Help with schools in Abu Dhabi! Please help!
 

I have two children boy 6 and a girl 3 soon to be 4, we have applied for BSAK but my daughter hasn't got a place and they have not let us know about my son yet!
I've looked at all schools but its such a mixed bag of reviews. I really liked the look of Brighton College but its getting some horrible write ups on some forums and good writes ups on other forums!
Al Yasmin looked ok but not the best facilities maybe a but dated is that fair to say? Again I'm only going on Internet so this might be wrong!
If there's any parents out there that could just give me a up today's version of these schools I would be extremely grateful!

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Is this for AD or Dubai? Busybee will be along soon I'm sure, if it is for AD. Other people will know more about Dubai schools. Good luck if you are looking in AD!!

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Yes it's Abu Dhabi, sorry I should of put that in.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

If you have not already tried here, look at this one: http://www.abudhabiwoman.com/forum/272-schools-

We use Brighton, and are happy, mostly, less for their admin and quality of Arabic teaching. But I'm yet to hear of an Abu Dhabi school where the same comments don't apply...

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Thank you for taking time to respond! I have seen a lot of comments about Brighton college having high staff turn over because they are not treated well can u shine any inside info on this

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

The kids are 4 and 6. Unless you a direct blood descendant of Hawkings, I'm sure all the schools will be fine.

Get them in, worry about moving them (and house) later. It's no biggie.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

I just want them settled and don't want to move them again! It's a huge move for them I just want to make it easier by having a really good school for them from the start!

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

I think there has been very little staff turnover. The school has grown in at least 2 phases, and each time there have been new staff arriving - but that is about all I know of. The only other turnover I can think of was when it was announced that there will be a new Brighton College Al Ain, it was also announced that about 3 or 4 of the staff would move down there to help kick it off.

Other than that, I know of no turnover worth mentioning - maybe in other years, but not in ours or our friends'. I do know 3 or 4 teachers personally who moved there from other AD (and Dubai) schools, and are so much more impressed with it. They have also said that they are treated better at Brighton, as it follows the private British system, not the state system, which allows teachers more flexibility to design their own lessons. I think their pay also went up when they moved - albeit teachers are never well paid here. The only problems which they, and the parents we know, all complain about are ones which are generated by "the authorities" and which apply to all schools over here.

PS: the only parents we know who use Al Yasmina used to be very happy, but seem to be getting increasingly less happy. On the other hand, I'm hearing better things about BISAD all the time. BISAK is fine from what we hear, but possibly living on its past reputation more than it deserves.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Thank you I really really appreciate your help! I suppose ill jut need to send applications and see how it goes! A but concerned about the entrance test it seems a bit intense for a 6 and a 4 year old.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

The entrance tests are online, cognitive-something tests. Most children seem to enjoy them - they are really just puzzles in their eyes. I don't think the 4 year old will do them, unless they have changed the system.

Re: Help with schools in Abu Dhabi! Please help!
 

what year groups are you looking at, its very difficult to get into the lower years, and i know that they will already have allocated their spaces in fs1 and fs2 as i heard the registrar saying so the other day. the reason being that fs1 there are only 3 classes and thereafter its only 5 classes per year group in the primary school etc. you need to ring up the registrar and ask her how many people on the waiting list for the year 1 or 2?? (this is for bsak)

brighton college is a new school, and you have more chance at getting in but its a selective school.

al yasmina is a good school, not the best faciltiites? its a newish school only been around for 4 or so years so cannot be outdated.

basicially for your aged children you will not have too much of a choice, you will have to go with what places are offered.

bsak and yasmina are non selective, brighton college is selective (although at the moment because its new everyone seems to get in if you dont have any "other" issues) but you have to remember the ethos will be different to the other two, as they have the brighton college uk reputation to keep up.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Oh that's great I'll have a look

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

its all in ad, have responded just now.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

the administrative problems is down to the school, they have the control over that, but the arabic teaching is a school wide problem has been for a long time, this is because the arabic teachers are provided by the DoE and not recruited by the schools.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

yes they are opening up a new sch in al ain, so a few members will go to there, the new head was head of science in bsak before moving over to brighton college and now over to al ain. most teachers here move from school to school usually to progress to the next stage, doesnt mean to say the schools they are leaving are bad, just that there isnt any room to progress up in the management ranks etc at that time.

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Thanks busy bee for all ur responses its really helped!

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

Note. BusyBee went to school in Abu Dhabi. :D

Re: Help with schools !!!
 

lol seems like it.... been here long enough hehehe