BSAK or Al Yasmina?
Sep 20th 2010, 1:24 pm
#1
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BSAK or Al Yasmina?
Which is best for Secondary school? And would be interested in hearing any of your experiences with them.....please. Thanks.
Sep 20th 2010, 3:54 pm
#2
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
where do you live. i have kids in bsak for last 10 years, obviously sch has been around 40 odd years! al yasmina has only been going for 3. know a lot of peeps there too. al yasmina doesnt do all years yet whereby bsak goes all the way to sixth form. the factor that would be important too is where you live. i have to drive from off island to bsak which only takes me 20 mins but it would be easier if the drive was only 5 mins!
Sep 20th 2010, 4:00 pm
#3
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
aldar runs al yasmina and the guy in charge of the education is the ex-bsak headteacher. the headteacher of al yasmina is an ex secondary headteacher of bsak. they are basically the same.
Sep 21st 2010, 5:03 am
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
where do you live. i have kids in bsak for last 10 years, obviously sch has been around 40 odd years! al yasmina has only been going for 3. know a lot of peeps there too. al yasmina doesnt do all years yet whereby bsak goes all the way to sixth form. the factor that would be important too is where you live. i have to drive from off island to bsak which only takes me 20 mins but it would be easier if the drive was only 5 mins!
Do you think that the quality of the teaching at al yasmina is equal to BSAK and what about after school activities?
I see the GCSE results for BSAK are quite good but I suppose al yasmina doesnt have that history yet.
Is the al yasmina house more multi-national students or mostly brits ?
we might be in al raha gardens or Al reef out by the airport
i was going to use the school bus service for either school. are these areas very far to BSAK?
Sep 21st 2010, 8:06 am
#5
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
do u have places? as that may make your decision.
al yasmina is only 3 years old so yes no history, but its basicially the same as bsak a lot of their teachers/heads etc. there are people that live at al reef and commute to bsak its a long way and as they have 4 kids i think they have sponsored a driver to ease the burden a little. al yasmina will be the same as bsak lots of different nationalities. i commute from kcb to bsak in 20 mins to sch a little longer because of the roadworks on way back. bsak dont run buses, but buses do get organised from off island, but doubt from al reef. they are coming from mangrove/officers city and kca, but if you are going to live in al raha say then yasmina is 5 mins away. aldar do buses even to kcb now.
al yasmina is only 3 years old so yes no history, but its basicially the same as bsak a lot of their teachers/heads etc. there are people that live at al reef and commute to bsak its a long way and as they have 4 kids i think they have sponsored a driver to ease the burden a little. al yasmina will be the same as bsak lots of different nationalities. i commute from kcb to bsak in 20 mins to sch a little longer because of the roadworks on way back. bsak dont run buses, but buses do get organised from off island, but doubt from al reef. they are coming from mangrove/officers city and kca, but if you are going to live in al raha say then yasmina is 5 mins away. aldar do buses even to kcb now.
Sep 21st 2010, 8:11 am
#6
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
If you'll be living off-island it'll be easier to get to Yasmina as opposed to BSAK (Busybee - 20 minutes from off-island - is that even this week with the Arab schools back??).
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
Sep 21st 2010, 8:21 am
#7
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
do u have places? as that may make your decision.
al yasmina is only 3 years old so yes no history, but its basicially the same as bsak a lot of their teachers/heads etc. there are people that live at al reef and commute to bsak its a long way and as they have 4 kids i think they have sponsored a driver to ease the burden a little. al yasmina will be the same as bsak lots of different nationalities. i commute from kcb to bsak in 20 mins to sch a little longer because of the roadworks on way back. bsak dont run buses, but buses do get organised from off island, but doubt from al reef. they are coming from mangrove/officers city and kca, but if you are going to live in al raha say then yasmina is 5 mins away. aldar do buses even to kcb now.
al yasmina is only 3 years old so yes no history, but its basicially the same as bsak a lot of their teachers/heads etc. there are people that live at al reef and commute to bsak its a long way and as they have 4 kids i think they have sponsored a driver to ease the burden a little. al yasmina will be the same as bsak lots of different nationalities. i commute from kcb to bsak in 20 mins to sch a little longer because of the roadworks on way back. bsak dont run buses, but buses do get organised from off island, but doubt from al reef. they are coming from mangrove/officers city and kca, but if you are going to live in al raha say then yasmina is 5 mins away. aldar do buses even to kcb now.
BSAK we are waitlisted but they said if one gets in the others are prioritised for primary places
i would prefer everyone to go to one school but maybe that's not possible in Abu Dhabi
I cant imagine that BSAk dont have a bus service
what is the commute time from Al reef to al yasmina and to BSAK? We are tempted to live there because we think the rents in AD are insane
But if its soo inconvenient than maybe al raha is better
Sep 21st 2010, 8:26 am
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
If you'll be living off-island it'll be easier to get to Yasmina as opposed to BSAK (Busybee - 20 minutes from off-island - is that even this week with the Arab schools back??).
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
Still there isnt much choice - we have been offered the place there and not BSAK yet
I dont know what the chances are of tranferring BSAK after enrolling children at al yasmina for a term or 2
do you know anyone who has done that?
Sep 21st 2010, 9:01 am
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
My son has started in FS2 at BSAK this year, having applied for FS1 mid-term last year but him not getting in.
We therefore put an early application in for the 2010 term and managed to get him a place.
I would suggest keeping him/her/them on the waiting list at BSAK if that's your preferred choice and hope that a place or places become available, as you say, once one gets in, your other kids leap up the waiting list.
BSAK generally has a good reputation and to me felt like a 'proper' British school - not from a snobby point-of-view (alright, maybe a little), but more from the fact that we're likely to return to the UK while the kids are still at school age, so we need to try to minimise any differences between schooling here and schooling there.
Of course, moving them from one school to another is not only a bit disruptive for them, but also adds to the costs with all the enrolment/application fees.
We therefore put an early application in for the 2010 term and managed to get him a place.
I would suggest keeping him/her/them on the waiting list at BSAK if that's your preferred choice and hope that a place or places become available, as you say, once one gets in, your other kids leap up the waiting list.
BSAK generally has a good reputation and to me felt like a 'proper' British school - not from a snobby point-of-view (alright, maybe a little), but more from the fact that we're likely to return to the UK while the kids are still at school age, so we need to try to minimise any differences between schooling here and schooling there.
Of course, moving them from one school to another is not only a bit disruptive for them, but also adds to the costs with all the enrolment/application fees.
Sep 21st 2010, 10:39 am
#10
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
If you'll be living off-island it'll be easier to get to Yasmina as opposed to BSAK (Busybee - 20 minutes from off-island - is that even this week with the Arab schools back??).
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
I looked at both for my son, but opted for BSAK in the end - Yasmina came across to me as more of a business/money-making exercise (which it is) and feared this would be to the detriment of the schooling.
That's just my opinion though, I know of parents that send their kids there and are happy with the school.
Sep 21st 2010, 10:40 am
#11
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
al yasmina have offered a place but only for one child with no guarantee the others will get in for primary
BSAK we are waitlisted but they said if one gets in the others are prioritised for primary places
i would prefer everyone to go to one school but maybe that's not possible in Abu Dhabi
I cant imagine that BSAk dont have a bus service
what is the commute time from Al reef to al yasmina and to BSAK? We are tempted to live there because we think the rents in AD are insane
But if its soo inconvenient than maybe al raha is better
BSAK we are waitlisted but they said if one gets in the others are prioritised for primary places
i would prefer everyone to go to one school but maybe that's not possible in Abu Dhabi
I cant imagine that BSAk dont have a bus service
what is the commute time from Al reef to al yasmina and to BSAK? We are tempted to live there because we think the rents in AD are insane
But if its soo inconvenient than maybe al raha is better
yes the rents are insane but they are much better than last year.
Sep 21st 2010, 10:43 am
#12
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
My son has started in FS2 at BSAK this year, having applied for FS1 mid-term last year but him not getting in.
We therefore put an early application in for the 2010 term and managed to get him a place.
I would suggest keeping him/her/them on the waiting list at BSAK if that's your preferred choice and hope that a place or places become available, as you say, once one gets in, your other kids leap up the waiting list.
BSAK generally has a good reputation and to me felt like a 'proper' British school - not from a snobby point-of-view (alright, maybe a little), but more from the fact that we're likely to return to the UK while the kids are still at school age, so we need to try to minimise any differences between schooling here and schooling there.
Of course, moving them from one school to another is not only a bit disruptive for them, but also adds to the costs with all the enrolment/application fees.
We therefore put an early application in for the 2010 term and managed to get him a place.
I would suggest keeping him/her/them on the waiting list at BSAK if that's your preferred choice and hope that a place or places become available, as you say, once one gets in, your other kids leap up the waiting list.
BSAK generally has a good reputation and to me felt like a 'proper' British school - not from a snobby point-of-view (alright, maybe a little), but more from the fact that we're likely to return to the UK while the kids are still at school age, so we need to try to minimise any differences between schooling here and schooling there.
Of course, moving them from one school to another is not only a bit disruptive for them, but also adds to the costs with all the enrolment/application fees.
if you were to go back to uk then it wouldnt matter if it was from bsak or yasmina they are the same, no difference.
yes if you get one in you go up the list. it does depend on what passport you hold too.
Sep 21st 2010, 10:45 am
#13
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
I know what you mean- currently my kids are at a not for profit /British embassy type school here in Doha so we were a bit wary of al yasmina being part of the whole ALDAR group thing
Still there isnt much choice - we have been offered the place there and not BSAK yet
I dont know what the chances are of tranferring BSAK after enrolling children at al yasmina for a term or 2
do you know anyone who has done that?
Still there isnt much choice - we have been offered the place there and not BSAK yet
I dont know what the chances are of tranferring BSAK after enrolling children at al yasmina for a term or 2
do you know anyone who has done that?
there are rules tho that you can only change curriculums mid of nov and you can only then change schs mid feb, after those points you are stuck until new academic year in sept.
Sep 21st 2010, 10:45 am
#14
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
bsak has been around a long time, yasmina not. but aldar run yasmina on a not-for profit basis so i believe, bsak is non for profit, but they have raised their fees for the last few years, they are now in the process of raising money for phase 4 so there is construction work going on at the mo and a bit of shuffling the kids around too.#
if you were to go back to uk then it wouldnt matter if it was from bsak or yasmina they are the same, no difference.
yes if you get one in you go up the list. it does depend on what passport you hold too.
if you were to go back to uk then it wouldnt matter if it was from bsak or yasmina they are the same, no difference.
yes if you get one in you go up the list. it does depend on what passport you hold too.
Mine are british- I assume that's a good thing?
Sep 21st 2010, 10:48 am
#15
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Re: BSAK or Al Yasmina?
yes people have had their children in yasmina for a year and then transferred when a place becomes available.
there are rules tho that you can only change curriculums mid of nov and you can only then change schs mid feb, after those points you are stuck until new academic year in sept.
there are rules tho that you can only change curriculums mid of nov and you can only then change schs mid feb, after those points you are stuck until new academic year in sept.
i wonder if anyone has done it the other way round BSAK to al yasmina