NEW INDIAN MODEL SCHOOL, DUBAI

Tel. 2824313, 2824250, 2824441, Fax-2825454
www.nimsuae.com; Mail:[email protected]

Attendance Policy & Punctuality

The School recognizes the importance of regular attendance of pupils. This policy aims to ensure the best possible pupil attendance and to define follow up procedures for pupil absence. It has been established through extensive research that few factors within students’ and families’ control are more closely associated with academic success than school attendance. Students need to be in the classroom to benefit from the teacher’s guidance and from interaction and exchange of ideas with peers.

Excessive absences affect the culture of the classroom, where the faculty seeks to build a community of learners. A student’s excessive absences or tardiness can lead to incomplete and unsatisfactory work, a reduced capacity to meet curricular standards, and lower course grades.

Responsibility of the Parents

Parents/guardians are partners with the school and faculty in assuring that students have good attendance and arrive in class on time.

Objectives

New Indian Model School keeps accurate records of student attendance and will communicate promptly and consistently with parents/guardians regarding attendance issues.

This attendance policy is designed to foster a culture of learning through regular attendance in the School.

This policy:

  • Establishes firm expectations that on-time school and class attendance are important in sustaining the learning environment and in meeting individual learning need
  • Provides significant flexibility to accommodate legitimate absence or lateness with a minimum of administrative procedure.
  • Assures the timely flow of information from parents to school and from school to parents about attendance at school and in class so that both can work to improve a situation before a student’s education suffers.
  • Clearly defines the responsibilities of students, educators and parents regarding absences, tardiness and dismissals.

Key Points

  • Students should be in school every scheduled day.
  • Students are expected to attend every class.
  • Except in the case of excused late arrivals and early dismissals, students must adhere to the following daily routine.

Attendance and Punctuality:

The daily routine: Timing of the School Day

Morning Shift : KG 1 & KG 2- 7.05 am to 11.15 am

Late Morning  shift : KG 1 & KG 2- 11.15 am to 3.15 pm

Montessori 1 & 2 :  7.05 to 12.50 pm

STD 1 to 12 : 7.00 am to 12.50 pm (Forenoon Shift)

Afternoon Shift : 12.55 pm to 6.00 pm (All classes)

Attendance

Students should not miss their classes or keep away from other curricular and co-curricular   activities conducted by the school. Each student who registers 75% of attendance of the total working days will be permitted to appear for the final examination. Condo nation in attendance ( deserving cases) is granted only when the parent applies for leave of his ward on any of the following grounds supported by a medical certificate wherever necessary :

1.       Sickness of the child.

2.       His/her medical certificate.

3.       Medical treatment of the parents or confinement of the mother, and parent’s inability to arrange for the stay of the child.

4.       Bereavement in the family.

5.       Any other ground acceptable to the Principal.

The responsibilities of the school include:

  • Sharing and implementing a school policy on attendance and punctuality which stresses that attendance for all students is mandatory on all the days the school is declared open.
  • Clarifying to parents and students the definition of a school day, the school’s expectations in relation to punctuality all through the school day, the definition of absenteeism and a list of what is considered excused and unexcused absenteeism.

The responsibilities of the Parents include:

  • Reading, ratifying and implementing the school’s policy on attendance and punctuality.
  • Promoting their child’s attendance and punctuality and abiding by the timings set by the school for the start and the end of the school day.

Understanding and upholding the school’s policy which states that continued tardiness and absenteeism will result in disciplinary measures and will affect the students’ chances of enrolment for the upcoming academic year.

In case  of repeated tardiness and absenteeism the following applies:

Offence Frequency Implications
 

 

 

Tardiness – this refers to being late in coming to school at the start of the school day and to instances of being late to lessons within the school day

 The first five(5) incidents of

tardiness in a short period of time such as a month or an academic term

 Written warning to student and notify parents. Tardiness will be noted in the students’ progress report
Up to an additional three(3)

instances of tardiness in a short period of time, such as a month

 Parents and student to be called to a meeting with the Principal or a designated person by the Principal.

 

Parents and student to sign a written pledge not to repeat the offence.

 

Tardiness to be noted in students’ progress report.

 

 

 

 

Any additional incidents to the above

 Community hours at the school or beyond.

Ø  Detention during school break or after school hours.

Ø  Temporary suspension for up to three days where the student will receive a “zero” on any test administered during suspension days.

Ø  A written notice announcing refusal to re-enroll the student in the school for the following academic year.
Offence Frequency Implications
Absenteeism – this refers to

frequent or habitual absence

from school or from lessons

without a valid medical or

family related excuse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The four(4) incidents of absenteeism in a short period

of time such as a month or an academic term

 Written warning to student and notify parents. Absent days will be noted in the students’ progress report.
Up to an additional three (3) instances of absenteeism  in a short period of time, such as a month Parents and student to be called to a meeting with the Principal or a designated person by the Principal. Parents and student to sign a written pledge not to repeat the offence.

Absent days to be noted in students’ progress report.
Any additional incidents to

the above

 At the discretion of the school,

decision might include:

Ø  Community hours at the school or beyond.

Ø  Detention.

Ø  Temporary suspension for up to three days where the student will receive a “zero” on any test administered during suspension days.

Ø  A written notice announcing refusal to re-enroll the student in the school for the following academic year.

These decisions are endorsed by KHDA and consequences resulting from continued tardiness and absenteeism will be upheld by the Authority.

Application for leave

Application for leave of a child up to a maximum of 30 days may be submitted to the Principal/HOS in a prescribed form and approval should be taken in advance before proceeding on leave. Granting of leave does not necessarily mean that the student’s name would be continued indefinitely. It is liable to be struck off on the expiry of the leave granted or if the child remains absent without sending leave application and getting it approved or in the event of non- payment of fees.

As a matter of fact, leave during the examination period is not granted. In case of emergency, it will be entertained as per the rules of KHDA.

Guidelines to Students

  1. Students are not permitted to remain absent from school on working days. Leave is granted only under convincing circumstances.
  2. If a student is late or absent, he/she must bring a note of justification from the parent in the ‘Absent Record/late coming Record’ in his calendar.
  3. Unauthorized absence of students for more than one month will invite removal of the name from the school register without further notice. Such students will not be readmitted.
  4. No student shall leave the school premises during school hours without the consent of the Principal.

Excused Late Arrivals and Early Dismissals:

  • If students have doctors’ appointments or other obligations that require them to arrive late at school, the parents/guardians may call prior to the student’s arrival at school to excuse the late arrival. Upon arrival at school, students should check in at the office to receive permission to go to class.
  • Once the school day has begun and a student is in attendance, he/she may be dismissed via a parent/guardian through permission slip duly signed by the HOS.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the teacher regarding missed work if he/she has missed a class due to a dismissal. These decisions are endorsed by KHDA and consequences resulting from continued tardiness and absenteeism will be upheld by the Authority.

Excused Absences:

  • Students are responsible for make-up work associated with excused absence In addition to their availability during the school day, faculty members will establish a time before or after school when they are available to assist students with make-up work. If students are unable to come at this designated time, it is their own responsibility to arrange a time to collect make-up assignments from their teachers, and to turn them in. If a student is absent, make-up work must be turned in within one week of his/her return.
  • If a student is excused for an extended period, the teacher shall determine an appropriate and reasonable time – frame for make-up work.
  • Teachers will make reasonable efforts to help students make up missed work, but students, parents and guardians must understand that time lost from class is irretrievable. The more often a student is absent from class, the greater the likelihood that his or her learning and grades may suffe
  • NIMS will notify parents/guardians when a student has excused absences of more than 2 in a Term and a conference may be arranged. Parents/guardians need not wait until for a call to set up a conference. They are encouraged to contact their child’s learning managers or administrator regarding concerns about their child’s attendance.

Unexcused Absences:

When in school, students are expected to attend all classes and assigned meetings unless excused by an administrator or the nurse.

  • If a student is in school, fails to attend a class, and does not have such an excuse, the absence is unexcused.
  • If a student arrives more than 10 minutes late to a class, the tardy converts to an unexcused absence.
  • If a parent fails to call a student in by 10:00 m. on the day of an absence, the school will classify the absence as unexcused.
  • Parents/guardians will be called for explanation if a student has an unexcused absence.

Excused Late Arrivals and Early Dismissals:

  • If students have doctors’ appointments or other obligations that require them to arrive late at school, the parents/guardians may call prior to the student’s arrival at school to excuse the late arrival. Upon arrival at school, students should check in at the office to receive permission to go to cla
  • Once the school day has begun and a student is in attendance, she/he may be dismissed via a parent/guardian phone call. Early dismissal phone calls must be received prior to the student’s departure.
  • If the school does not receive timely notification of a late arrival or early dismissal, the student’s absence from any classes will be recorded as unexcused.
  • If the parent/guardian notifies the school, the student may return to school for a portion of the day after a dismissal. If the returning student will be entering a class late, she/he should check in at the office to receive permission to go to cla
  • It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the teacher regarding missed work if he/she has missed a class due to a dismissal.
Policy Details Attendance Policy
Version Date August 2018