SCHOOL GUIDE 2025-2026
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Home » At school » Absence Policy

Absence Policy

School Attendance (leerplict)

The ISE is a Dutch school and is therefore obliged to adhere to Dutch regulations. The Dutch Compulsory Education Act (leerplichtwet) requires parents to ensure that their children attend school, absence at will is not permitted. Details of the Dutch regulations and the Dutch Compulsory Education Act (leerplichtwet) for leave can be found here (this site also has information in English) and information from Eindhoven city (in Dutch) can be found here. The ISE and the city (gemeente) are required to monitor attendance. There are occasions when the school may grant leave, however, in order to do so the request must meet strict criteria.

Students who are consistently reported late or have repeated absences due to illness are reported to the Health Authority  called the  Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdiensten(GGD)  for support and interventions. The School Attendance Officer provides accountability to students who have not maintained expectations for attendance, consequences and support to ensure that students are in school.

The school is required to keep accurate records of when a student is absent. Unauthorized absence is absence through skipping (truancy) or as a result of extreme tardiness for no good reason. The school aims to keep parents informed of this, and is also obliged to inform the school attendance officer. Authorized absence is when a student is absent because of illness, or other medical reasons, or has received formal approval from the school or the school attendance officer. In all incidents of absence,  the school must be informed by the parents.

Absences due to illness

The local health services (GGD) provide guidelines to the school on frequency of absences related to illness. The goal is for students to be healthy and in school learning. When  a student has three incidents of illness during a six week period, the school will contact parents in order to determine the best steps moving forward. When the frequency of illness goes beyond the GGD guidelines, the school will seek advice from the GGD on how to support the student and as a result, the GGD will invite the family for a consultation.

  • In case of illness or any other unavoidable and unforeseen absence of a student, parents should inform the school by telephone or email to secondary@isecampus.nl before 08.45. Parents are requested to phone the school each morning of continued absence if the date of return has not been given.
  • In the case of a pre-arranged absence, such as medical or dental treatment, which cannot  take place outside school hours, the parents/guardians must request permission from the Head stating the reason for, and duration, of the absence.
  • If a student becomes ill during the school day and cannot continue with the remaining lessons, they must report to the School Office. The Office will contact the Head or a member of the Leadership Team to gain permission for the student to go home. Permission to go home is only granted if it is possible to contact one of the parents/guardian by telephone.
  • Students, who cannot participate in a Physical and Health Education lesson, must report to the PHE teacher, who will then decide whether the student can in fact follow the lesson or part of the lesson. At any rate, the student remains under the supervision of the PHE teacher, and must not stay in the changing rooms.
  • If the illness or condition is only temporary, parents must request exemption from the lesson from the PHE teacher in writing, and the student may follow the lesson from the sidelines. Only the PHE teacher can give permission to deviate from this rule.
  • Exemption from PHE classes will be granted only in cases of prolonged illness or a prolonged condition accompanied by a medical statement. The PHE teacher will decide in consultation with the Head of Secondary where the student must be during the PHE lesson.
  • A student who has fallen behind in their studies as a result of absences, is expected to make up for this as soon as possible. If any major tests have been missed, the student must consult the subject teacher to make arrangements for re-scheduling the tests. The teacher is not obliged to re-schedule tests for any reason other than illness or leave of absence due to an emergency.
Frequent tardiness

Frequent absences and lates disrupt learning and impede on the student’s academic and socio/emotional development. The following preventive steps will be taken for students who acquire lates to lessons both first thing in the morning or throughout the day. The lates are cumulative over the course of the year. Detentions will normally be issued for 8:15 before lessons start.

  • An informal /verbal warning will be given to the student that they have acquired 3 lates.
  • A detention will be issued at the third late and confirmation emailed home.
  • Detentions will be incrementally issued and a warning letter states the next step which will be a meeting at school with the Attendance Officer (leerplicht).
  • When lates continue to incur (9 times). School registers the lates to the Attendance Officer via DUO (Department of Education) as “overig verzuim”. The Attendance Officer will invite the student to the Gemeente.
Top Talent accommodations

The International School Eindhoven falls under Dutch law and legislation within the law for secondary education (de wet op voortgezet onderwijs) and Dutch Compulsory Education Act (leerplichtwet). All students at the ISE must meet the 950 hour requirement of lesson time. The ISE is not a recognized Topsport Talent school.

Under certain conditions  the ISE can partially accommodate a student who needs to be exempted from regular lesson hours on a repeated basis in order to pursue the development of their talent (arts and sports). Accommodations can only be put in place at the ISE  when a student has no other school option in the region due to limited Dutch proficiency and when they  can provide the ISE with documented Top Talent Status within a national and/or international organisation with the NOC*NSF-status or a KNVB “Belofte Status”.   In the Netherlands top talent students are normally catered for by attending a so-called Topsport Talent school where talent development and education is integrated.  Students requesting days off for set events and competitions also fall under this policy.

Formal requests for exemptions need to be submitted to the Leader for Learning at the beginning of the academic year. Agreements will be formalized with parents and are subject to review on an annual basis.