School Uniform Policy

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Table of Contents

1. Rationale
2. School Uniform Expectations
3. Footwear
4. Uniform Items by Grade Band
5. Casual-Dress Days
6. Uniform Infringements
7. Parent Cooperation with Uniforms

1. Rationale

1.1 Al Fajer Private School believes that there are many benefits to having a consistent and recognizable uniform:

1.1.1 It allows for easy identification of students, essential for effective safeguarding;

1.1.2 It instills pride and gives students a sense of belonging;

1.1.3 It establishes and reinforces positive expectations of students, which supports positive behavior and high achievement;

1.1.4 It helps students to understand the importance of presentation;

1.1.5 It protects students from social pressures to dress in particular ways, and prevents competition between students over clothing and fashion.

2. School Uniform Expectations

2.1 Our uniform is smart and practical for the local environment. It is expected to be worn correctly at all times, so that students look smart and presentable. The expectations below apply to all students, KG1 – Grade 6:

2.1.1 Buttons fastened appropriately — second button below the collar;

2.1.2 Sleeves not rolled up on long- or short-sleeved shirts;

2.1.3 Collar down;

2.1.4 Where the uniform includes skirts, they must touch the center of the knee;

2.1.5 Shirts must be tucked in;

2.1.6 Hoods must not be worn at any time on the school campus;

2.1.7 For students who wear a hijab, we request that it is plain and in a school-approved color [NEEDS AFS INPUT: approved hijab colors — the source policy specified plain navy, gray, or white];

2.1.8 A sports hijab may be worn for physical education lessons;

2.1.9 Where the uniform list includes a tie, it is worn for formal school photographs and formal school events;

2.1.10 At the discretion of the school leadership team, any occasion deemed formal may be assigned an alternative dress code;

2.1.11 Students appointed to student-leadership roles may be given a pin badge to wear on their uniform throughout their tenure.

2.2 ALL items of clothing should be clearly marked with the child's name.

2.3 Only school-branded sweaters, hoodies, or outerwear sold through the school's uniform supplier may be worn to school. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS uniform supplier]

2.3.1 School-branded hoodies purchased for sports events or school trips may only be worn for the specific event, NOT worn to school as uniform;

2.3.2 Non-school-branded sweaters, hoodies, cardigans, or alternatives are not permitted on the school campus.

2.4 If a student wears a coat to school when it is cold, it should be plain and in the school-approved color [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS uniform list — coat color], and removed once inside the school building.

2.5 Hats, while acceptable and expected to be worn outside in the sun, must not be worn inside the school building.

2.6 Makeup — none is permitted for any grade (KG1 – Grade 6).

2.7 Nails — false or painted nails are not permitted for any grade (KG1 – Grade 6).

2.7.1 The school keeps makeup and nail-polish remover available for any student who is asked to remove makeup or nail polish; parents will be informed.

2.8 Jewelry (KG1 – Grade 6):

2.8.1 A small pendant or necklace is permitted if kept out of view; a religious bracelet or bangle may be worn with the school's permission — parents must contact their child's homeroom teacher to request this;

2.8.2 Earrings — one pair of stud earrings is allowed; these MUST be removed for PE lessons;

2.8.2.1 No hanging or hooped earrings are permitted;

2.8.2.2 No other piercings are permitted at school;

2.8.3 No other jewelry, such as rings or bracelets, should be worn at any time during the school day.

2.9 Hair (KG1 – Grade 6):

2.9.1 All students must tie up long hair (below shoulder length) at all times, for safety;

2.9.2 Hair should not obscure the eyes;

2.9.3 No bright hair dye or extreme hairstyles are permitted. The suitability of hairstyles/color is at the discretion of the school leadership team.

2.10 Earphones and mobile phones — removed/put away at all times when on the school campus. Refer to the Use of Mobile Phone Policy for further details.

2.11 On days when PE is scheduled, we ask all students to arrive at school in their school PE kit. For swimming lessons [NEEDS AFS INPUT: whether AFS offers swimming lessons / has pool access], all students should have the school-approved swimwear and a towel.

2.12 All items of uniform are for sale from the school's uniform supplier. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS uniform supplier and shop location / how parents purchase uniform items]

3. Footwear

3.1 Footwear, for all students KG1 – Grade 6, must be plain black, containing no visible logos or designs.

3.1.1 Boots, open-toed sandals, or loose-fitting slip-on shoes may not be worn;

3.1.2 No white soles or other colors.

3.2 (The source policy included photo examples of acceptable and unacceptable footwear; [NEEDS AFS INPUT: replace with AFS's own example images, or delete this note].)

4. Uniform Items by Grade Band

4.1 The school uniform list is set out below by grade band. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: AFS uniform list — the source school's stock list has been removed in full and must be replaced with AFS's actual uniform items before this policy is published.]

4.2 Kindergarten (KG1 – KG3)

4.3 Grades 1 – 3

4.4 Grades 4 – 6

4.5 PE Kit (all grades, KG1 – Grade 6)

4.6 Swimwear (if applicable)

[NEEDS AFS INPUT: whether AFS offers swimming — if so, complete this table; if not, delete this subsection]

5. Casual-Dress Days

5.1 At various times throughout an academic year, the school may hold casual-dress days, where students are invited to come to school in their own clothes for a small charity donation (usually 500 fils [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm donation amount]). Some days are annual and have a theme, such as Bahrain day at the end of term 1, whereas others may be called as part of our ongoing commitment to charity work. Whether themed or not, students should follow our expectations and local customs by dressing appropriately, in line with the following guidance:

5.1.1 Clothing should be at least knee length and cover both shoulders;

5.1.2 Clothing should not expose flesh inappropriately — for example, ripped jeans or a crop top;

5.1.3 No offensive words or images visible on clothing.

6. Uniform Infringements

6.1 Students dressed correctly and neatly can expect to be praised for taking pride in their appearance. Conversely, uniform infringements are treated as examples of negative behavior, as per the Behavior, Rewards & Sanctions Policy. Because our students are young children, uniform issues are resolved with parents rather than treated as the child's fault. If a student is wearing incorrect uniform or PE kit, or wearing the uniform inappropriately, a scaled response will be taken:

6.1.1 A friendly reminder from the classroom/homeroom teacher, with a note home to parents asking them to correct the issue;

6.1.2 A final written reminder to parents from the school leadership team;

6.1.3 Parents will be asked to come to the school to resolve the uniform issue (for example, by bringing the correct items) or to collect the child.

6.2 Depending on the nature of the infringement, more immediate action may need to be taken — for example, to uphold the customs and values of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

6.3 In all cases of uniform infringement, a common-sense approach will be applied before making a final decision.

6.4 The same procedure applies to students who do not follow the guidelines for PE kit.

7. Parent Cooperation with Uniforms

7.1 Parents should take the following steps to support the school in upholding the uniform policy:

7.1.1 Provide an email or a signed, written note to their child's homeroom teacher, clearly explaining if there is a justifiable reason for a student to attend school without the correct uniform and the steps being undertaken to rectify the situation;

7.1.2 Respect the school's policies and any consequences that their child receives for not complying with the uniform policy.

7.2 Parents should take sensible steps to ensure that their child can comply with the uniform policy, such as:

7.2.1 Purchasing the correct items of uniform;

7.2.2 Checking that their child is in correct uniform before leaving the house in the morning;

7.2.3 Having ear piercings for their child arranged at the start of holidays, so that the piercing hole is healed by the start of the school term, meaning studs can be removed when required.