mabsy

Hi all , am new to the forum so please be gentle sure I will ask some very stupid questions.

Am coming out from Uk next year with 2 children, one will go into year 12 in sept 2011 and my son into year 6. Anyone got older children and can recommend/or not any schools for that age for A levels/IB ? Thanks so much

Millhouse

Nice first post... Hello.

I can offer you no help whatsoever other than wish you good luck. Not only on finding a place but paying the fees! They don't come cheap.

busybee2

brit schs there are bsak upto sixth form, yasmina up to year 10 (11 next year), muna and pearl only primaries, cambridge is another caters for older ones, but wouldnt be my first choice. the only options you have to get both kids in same sch will be bsak or cambridge. a new sch called bisad opened this sept but only this year goes up to year 8 usually add a year each year so thats no help for the older one. raha school is an ib school so worth a try.

mabsy

thanks EM, nice to get a reply. I know they are expensive but we have an expat package covering some of it, and as we currently pay 36k sterling p/a in Uk we are sadly used to it

Little Toot

Yes...but in the UK Mabsy there are plenty of excellent state schools that offer excellent value for money. I.e. they are free!

mabsy

yes, but my children are not at state schools in the uk and never have been, so i was merely explaining that i am already well used to paying school fees

Little Toot

I understand your reply and situation. However I am yet to understand why people opt for this option in the UK. Yes the facilities may be better, but IMO the teaching certainly isn't.

BTW -Motorbikes- I ride a bike but would definitely not take mine to AD.
1. Drivers are a nightmare.
2. In the UK on a bike you have to be extra cautious about car drivers. This is incomparebly so in AD.
3. There are no "fun" roads that I have spotted so far.

Hope you find a good school in AD.

mabsy

Luckily you clearly don't live in my area then! our local schools are not in that category, but this is not a state v private debate in UK, I have no interest in one of them i assure you, have enough here to last a lifetime ;-)

Re the bike, many thanks for your words of wisdom, i wish he would get rid of it i assure you, i hate it, but he either takes it or buys a new one there, he is adamant i'm afraid sadly

Little Toot

Ok I will have to forgive you for not living in a good school area.

The list of schools that have already been mentioned is about about all the "good" ones that I am aware of.

But I would not like to step on anyone's toes (BB2!) regarding this who have far better knowledge about this than me.

One consideration about the schools is where you would live. Some are in town, some are not.

mabsy

Thanks LT, not sure where we will live yet, won't know til later in year when husband out there, possibly Khalifa, Raha Gdns or Al Reef,

Mrs Bukit

My advise would be not to do 6th form there unless you have to. Moving a teenager is difficult, I know! My daughter did 6th form at a reputable school in Dubai and found it tough. Couldn't get combination of subjects she wanted and you need to hit the floor running with A levels, no time to 'settle' in. We had to get lots of outside tutoring. She got to a uni ok but not with results she expected or deserved. IB is even more difficult I've been told. You have obviously invested a lot in educating the kids so far so dont risk the most important 2 years especially if they have designs on a particular course at uni. Of course Abu Dhabi schools may be a better option? Good luck!

Ethos83

I agree with the above. If your children are used to a good UK independent school, most of the schools out here aren't going to compare. The few that do (in Dubai that is, know nothing about AD schools) are heavily oversubscribed.

You should consider boarding for your oldest child. I wouldn't risk the 6th form out here.

Grace O Malley

My boy just about to sit his final A Levels here in AD at the most established school in AD. Here is my opinion, schools in AD can not be compared to private schools in the UK, they are fee paying comprehensives, my son went to a private school in Knightsbridge before we came out here and there is simply no comparison. Subject choices at A level are poor. If we had the chance to go back and do it again, i would def have sent him back to the UK to do sixth form.

Roadking

LT, riding a bike here, in Dubai or AbDabs, is no different to riding anywhere else in the world provided you are aware of the risks and make allowances for them. As to no fun roads, you've not ridden the roads...how would you know? Jebel Hafeet is an awesome ride as are the mountain roads at the back of Hata Fort as are many other roads in the Emirates.

soukie

I agree with this - our friends have older children in AD and say the same. Luckily ours are still in primary so we have been warned about this already and have a little bit of time to decide the best way forward. At one time everyone used to have to send their kids home for secondary education as even the most established school in AD didn't offer secondary schooling at all. I suppose things can only get better in the future but for now I wouldn't move a child who is preparing for A levels.