Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Aug 23rd 2015, 8:25 am
#16
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
In PE?! what are the kids eating here to reach that level of physical development.
I find it all of this very interesting - I've known many kids here who did well here to only find themselves very much mid-placed in the UK ... often with significant gaps.
Mini-millhouse was top in maths here - a position that he has held in the UK but that's mostly because I value it so highly and a lot of effort is done at home to push him and make it fun. I think the UK school has brought him on a lot more (due to competition with other kids) that what happened in Dubai.
Of course - let's not forget that the only education that really matters occurs pretty much in the later school and university (or post university) years.
I find it all of this very interesting - I've known many kids here who did well here to only find themselves very much mid-placed in the UK ... often with significant gaps.
Mini-millhouse was top in maths here - a position that he has held in the UK but that's mostly because I value it so highly and a lot of effort is done at home to push him and make it fun. I think the UK school has brought him on a lot more (due to competition with other kids) that what happened in Dubai.
Of course - let's not forget that the only education that really matters occurs pretty much in the later school and university (or post university) years.
The teams and clubs etc are ridiculous too. You were pretty special in the UK if you were decent at more than a couple of standard sports. Kids she teaches here are pretty good at numerous things.
Don't worry - there's plenty of ham-fisted idiots she deals with, but generally she reckons the kids are genuinely a long way ahead of counterparts in UK.
That's exactly the right balance in my opinion too - pity I failed the exams for the grammar - maybe then I wouldn't have been drinking Special K at a bus stop on a winter Friday night when I was 14. We'd have found somewhere warm. 
of course it is a bit like the "without war you cannot have peace" argument - without some shitter school to house the masses you can't have Grammars.
ah, it was a joke that I immediately regretted posting - it looked so much harsher in written form
of course it is a bit like the "without war you cannot have peace" argument - without some shitter school to house the masses you can't have Grammars.
ah, it was a joke that I immediately regretted posting - it looked so much harsher in written form
Very true that. One can't exist without the other.
Failing the grammar test hardly hurt you, don't forget I know where you went to Uni and you're right - that matters more.
Aug 23rd 2015, 10:15 am
#17
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Thanks to every one for giving feedback, hopefully it will help us in making some sort of a decision.
Thx
Thx
I think the test should be against an average UK school.
The schools here so ok as the kids are from a good intake. Almost all parents have degrees, have money and have time to support the kids. Yet the schools churn out results similar to a good UK mixed intake comprehensive.
Don't confuse facilities with education. The schools here are staffed with young teachers going a job rather than crusty grumpy ones trying to make a career.
Of course - UK private schools also mean that your children are excluded from mixing with a demographic of people that make up most of the country.
I do love an education debate.
The schools here so ok as the kids are from a good intake. Almost all parents have degrees, have money and have time to support the kids. Yet the schools churn out results similar to a good UK mixed intake comprehensive.
Don't confuse facilities with education. The schools here are staffed with young teachers going a job rather than crusty grumpy ones trying to make a career.
Of course - UK private schools also mean that your children are excluded from mixing with a demographic of people that make up most of the country.
I do love an education debate.
Aug 23rd 2015, 3:43 pm
#18
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
You'll be sorry. Passing up the opportunity to turn mini Mill into the spitting image of Ethos?
But more importantly, have the Millhouses moved back to the UK? The golden dreams of Dubai ending up in the rubbish as it ultimately does for most? Back to a cramped semi on a new build Barratt estate and broken down commuter trains to London?
But more importantly, have the Millhouses moved back to the UK? The golden dreams of Dubai ending up in the rubbish as it ultimately does for most? Back to a cramped semi on a new build Barratt estate and broken down commuter trains to London?
Fair enough - hence my "good intake" argument. Kids in schools here are somewhat privileged yet their results are not overly different. There is a lack of competition in schools here - partly as a result of a comfortable life.
I recently made the decision between a UK comprehensive, and a UK private school. Both schools were nice and friendly, one had 30 kids in a class, the other 7. I still opted for the comprehensive as the smaller private school would mean that my child would only be socializing with the children of doctors and overly aspirational engineers. In life, which is what school is suppose to be preparing people for, he will have to deal with builders, people from under-privileged areas, people with different outlooks on life - I wanted to prepare him for that.
Of course, we still invest heavily in more formal education but what you learn in the playground is very important too. He can't go through life not knowing how to cook heroine on a spoon.
I recently made the decision between a UK comprehensive, and a UK private school. Both schools were nice and friendly, one had 30 kids in a class, the other 7. I still opted for the comprehensive as the smaller private school would mean that my child would only be socializing with the children of doctors and overly aspirational engineers. In life, which is what school is suppose to be preparing people for, he will have to deal with builders, people from under-privileged areas, people with different outlooks on life - I wanted to prepare him for that.
Of course, we still invest heavily in more formal education but what you learn in the playground is very important too. He can't go through life not knowing how to cook heroine on a spoon.
Last edited by Ethos82; Aug 23rd 2015 at 3:46 pm.
Aug 24th 2015, 5:13 am
#19
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
You'll be sorry. Passing up the opportunity to turn mini Mill into the spitting image of Ethos?
But more importantly, have the Millhouses moved back to the UK? The golden dreams of Dubai ending up in the rubbish as it ultimately does for most? Back to a cramped semi on a new build Barratt estate and broken down commuter trains to London?
But more importantly, have the Millhouses moved back to the UK? The golden dreams of Dubai ending up in the rubbish as it ultimately does for most? Back to a cramped semi on a new build Barratt estate and broken down commuter trains to London?
Aug 24th 2015, 5:52 am
#20
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Can you do me a favour and run this miserable image by my Mrs? She's come back from a month in UK and is intent on making us move home 'soon'.
Aug 24th 2015, 6:08 am
#21
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Spend a week or two there in February - no thanks.
Aug 24th 2015, 6:26 am
#22
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Don't worry. It's just the usual post-UK trip misery. I feel for her, she genuinely misses home and family etc a lot. I just don't, or am a master at subduing those feelings of missing a cuddle from Mummy or Daddy. I don't get on brilliantly with any of my sisters and rarely used to see my Granny and barely have any friends back home, so really don't mind.
Case in point - my sister is going to Bahrain for a week next week to work. 'Couldn't' change her return flight to a few days later to either come here to see me or me go there for weekend because 'she's got a busy weekend'. Siblings eh.
Case in point - my sister is going to Bahrain for a week next week to work. 'Couldn't' change her return flight to a few days later to either come here to see me or me go there for weekend because 'she's got a busy weekend'. Siblings eh.
Aug 24th 2015, 6:29 am
#24
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Make more money in UK, go back.
Make more money in Dubai, stay there.
But being married I can confirm that if your wife wants to go back, you're going back at some point.
Make more money in Dubai, stay there.
But being married I can confirm that if your wife wants to go back, you're going back at some point.
Aug 24th 2015, 6:32 am
#25
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
We have looked at a huge number of houses over the last few months and I have to say they are dainty. Not unusual that a 4 bedroom semi is under 1400 sqft. I am not looking forward to the first few months in that but you do get used to it and as long as you make sure you have a proper living space and not a galley kitchen (wtf?) then it's doable in my opinion.
Aug 24th 2015, 7:08 am
#26
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
I don't miss it at all. I didn't go back.
Life in a cold house, getting up at 6am for a freezing cold wait at the train station in drizzle to board a commuter train to the city doesn't appeal anymore.
All that said, I go back around once a month and I do like a trip to ASDA on a Saturday - Most of the UK now looks like there has been a zombie apocalypse.
There are many absolutely suburb things about the UK - Living there isn't one of them. Leaving the UK has always been my plan, even from a fairly young age. The Middle East probably won't be the final place, but I doubt the UK will either.
Life in a cold house, getting up at 6am for a freezing cold wait at the train station in drizzle to board a commuter train to the city doesn't appeal anymore.
All that said, I go back around once a month and I do like a trip to ASDA on a Saturday - Most of the UK now looks like there has been a zombie apocalypse.
There are many absolutely suburb things about the UK - Living there isn't one of them. Leaving the UK has always been my plan, even from a fairly young age. The Middle East probably won't be the final place, but I doubt the UK will either.
Last edited by Millhouse; Aug 24th 2015 at 7:29 am.
Aug 24th 2015, 8:21 am
#27
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Moving back full time is very different, and holds no appeal to me.
Aug 24th 2015, 11:17 am
#28
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
Oh I know we'll go back at some point, unless I can convince her to go somewhere else like the USofA
Aug 24th 2015, 11:22 am
#29
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Re: Dubai GEMS Schools vs UK Private Schools Study
I've had the same.. but pointed out that we were back for four weeks, the weather was good and all family/friends make effort to spend time with us as it is an annual trip. That made it a great holiday.
Moving back full time is very different, and holds no appeal to me.
Moving back full time is very different, and holds no appeal to me.
It's really hard to remind her that the UK is how Millhouse describes - it's all the same grind as here but in a shitter apartment, with no view, with a shit car, expensive petrol, terrible commute, miserable weather and much less disposable income....oh and shitter holidays.
