The study identifies a number of implications for the school with regard to meeting the students' perceptions of their educational needs. High on the list is ensuring the school is safe for all students and supporting teachers to build a relationship with every student to allow effective learning to take place.