Hi!
Just moved to Doha from England and its horrible. It hasnt even been a week unfortunately. We have a 3 yr old and have been trying to get him in a "good school" but unfortunately Doha British School wont accept any new applicants until 2013 and thats if ppl on the waiting list have been served. Heard DES and ACS were better have to give them a ring tomorrow. Can anyone help me out with school issue? I know they dont have ofsted ratings over here but there must be a reasonable school. Secondly how do u apply for a driving license if you didnt have on in the UK. I do have a provisional though( failed the test too many times had the same bloody examiner 3 times in a row).

Can't comment on the schools....but

If you don't have a full license, you'll have to do the whole test. It's not rocket science if a lorry driver from Peshawar can pass it.

Look on the bright side, you are in the honeymoon period just now

I doubt that you'll get them in anywhere before they're aged 4 before the september anyway when they go into reception year. The schools will be about to break up for the summer anyway ..... I'd forget about it for a few months and then do your research through the summer hols and resume your search in september, at which point you may find they'll be some spaces at your preferred schools..... at age 3 I doubt they're going to miss too much algebra.

Reasonable...hmm.....well, that may prove very difficult. Good and reasonable... forget that.
But if you want as good as it gets, try Compass.
And why is it horrible? Do you find it a bit..hot? Dusty? Are people driving you MAD? Muahahahahah....it's just the beginning! Summer has just started...welcome to DOHELL!

On your journey, 'cross the desert to the well,
You have strayed upon the motorway to Dohell...

You are now entering an insanity zone...

Getting a license in Qatar is probably more about paying the fees and having the pre-determined number of lessons than actually knowing how to drive so you should be okay. I'm not sure you could convert it to a UK license afterwards though (without a test)..

brilliant.

Most people do some research before they arrive and already know that Doha is sh*****e with no school places.

For a school place this late in the day you will need to try the more expensive ones like Compass or Sherborne - ACS also fits that bill.

Can't help you on the driving licence issue but given the standard of driving here it must be more difficult to pass than fail.

and some people still wonder why long time forum members are sarcastic and sometimes hostile..

They will convert a UK Provisional to a full Qatari one. I know someone that did it and she only had 6 lessons in the UK. She drove around the block and for some reason off road (Probably to watch her tits bounce up and down). She got shown 3 or 4 road signs then got a licence.

Take 2 passport photo's and if you wear glasses take them as you have an eye test.

Having spent several years in Doha, I was never able to determine whether they drove on the Left or the Right! - Not quite as bad as Baghdad where a 'Red Traffic Light' merely informs you that there is electricity in that area today!

.... loving the responses


had a few glasses of vino this evening and planning our family of 6 relocation to Dohell in a few months time.... loving the traffic light analogy, the fact that we've got no chance of any school place for any of our 4 children (for at least 18 months anyway), the fact that there will be no red nail varnish in our household, nor skimpy tops, short skirts, hot pants, alcohol, bacon, sausages, etc etc etc.....

and that's before the sandstorms, heat, ramadan, crazy left/right driving, and the months of time taken for any locals to make any decision

gosh can't wait for our adventure to start..... anything we've missed...

county durham boy - over to you........

You can get alcohol and bacon...IF you have a license for the shop where you can buy it...that shop, btw...is run by the government...oh, and your employer has to "allow" you to get said license.

Or friendly ex-pats will get you all you need