Absences
The student has a duty to take part in the tuition offered by the school. In addition, there are other activities organised by the school such as events, theme days and trips which are also regarded as part of the tuition process. Acceptable reasons for being absent include, for example, an illness, or a temporary leave of absence, which has been applied for in advance. Permits for a leave of absence can be given by a subject teacher regarding their lesson, by a form teacher for 1 – 5 days, and for longer periods by the principal. The teacher must be informed about leaves of absence that have been applied for, and in these cases the teacher and the student will agree separately how to fulfil the requirements of the study unit. As a rule, permission for an absence is not given during the final part of the study unit. It is the student’s responsibility to find out via Wilma what homework and other tasks are required during their absence. A reliable explanation is required for absences. This can be given by a guardian, a public or school health nurse or a doctor. All absences must be cleared via Wilma.
It is compulsory to take part in the first lessons of the study unit. The teacher must be informed about absences. This is important, because at the beginning of a study unit the premises of the evaluation and the grading will be clarified with students as well as the minimum requirements for fulfilling the evaluation criteria.
If a student is absent for more than three days, they should inform their form teacher. In cases involving a large number of absences, the study unit can be cancelled. Many absences and late arrivals might result in a lowering of the final grade for the study unit. Lessons start as scheduled on the timetable, and late arrivals will be always marked in Wilma.
If there is a sudden case of becoming ill before an exam, this must be communicated via Wilma to both the subject teacher and the form teacher. The absence must be cleared in Wilma soon afterwards, to ensure the student´s right to retake the exam. The same practice applies to the retake exam days.
Permits for a leave of absence for reasons other than illness will be given by the form teacher for 1 – 5 days and by the principal if the leave of absence is more than 5 days. The application form can be found in Wilma. An application that affects the final part of a study unit must always be addressed to the principal. The application should be sent well before the final week starts.
If a student has many repeated absences in a number of subjects, the form teacher will discuss the reasons behind the absences with the student and, when necessary, also with the guardian. If needed, the student counsellor as well as the IB coordinator or the principal will take part in the discussion. If the absences continue, the student might be required to show a doctor’s certificate or similar document covering the absences instead of a clarification by guardians or by students of legal age.