Private schools in Abu Dhabi require all parents to sign a parent-school agreement before their child’s enrollment and annually upon re-enrollment.
The agreement must outline the obligations of each party and require parents to accept the full set of school policies, according to the Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek).
Parents are essential partners in their child’s education. It is important that an open and collaborative setting is available for parents to engage with their child’s learning and the school community. This policy sets out the minimum requirement that schools must put in place to ensure that they are engaging the parents, both as the home teacher of their children and as a member of the school community.
All schools must fully comply with this policy by the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year (first semester). Failure to comply with this policy will subject the school to legal accountability and applicable penalties.
Parent code of conduct
In encouraging parents to model appropriate behaviour, schools require parents to agree to the following code of conduct:
Parents are expected to support the school’s vision, mission, and values by fostering a respectful, professional, and collaborative relationship with the school community, including staff, students, and other parents. They are encouraged to model appropriate behavior, communicate constructively, and handle any concerns or disputes in a calm and respectful manner.
Maintaining the school’s positive learning environment also means avoiding culturally insensitive or defamatory comments, particularly on social media, and upholding the school’s general policies, including those that reflect the UAE’s cultural values and legal standards.
Parents share responsibility, along with the school, for their child’s academic success and wellbeing. This includes ensuring regular attendance and punctuality, respecting school calendars, encouraging academic honesty, and cooperating with school staff regarding additional learning support when needed. Parents are also expected to stay actively involved by monitoring their child’s progress, attending meetings when invited, and maintaining open and supportive communication with the school to promote their child’s continuous growth.
Parents may be asked to leave the school premises or be denied access if the requirements are disrespected or ignored.
Engaging parents in child’s learning
Adek has also shared a list of things schools should focus on to help parents stay involved in their child’s learning and development. Schools need to make sure communication between parents and staff is always respectful, professional, and easy to access. Parents should be able to reach out directly to their child’s teacher to check on progress, and also connect with any staff members involved in providing extra support.
Teachers should also keep parents in the loop when there are academic or behavioural concerns, so they can work together to support the student. Schools shall share student performance reports with parents in digital format and provide opportunities for parents to meet with teachers at least once every term.
Additionally, schools should encourage home-based learning support to promote parent-student interaction.
Engaging Parents in child’s wellbeing
Parents should be given the opportunity to provide feedback on improving their child’s wellbeing at school.
Parents must be encouraged to pack healthy, balanced meals and snacks for their children, while schools should promote sustainable habits. Parents need to be aware of any food restrictions and avoid sending items that aren’t allowed.
Schools will also keep parents informed about their mental health policy. This includes making sure parents know when a teacher or school counsellor identifies a need for counselling support, explaining confidentiality and consent requirements, and outlining what happens if consent is not given.
Schools should encourage parents to actively support their children’s participation in extracurricular activities and stay involved in their digital learning journey. This includes helping them use digital devices responsibly outside of school hours. Schools also should inform parents about the maximum weight limits for students’ school bags.
Parent involvement and notification
The education department emphasised the need for schools to communicate with parents using newsletters, phone calls, text messages, emails, letters, online platforms, and meetings.
Schools must facilitate the timely and appropriate payment of school fees as approved by the education department, without applying VAT. Additionally, schools must obtain parents’ consent before sharing any student information with third parties.
Schools should make parents aware that they have a duty of care when it comes to protecting students and are required to act as mandated reporters. This means that if there are any suspicious situations — like frequent unexplained absences or a student being suddenly withdrawn from school without reason — schools are obligated to report these as potential cases of maltreatment to the relevant authorities.
Schools shall inform parents about its bus services and communicate parent obligations and associated information regarding dropoff and pick-up protocols and authorised persons, parking, use of non-school bus transportation.
Schools shall have a mass notification system in place to quickly communicate with parents in emergencies. Schools must also keep a record of all written communication with parents as per Adek rules.
