sailorgirluk

Hi All

I am currently negotiatng with a potential employer and am looking to get some advice on accommodation and schooling in AD.

Accommodation - we have 2 kids and would need 3bed due age difference - if we could find anything what would we be looking at in rent - would consider Appt or villa depending on location - also what is the standard of accommodation like.

School - what is the standard of eduction like - i have one in primary Y4 and one pre school.

I appreciate that both accommodation and schooling are difficult to secure and it is a concern my potential employer has - hoping to come out in Nov to see for ourselves but any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks
S

busybee2

the schooling is a big issue, have you spoken to anyof the schools, because they are all full, but you may be lucky as people do come and go and coming in january ie next time a few may leave if they are heading down south way, but any years in the primary age are very difficult to get in to a school in ad.

happygolucky123

Hi, the standard of eduction is high at some of the schools. As for the waiting list at these schools, if you are British, you will be closer to the top in the British commmunity school. Get a list of the schools and contact them all to find out where you stand. Good luck as it is a great place to bring up kids.

sailorgirluk

Bustbee2/Happygolucky

I have spoken with Pearl Academy and Al Yasmina and both have told me that they currently have space in Y4 but I appreciate that thinks change on a daily basis out there. Does anyone have any feedback on either of these schools.

My main concerns really is with accommodation - happygolucky you mention it is a great place to bring up kids - what makes you say that.

Thanks
SailorgirlUK

weescot

My friend placed her daughter in Pearl primary in September and she has settled and is happy there. Good teaching/activities etc - all good feedback - except reports that it is a bit cramped space wise.

busybee2

yes i think yasmina was saying that they were having a few spaces in year 4 but thats about it. yasmina is a new school this year and when its finished its building it will be a good school, catering from 3-18 eventually, upto year9 presently. pearl is a school in town which was an old school which has been refurbed and so is a bit limited on space (compared to yasmina where they have built from scratch) but is a good school but only new last year, and bsak which was the only other real british school before the other two opened, and so has been around for 40 years and is in town, my kids go to bsak as we have been here years and so that was the only choice, but if i was coming out now i would be happy in any of the three schools. the only problem with pearl is that if you are now year 4 and you live in town, until they build another school that caters for seniors in town you have to commute to raha gardens off the island so that is also a consideration, because unless you have a car and dont mind doing the school run or putting the kids on the bus. unless you have a big budget the going rate for a 3bed at raha gardens which seems the only place at the mo, are going for 360 + and some if you lucky on kca but they are also going for nearer the 450 for some of the 5 bed ones, because the landlords are trying it on, because of the shortage so its also depends on what 'money' you have to play with. a lot of companies are now not recruiting in ad but only in dubai because at least you can still get sort of affordable housing up there.

sailorgirluk

Busybee - those kind of figures are scary the lower one is nearly twice what the accommodation allowance would be on current offer- would not be happy with that!
It is a real shame 'cause it would seem this is the main issue at the moment.

lobby lou

school places seem to have levelled out at the mo and quite easy to secure
the real whammy is defo housing u r looking at at least 300 in mohammed bin zayed,350 plus KCA,more in town ...there are the dd right place right time rents out there ...but very hard to get xxx

dangerousdave

Hi,

Can anyone help us please...new member today so please bear with me if I stuff this up!

We are planning on coming over in a few weeks and have "nearly" secured a place for my 7year old boy in Jebel Ali primary school. We are now looking for accommodation very close to the school as my wife doesn't drive. On the map the Gardens seems to be perfect but we need to pay AED1K just to get on the waiting list. Can someone please advise if we can get something close for around AED200K and is it worth spending the money to be on a list. We only have 4weeks in a hotel to find somewhere.

Also there is 1 x 2bedroom apartment at Discovery gardens for AED140K but that seems too cheap...can anyone provide any advice???

Many thanks!!!

Blue Cat

Disco Gardens is the best bet for you, The Gardens waiting list is years long and Discovery Gardens is right next door. Are you planning on using the school bus? might be the best way if you wife isn't driving. You are also very close to IBN Battuta Mall. The only problem is that at this moment in time there are no 2 beds available, you will have to wait for the next phase to be realeased. Contact www.bhomes.ae

dangerousdave

Thanks Blue cat!
Any idea when the next phase release is?

Blue Cat

sorry Dave I don't have a clue, contact better homes. I think there is also a website just for discovery gardens.