Attendance & Absence Policy

This policy will be effective from the 2017 academic year onwards. The policy has also been reviewed and ratified by the Parent Consultation Board [PCB].

 

Definitions:

The following definitions apply to this policy:

“Madressa”: the Shia Ithna’asheri Madressa, part of the KSIMC of London.

“Madressa Website”:  Madressa’s official website (https://www.madressa.net/) or such other website as notified by Madressa.

“Parent Portal”:  Portal for Parents which is hosted by the Madressa (https://sis.madressa.net) or such other portal as notified by Madressa.

“Academic Year”: Madressa’s academic year commencing January (or such other dates as notified or advertised by the Madressa from time to time).

“Madressa Day”:  This is the full day of Madressa beginning at 10am and ending at 1.30pm. Where the Madressa has different timings for students on other sites, those timings will apply.

“Absent”:  This is where a student does not attend the Madressa on a given Madressa Day or part of Madressa Day.

“Authorised Absence”:  This is where the Madressa has agreed that a student will be able to be absent for either one Madressa Day, or part of a Madressa Day.

“Unauthorised Absence”:  This is where the Madressa has not agreed that a student is able to be absent for either one Madressa Day, or part of a Madressa Day.

“Late”:  This is where a student arrives more than 5 minutes following the start of the Madressa Day or for any given lesson during the Madressa Day.

 

Introduction

Regular and punctual Madressa attendance is important. Students need to attend Madressa regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. A student who has enrolled in the Madressa is expected to attend punctually on all Madressa Days.

In order to counter low attendance and lateness, which is correlated with both low levels of learning and classroom disruption, as well as to provide fair access to all children to the Madressa, an attendance policy is being introduced and will be applicable to all Madressa students who enrol in any class from the 2013 academic year as well as for all future years.

 

Attendance Policy Summary

Attendance data will be continuously reviewed by the Madressa to monitor attendance levels and the same data will be made available online to parents via the Parent Portal so that any discrepancies may be rectified as soon as possible.

 

Authorised absence definition

  • An absence is classified as authorised when a student has not attended Madressa for a Madressa Day or part of Day, for a legitimate reason and the Madressa has received notification from a parent or carer.  For example, if a student has been unwell and the parent notifies the Madressa via the parent portal.
  • Absence may generally be authorised for the following reasons:
    • illness, medical or dental appointments
    • Family bereavement; Attending Funeral of family member; Family emergency
    • Suspension or exclusion by Madressa
    • Mandatory School events/exams
    • Ziyarah
    • Participation in Charity event
    • Exceptional’ occasions (the nature of such occasions will be determined by the Madressa on an individual basis)
  • Only the Madressa can make an absence authorised.  Parents do not have this authority. Consequently not all absences supported by parents will be classified as authorised.

 

Unauthorised absence definition

  • An absence is classified as unauthorised when a student has not attended the Madressa for a Madressa Day or part of a day, without the permission of the Madressa.
  • Absence will notbe authorised in the following circumstances:
    • Family holidays
    • School exam revision; Tuitions
    • Leaving early due to travelling distances or any other reason deemed invalid as determined by the Madressa
    • Hosting/Attending Majalis (other than family bereavement); attending Religious processions
    • Duke of Edinburgh like events
    • Going for a family day out; birthday events; wedding events; sporting, Social & school related events (non-Mandatory)
    • No explanation has been offered by the parent/carer
    • The explanation offered, if not listed above, is unsatisfactory as determined by Madressa
  • Therefore the absence is unauthorised if a student is away from Madressa without good reason, even with the support of a parent.

 

Procedure

  • Once a student has 2 unauthorised absences, parents will be formally contacted by the Madressa to advise them that their child has been absent for 2 Madressa Days and that the Madressa has an Attendance Policy in place. An opportunity will be provided for parents to state if there are any extenuating circumstances which the Madressa should take into consideration. Parents will be advised that a further 2 Unauthorised Absences will result in their child’s place being allocated to a student on waiting list.
  • Should a student miss a further 2 Unauthorised Madressa Days, the Madressa will contact the parents and advise of their child’s space being re-allocated to a child on waiting list (unless Madressa becomes aware of any extenuating circumstances which the Madressa should take into consideration) .  

Parents will then need to re-enrol their child for future academic years and will not be guaranteed of a space within the Madressa as their child’s enrolment application will be treated as a new enrolment. Any fees paid for the academic year in which a student’s space is withdrawn will be non-refundable.