This paper presents a four-dimensional, dynamic model of pupils' subjective quality of school life. The model is based on the author's and colleagues' studies of experiences and perspectives of pupils in regular schools who have been assessed as having "special educational needs". The conceptualisation of quality of school life proposed here is aimed at serving as a "direction indicator" for where to look and how to listen to pupils, not at giving detailed definitions or prescriptions. The model may also serve as a tool for studying and discussing quality of school life in terms of overall educational goals as well as schooling conditions that are being offered by national school systems and individual schools. A few aspects of relations between subjective quality of school life and "objective" conditions, which are very complex, are discussed. It is concluded that the experiences and perspectives of pupils, especially of those pupils whose voices are seldom heard, can make a powerful contribution to developing a better understanding of how equality, inclusion and quality of school life can be achieved. (Contains 1 figure and 2 notes.)