Mariam Al Batool School
School Policies
Introduction
The driving force behind how a school is run is its policies and procedures. School policies are an essential part of every school. They are ever changing and ever growing. Establishing policy is at the heart of the responsibilities of the school administration. When policies are clear, well documented and well organized in an easily accessible form, the task of carrying out these policies by school administrators and staff is made much easier. Policies also need to be accessible and understandable as much as possible.
Attendance, Punctuality and Contact Details
Kindly help us and the students by making sure that your children come to school on time and are picked up punctually.
Students should be at school by 7:45am. They must proceed to the school yard, unless it is raining. In this case, they should go straight to the first-floor corridor. When the bell rings for assembly at 7:45 am, students are to line up in the yard next to their teacher. After assembly, students are escorted to class by their teachers.
School finishes at 2:15pm from Monday to Thursday and at 11:45pm on Friday. Parents are not allowed to loiter around school property during school hours unless one has an appointment. Except for Kindergarten classes , parents are not allowed to pick their children up before the bell rings. Parents who have their children in the Kindergarten classes may pick them up 15 minutes before the bell rings. Kindergarten doors will open at 13:55 for parents pick up. Any relative or friend picking up the child must produce an Identity Card and parents must inform the school beforehand.
For the safety of the children and others, no smoking is allowed in or near the school premises.
Please note that students are unsupervised after 3.00pm (Monday to Thursday) and after 13:00pm (on a Friday) and before 7.00am everyday.
If your child is ill or has to be away from school, please phone the school in the morning to explain the absence. A written note on return is also necessary for the absence of one to two days. You are to produce a medical certificate for the absence of 3 days or more. Children who are ill are to produce a medical certificate to cover their days of absence. When a child is sick, the best place for him/her is at home. Please, do not send an unwell child to school, especially if the child has an infectious disease because other people can easily get sick. If a doctor prescribes medicine once or twice a day, please give it at home. The school is not responsible to give out any medicine.
We are being directed by the Education Department to report unexplained and repeated absenteeism.
Parents are reminded that family outings and holidays abroad should be taken during the school holiday periods, otherwise your child’s educational attainment is bound to be affected. In addition, the school will not hold extra examination sessions for students who miss their exams. If a student needs to go abroad during school days, the parents should provide a copy of the ticket at the office. If a period of more than 15 days is spent abroad, the education department needs to be informed.
If a student is late for school, he/she must immediately report to the school administration and not enter the classroom. It is a requirement that the parent/guardian explain the reason for the delay. The student will not be allowed in class until this explanation is received. The school is aware of the odd occasion when unforeseen circumstances prevent punctuality, but please remember that arriving late for school has serious effects on the educational attainment of your child, other students and teachers concerned.
When dropping off your children to school please DO NOT enter the school from the upper gate. ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL BY VEHICLES for drop-offs and pick-ups is from LOWER GATE ONLY and cars should park in the outside yard. NO VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED IN THE LOWER INNER YARD. This is for the safety of your children, our students.
Make sure that the school knows your contact details (address and numbers). Should there be any changes throughout the year, they should be made known to the secretary in writing as soon as possible. Emergency telephone numbers should also be given to us as these will help us if and when needed.
Appointments, School Outings and Parents’ Days
At the beginning of every scholastic year, you will have the opportunity to meet the teachers of your child. During this meeting, the teachers will explain the programmes of study for the scholastic year and other points of interest.
Every scholastic year we hold two Parents’ days. The first one will be in November and the second one during the second term. Parents are strongly urged to attend these meetings as they are important opportunities for discussing your children’s progress. Moreover, those parents whose children are statemented (or awaiting statementing) are advised to attend MAPS and IEP sessions as determined by the school administration.
If your child is not happy at school for whatever reason, please do contact us. An unhappy child will not learn as well as a happy one. Please, keep in mind that teachers cannot speak to you during their lessons, so if you wish to speak to the class teacher, or any other teacher, you should make an appointment. It is important that you make all appointments through the school secretary.
To speak to the Head of School or to the Deputy Heads, an appointment needs to be held. Emergency appointments will be taken on a case by case basis.
Throughout the scholastic year, classes are taken on visits to various sites of cultural, traditional, and scientific interest. These visits support and enhance the programme of study your child would be following in the classroom. Parents will always be given information of these visits in advance, together with details of venue, transport, and costs.
A tentative school calendar will be issued at the beginning of the scholastic year.
School Behaviour Policy
We are pleased to say that most of the time, our children behave well and with consideration for others. We encourage parents to work hand in hand with our staff to instill in all children a sense of respect towards each other. This will make it possible for us to educate and to make the school a safe and friendly centre for learning. Our aim is to safeguard the rights and responsibilities of every student at school.
Discipline is not only a matter of punishment, but rather a means by which the students grow in their understanding of themselves and the world around them.
When administering discipline, the school insists that it should be carried out in a fair equitable manner and disciplinary action must be rational and aimed to support and encourage students to move on and to keep on the right track.
The school adopts a system in which both students and parents are involved in disciplinary action, whereby the child is called at the Headmaster’s office to discuss the issue and then the parents are called to inform them of the child’s misconduct. In necessary cases, parents will be called at school for a meeting with the school’s administration. We believe that strong teamwork between school and home will help address student misconduct.
Contacting the teacher
Microsoft Teams is the platform adopted by the school as the sole means of communication. Please contact your teacher exclusively through Teams. Additionally, be sure to check Teams regularly for notices, homework assignments, and classroom updates. Make sure to attend the meetings at the beginning of the year, as help will be provided to set up teams on your mobile and some instructions of how it works will be imparted during these meetings.
Code of Conduct
Students are expected to uphold and demonstrate good quality behaviour at all times by:
- Maintaining righteousness of mind, body, and clothing.
- Displaying Islamic courtesies to all teaching staff, administrators, elders, caretakers, bus drivers, classmates etc.
- Learning and respecting classroom rules.
- Treating personal and school property with care and respect.
- Working and playing co-operatively.
- Behaving as role models for other students (especially younger students).
When at school, whether in the classrooms, toilets, hallways, playground, Mosque or waiting for their bus, students are expected to:
- Use polite language.
- Show appropriate classroom behaviour.
- Be respectful and obedient, so that everyone has the maximum opportunity to learn.
- Respond correctly and respectfully to the directives of all the staff.
- Respect opinions and feelings of others.
- Respect school property and the personal belongings of others.
- Adopt actions that will safeguard the safety and welfare of oneself and others.
- Refrain from physical fights.
- Resolve conflicts peacefully.
- Place all litter in chosen containers.
- Obey the playground supervisors.
Students will be sent to the office immediately for the following actions:
- Cheating, stealing and/or lying.
- Defiance of teacher authority.
- Using offensive language at school (in the classroom, hallways, or playgrounds) or on the school bus.
- Fighting, physical or verbal threats or otherwise putting at risk the welfare of others.
- Abuse, vandalism or tampering with school equipment. In such cases, the cost of breakages and vandal acts must be incurred by the parents of the student/s concerned.
- Leaving the school premises without permission during school time.
- Possession of mobile phones, cameras and any other electronic devices. These will be confiscated and will only be released to the parents involved.
- Possession of tobacco, controlled substances, dangerous objects / weapons (or any object that resembles a weapon).
- Repeated disregard for Mariam Al Batool School rules and regulations.
Violating any of these rules may result in suspension or expulsion, as deemed appropriate, to ensure the school’s welfare and academic interests.
Zero-tolerance policy on bullying.
Bullying will not be tolerated at Mariam Al Batool School and will be dealt with instantaneously. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying because every person has a right to be treated with respect. Therefore, it is essential that all incidents of perceived bullying are reported to the administration immediately so that these can be investigated.
A student referred to the office for unacceptable behaviour in the classroom or elsewhere, may be held after school. Depending on the severity of the behavioural problem, the Head of School and teachers concerned may also require a parent conference.
In cases of in-school or out-of-school suspension, the administration will notify the parent/s of the circumstances surrounding the discipline action. A student returning after an out-of-school suspension MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian for a conference with the school administration.
Failure to report for detention may result in suspension from school until a parent conference can be held. Repeated misbehavior may be recorded on the school certificate and profile.
Uniform Policy
As cleanliness and neatness in appearance is a duty upon all Muslims, Mariam Al Batool School observes a uniform dress code which must be abided to throughout the year. The school Pe kit is to be worn at all times, accompanied by white/black socks and white/black running shoes. JOMA MABS sportswear: royal blue T-shirt and tracksuit jacket, navy jogging trousers. JOMA bermudas, shorts, undervests, cotton T-shirt, summer cap and rain jacket may be added but are not mandatory. Students from Yr2 should wear bermudas instead of shorts. Hejabs should be white, navy blue or grey.
Please note: White or Black sport shoes are a part of the uniform. If your child is not wearing sports shoes they do not conform to the uniform code and will not be allowed to join the class. You may be asked to bring the proper school clothing or to take the child home. Upon an occasional mishap a student may be excused ONLY upon presenting a written explanation note from a parent. Winter jackets are to be navy blue/ black, no colourful jackets or hair accessories are allowed.
P.E. kit is sold from Full Marks, 288, Triq Ħaż-Żabbar, Fgura – 21677262.
Any student failing to observe the uniform policy will be:
- Not allowed to participate in the lessons.
- Assigned for in-school detention, or
- Required to have a parent bring the proper uniform to school.
Periodic unexpected inspection of student uniforms and cleanliness will be carried out during the scholastic year. Clothing other than that required by the school is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Students must wear the uniform to and from school and keep it neat and clean. Parents/guardians should make sure socks and underwear are changed daily.
The following rules must be strictly observed:
- No make-up.
- No clogs, sandals or slippers (except during P.E. lessons).
- No jewellery except single stud earrings (for girls only). The school is not responsible for any losses.
- Piercing, long earrings, bangles and necklaces are not allowed.
- No unusual haircuts for boys such as partly shaved, mushroom cuts, spiky hairstyles etc.
- No nail polish or colouring, or hair colouring/sprays.
- Girls should have their hair pulled back (horse tail or plait)
Homework Policy
Homework consists of school related projects or assignments which are completed outside the regular school day. It is usually given to reinforce what has been done in the classroom. Both the time and the nature of the homework will vary according to factors such as age, grade, special needs of the individual student, and the units of study being emphasized in the classroom. Homework can teach children to work by themselves and encourages discipline and responsibility. It serves several important purposes for the student, including:
- To practice what they have learned at school.
- To get ready for the next day’s work.
- To use resources such as libraries, encyclopedias, dictionaries and the Internet.
- To develop a sense of responsibility.
- To practise effective study habits.
- To reinforce and apply school learning.
- To allow students and parents to spend quality time together, developing a love and appreciation of learning together.
- To help children learn good habits and attitudes.
The school adopts a Wednesday NO HW policy, in order to provide some time during the week for extracurricular activities.
All assigned work needs to be handed in on time. However, if students repeatedly do not hand in their work on time, the school administration together with the teachers involved may call the parents for a meeting to discuss their children’s attitude and performance
Assessment
Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the learning and development of students. It is the process of defining, selecting, designing, collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using information to increase students’ learning and development. Mariam Al Batool School proposes two forms of assessment: Formative and Summative.
Formative Assessment
The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback. This helps teachers to improve their teaching and students to improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:
- help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need work,
- help teachers recognize where students are struggling and address problems immediately.
Examples of formative assessment include: classroom participation, project work, class tests, class work, home work, social skills and others. This assessment makes up of 40% of the annual exam mark.
Summative Assessment
The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of a year. This is done by comparing students’ progress against some standard or national exams.
Summative assessments are often high stakes, i.e. they determine whether a student has reached the set standard or benchmark. An example of summative assessment includes the end of year examination, which makes up 60 % of the annual mark.
In Years 1, 2 and 3, assessment is entirely formative, i.e. there will be continuous progress assessments throughout the year but there will be no final examinations by the end of the year. This is done to foster positive attitudes among pupils and instill a collaborative stance among parents and teachers.
From Year 4 onwards assessment will be both formative and summative.
Guidance and Counselling Services
Students’ lives are getting more and more complex. The school recognises this important fact and offers a professional guidance service to all its students. This special service is designed to help students reach optimum levels of achievement and adequate adjustments to varied life situations. The role of the school’s guidance professional is to work with students and parents to help guide students’ academic, behavioural and social growth.
Counselling is a specialised service offered to individuals / groups who are undergoing specific difficulties in life and need professional help to overcome them. Counselling deals with personal, social, vocational, empowerment, and educational concerns. Problems keep students disturbed and under tension and unless solved, their development is hampered. Thus, students may need to be referred to the Guidance and Counselling service by parents, teachers or other professionals. In such cases, parents will be informed of referrals and an agreement on the course of action is reached.
Healthy Eating Policy
The school, together with the parents, has a duty to educate students about nutrition. The eating habits children pick up when they are young will help them keep a healthy lifestyle when they are adults. Maintaining a balanced diet and encouraging healthy eating habits will help your child maintain a healthy weight and normal growth. It is advisable to involve the child in the process of choosing and preparing a healthy school lunch and you can also be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
Students are to be provided with healthy sandwiches. Kindly eliminate very salty and sweet food. Fizzy drinks, snack packets, sweets and junk food will not be allowed. Instead, the school encourages fruit, vegetables, diluted fruit juice and water. The only exception to this healthy eating policy is when the school, on rare occasions, organizes fund-raising initiatives.
Bus Rules and Regulations
Free transport is provided by the government to and from school. This service is designed to assist the many parents who live and work far from the school area. Safe transport of students to and from our school is our primary concern; therefore, strict adherence to bus rules and regulations is a must. Students who continually disregard bus rules may have their riding privileges suspended or, in extreme cases, terminated.
The following are the bus rules and regulations:
- Students returning from school are required to be dropped off at their regular location.
- Seats are assigned by the bus driver. No changing of seats will be permitted without the permission of the bus driver.
- No pushing or hurrying while boarding the bus.
- No eating or drinking on the bus.
- No littering or depositing of garbage on the bus.
- No swearing, intimidating, threatening or abusive language will be tolerated.
- No racial or ethnic insults will be tolerated.
- Do not vandalize, deface, or damage the interior or exterior of the bus.
- Do not stand or walk while the bus is moving.
- Do not call out to the driver unless there is an emergency.
- Do not talk, laugh or shout loudly as it may distract the driver.
The bus driver is the authority on the bus. Students must respect and obey him/her at all times. Any breach of the bus rules may result in withdrawal of service for a period as determined by the school administration. Parents may be requested to bring the offending student to school for a conference before the bus service can be resumed.
Conclusion
These rules are compulsory to ensure the well-being of all students. Day-to-day experiences have accepted the adoption of different policies and procedures both for the safety and well-being of the students and to better serve and maintain academic standards at the school. It is necessary for parents to encourage the importance of respecting and obeying school rules, which will, in future, help our students become law-abiding citizens.
It is important to note that teachers may formulate their own system of rewards and punishment in a professionally acceptable way, and in accordance with the school discipline policy.
Please, also note that unless the payments of your child/children’s fees are effected, your child/children risk not being registered and allowed at school. Pending fees should be settled by the end of each term so that the students may be allowed in class at the beginning of the new term. Kindly cooperate to avoid unnecessary and unpleasant situations.
We would like the full support and co-operation of all parents in helping students understand and adhere to all school rules and regulations.
It is acknowledged that instances not mentioned in this handbook may arise. In such cases, it is at the discretion of the school administration to decide on how to act.
Contact details
School email- info@mariamalbatool.com
School no- 21664791
Headmaster’s email – b.vassallo@mariamalbatool.com
Ms Debbie Atanasio, Deputy Head, email- d.atanasio@mariamalbatool.com
Ms Diana Salerno, Deputy Head, email- d.salerno@mariamalbatool.com