ABSENCE POLICY

CONTENTS

1. RATIONALE

2. POLICY STATEMENT

3. SCOPE

4. EVALUATION AND REVIEW

5. DEFINITION

6. REFERENCES

7. EFFECTIVE AND REVISED DATES

 1. RATIONALE
This policy is to ensure attendance requirements at the Woodlem Park Al Hamidiya School are
fair, consistently applied, and appropriately communicated to students. It provides a
comprehensive framework for promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problem of
absence and early school leaving. Regular school attendance is essential if students are to
achieve their full potential.

The purpose of this Policy is to define attendance standards for students enrolled in the Woodlem
Park Al Hamidiya School. This policy will encourage, in a positive way, regular school
attendance and an appreciation of learning within the school and will provide for:
1.1 Rewarding of students who have good attendance records
1.2 Establishment of closer contacts between the school and the families concerned
1.3 Mandatory attendance requirements, and the consequences for failing to meet
them, shall be clearly communicated to students.

2. POLICY STATEMENT
This policy has been developed to provide clear guidance on student absence with a view to
reduce the impact of absence on academic study. The school encourages regular attendance and
participation in all course activities to optimize students’ learning.

3. SCOPE
As a school community, the staff at the WP Hamidiya School believes that there is a direct
relationship between a student’s success and regular attendance. Students who have good
attendance records enjoy their school experience more than students who do not attend regularly.
The attendance policy applies to the whole school and encompasses all students, teachers,
departments, parents, subjects, classwork, homework and home study.

4. EVALUATION AND REVIEW

The school will review this policy annually and update accordingly to include changes in the law
and guidance on good practice. The policy will be promoted throughout the school community

5. DEFINITIONS
Absence: any day during which a student is not considered in attendance or on a school
sponsored activity for at least one half of the school day.

5.1 Early Dismissal: All early dismissals will require a written request from the parent or
guardian. Requests will not be granted over the telephone. In an emergency, persons having legal
custody of the student may present themselves at the student’s school office to sign an early
dismissal. Producing a relevant identity card will be a mandate in this case.
5.2 Excused Absence: A student’s absence is considered excused if documentation of the reason
for the absence is received within two school days of the student’s return to school. A signed
note from the parent or guardian stating the reason for the absence and the date will be required.
Parents, guardians and students must understand that writing a note does not excuse a student for
an absence unless it can be classified as a necessary and legal absence.
5.3 Tardy: A late arrival after school’s official starting time.
5.4 Unexcused Absence: An absence for a reason other than the six valid reasons listed in the
absence procedure document, or an absence with no note. Unexcused absences result in no credit
awarded for the missed schoolwork.

6. REFERENCES
Attendance Policy should not be viewed in isolation; it is a strand that runs through all aspects of
school improvement, supported by our policies on

6.1 Assessment
6.2 Parent-school mutual agreement
6.3 Attendance and punctuality endorsed by MOE
6.4 National Curriculum Framework 2005

7. EFFECTIVE AND REVISED DATES

Date of the Policy: 15TH March 2023; will be revised on 31 March 2024.