bs69

Hi there,

I have relocated to Abu Dhabi in Jan 2011 from UK. My wife and kids are still back in the UK and finishing their school year. We have applied here to BSAK, Al Yasmina and Brighton College. The kids will be in year 10, year 7, year 5 and year 4. The seconadry education is critical (specially the year 10) and the kids goes to very good school in the UK. The life for them is well settled there and they enjoy it. They have visited for 2 weeks and they said they liked it and they can live but they didnt like the heat.

The schools are very expensive here and the fees coming to nearly 200k+ to 225k per anum for all of them. The mortgage there is less then the rent we will be paying here but at least the family will be togther but I am worried about my older daugther/son and thier education in the secondary.

And also here will be lots of initial costs i.e. buying two cars, setting up house etc and then packing up from there and renting the house etc. I get 65k all inclusive not that good when you see 4 kids and their education bill. My wife would like to work and she should be able to get job in her field but the salary will not be that great. I also have the concern on the job market and the regional issues impacting some of the job sectors etc. Anyone moved with 4 kids from UK and how easy they settled in here? any thoughts?

Blue Cat

I can't see you managing it on 65k a month

strothard

You would struggle on 120k per month with wife and 4 kids if it was fully inc.

Keep 'em at home and let them visit in the school holidays....

bs69

thanks Blue Cat and Storthard. the package is 65k all inclusive not 120k!!

I kind of agree to leave them there but away from family is painful!!

lionheart

You also have to be mindful that the principle of job security has very little meaning here. One false step and you could be out. Not just out of a job but out of the country.

Johnnyboy11

Am I missing something here?

You're earning AED 65k/month and the school bill is about AED225k/12=19k/month. That leaves a big chunk of monthly take home pay (AED46k or £7.7k) to cover the rent, a couple of cars, and the usual bills. More than comfortable @ say AED15k/m for a nice villa and say AED7k total for two decent rental cars.

I think the broader question is the quality of education for the kids. I'd want to be absolutely certain this was better than they would get back in the UK before I moved them out here. In my experience, job security is also a major factor, this place is notorious for hire and fire.

For information, my family and 3x kids are back in the UK whilst I, work in Qatar for these very reasons. Hard, but needs must.

[J]

al dente

How long do you think you'll be here?

Maybe try it for a year and see how you go? Rent somewhere with enough room for them all to visit, get a couple of bunk beds for them and then plan your holidays very carefully. Maybe have christmas and easter out here (buy flights now sooner than later), eid and summer in the UK.

Good luck. Sounds like hard work but i know 3 families that have moved the wife and kids back after living here for a couple of years, because of education and cultural issues. So start up costs paid and then 2 years later, relocation costs paid again.. Your teenager will thank you that they can stay in a country where they can learn life's mistakes without fear of getting the family deported..

bs69

thank you Johnnyboy11 and al dente.

I agree with you [J] on the quality of education, i dont think it will be much different for primary or that good for secondary as back home. kids go to v good schools at the moment. also agree on the job security and i have seen quick hires and fires at my work place and it is depressing. i know some people at my work brought their families and set up here but had to go back within 1 year or 18 months as there were no job.

plan was to be here for 4 to 5 years if kids come but if they dont i dont think i will last that long and may go back witin couple of years or so. also start up cost and winding up costs are big. the hot weather is another issue but one can get use to it. i dont think i will be able to save if they are here.
good luck with Qatar.


thanks again for all the comments.

Hello.Kitty

from what I've heard, even the "very good" schools here are on a par with a "decent enough" school back in the UK, and with 4 children to school, personally, I'd keep them in the UK. This'll also mean that you could stick to a small flat with lower costs and therefore save more in a shorter amount of time. I know it's hardly recompense for being apart from your family, but still.

We've only got 2 children, but are going back to the UK for their schooling (my eldest will be starting primary next year), even if Mr Kitty has to stay on over here for a bit.

busybee2

the only school/s in ad that you would be able to get into at the moment is probably BC, but that doesnt help your Year 10 as they will only go up to Year 9 in the first instance. The only school/s that will cater for those age groups is BSAK and Al Yas as they go up to sixth form (bsak has had 6th form since 99, and Yas will add it next year i believe). the issue you have is that BC is more expensive that the others which are not cheap as it is. i would wait and see what happens, you come over first and see if you get a school place for them all in the first instance, as if you have only started to apply now you may have missed the boat some what, but you just dont know, you have to be in it to win it. also all new schools take a few years to get over their teething issues and i wouldnt want to necessarily start a new sch with kids doing their gcse's etc. its ok with the smaller ones as it doesnt matter so much.

bs69

busybee2

I am already here since Jan and the kids also visited abu dhabi and schools in april. I applied earlier in the year and have got places for 3 in brighton college (year 7, year 5, year 4) and 1 in al yasmina (year 10). if they dont come this year (before sep 2011) then they will not come as my son will start his secondary school and daugther will start her GCSE. the more i think about this it make sense to leave them back there and i go every 2 months or so. thanks

bs69

Hi Kitty, thanks for sharing your expereince and i kind of agree here. all the best for going back home.

busybee2

yes i see that you are already here and that the family did come and visit. but obviously you didnt say if you had places at schools etc. yasmina to bc is not that much of a commute, but if you have places in yasmina for 1 you will go up the waiting list for the others, and you may see that places become available nearer the end of the year when the school gets to know who is definately leaving, as people do not necessarily give up their places just in case, until they know they are definately going on the plane elsewhere etc. the one in year 7 will be ok, its a very transient place and you still have many years before you commit to your gcse's etc. if you are in the brit schs here you will slot back into them when you return to uk etc. a lot of people do live apart and commute but it will depend on whether your work will allow you the leave to do that.

Tockalosh

When you need to ask you already know the answer really hey

So feet up and get a nice part time Chinky in to relieve the boredom whilst on your own. You will then save a load of cash and family will all be happy.

bs69

We have got some good news as all 4 kids got places in Al Yasmina (but my daugther preffer BSAK as they offer all of her 1 choice/favourite subjects). But still thinking from quality of education prospective (here vs good school UK) and also affordability point of view. thanks for every one who shared their views and expereince.