holly_berry

We are a family looking to move to AB in the next few months. I would be interested to hear of any thoughts on the good primary schools that would be worth us considering. I am at the early stages of research with this. I have an almost 5 year old so would be year 1 in September. I also have a 2.5 year old so would be looking at good nurseries. Many thanks. HB.

busybee2

you will find it very difficult to get into the schools here in ad, reception year is even worse, do a search on adw and you will see what i mean, nurseries are just as bad as well. i would contact the schools so you know the score, of course, some years are easier than others, brit schools are bsak, pearl, yasmina IB raha, american is ACS and Gems, Can CIS, there is a new brit school opening in sept which i think may be your best choice, but the fees are very expensive this is called BISAD.

lanarkwitch

Will you stop saying about BISAD being so expensive, because comparititive to private education in the UK it's actually what it cost my mum and dad to educate me nearly 20 years ago. BISAD is a private school, not a community school with a British cirriculum, it's like comparing apples with oranges.

Sorry BB but I had to say it

Grace O Malley

Whats BISAD?

Eva

Lovely Lanark Lady,

Are you not indeed comparing apples with oranges when you cite a comparison between UK as cmf with UAE


Anna,

I believe BISAD is British International School , Abu Dhabi.

Think it's Nord Anglia behind it -did ask Lanark some nights ago if this was the Company she was with.....
curriculim curriculae

Oh .. that reminds me, must post some opera for Shiva..

Grace O Malley

Nord Anglia, say no more..... They used to own the school my lad went to in London before we moved out here.

Not sure how a REAL private school will pan out here, due to the restrictions imposed by the dept of education and the other obvious drawbacks....

lanarkwitch

When someone has a bad educational experience with them, then let the onslaught begin, until then, please let's give the bloody thing a chance to get going, i have no personal gain in the situation, just get a bit hacked off when people go on about something that as not yet begun. I'm all for the exchange of information, that's what these forums are for and I always appreciate the input from other users and their experiences, but on this occassion we're seeing a potentially good educational establishent being slaughtered before it's opened it's doors, not specifically on this forum i will admit, but I'm still getting hacked off with it.

We've had friends leave AD in the last few months due to their concerns over their childrens education, as responsible parents they've actually gone home to make sure their children's futures get the best possible start, so if I come across as a Nord Anglia groupie, that's the reason, not because I work for them. We also have friends at home who were not able to take up offers of employment here as they were not able to get school places for their kids, so in my opinion, if BISAD offers an alternative, then it's a start. In time we'll all see how it pans out.

Grace O Malley

I used to work for them also. They dont have a great reputation in the educational world and that is what folk go on, always have and always will.

Until BSAK opened up the secondary section only a few years ago, the only choice you had was to send yr 11+ kids home to board or for the family to go back home. Still many parents chose to send their kids home for GCSE's/A Levels . That's expat life,

Interesting to see how they will be able to offer a REAL private education here thats on par with a private school in the UK.

grapefruit

Primary Schools are a rare thing (if you mean only primary), most expat western schools are K-12. You might have a better chance of getting your kid into one of the newer schools. Yes, places like BSAK and ACS are next to impossible. Better schools are almost always the non-profit ones but they're rare.

British International School Abu Dhabi - opening Sep 2009, should be worth considering, profit making
British School Al Khubairat - if you can get in, probably the best choice.
British College Abu Dhabi - non-profit, not opening till Sep 2010 (I know is no good for you but easy to confuse with BISAD)
Pearl Primary School - run by Aldar (a property developer), profit making, worth considering
GEMS World School Abu Dhabi - profit making, probably expensive if the Dubai version is anything to go by, but worth considering if you're happy to spend the money
Raha International School - profit making, run by Beacon / Taaleem schools, worth considering

There are more but I would see them as less desirable than any of the above. You could also consider US or international curriculum schools. At that age, I don't think it makes a huge difference.

Sorry, I don't know so much about nurseries. I think the ones with the best reputations are Busy Bee, First Steps, Giggles, Humpty Dumpty, Ladybird, Stepping Stones. Here's a longer list of Abu Dhabi nurseries (select the nurseries option), some with ratings.

Eva

Karma sent for a very constructive helpful answer.
Tha't's a pomelo you are wearing Grapefruit.

holly_berry

Thanks so much for all of your help. I have contacted a few of the schools to find out the situation for September and so we can see how realistic our chances actually are. It is likely that we would be there for about 4-5 years and so would go back to the UK for secondary. Thank you! HB.

grapefruit

Thank you .

Pomelo? Babu's Genuine Fruit Copies and Poultry Store in Karama assured me it was a grapefruit

Eva

Hahahhahahahaa.Oh well, that's the equivalent of De Beers authenticating yer diamonds. Pink or Ruby though?

hawkhead

Interesting links from Grapefruit - do you reckon those teacher salaries are accurate (I know it said estimate but do you reckon they've got it right)? Seemed very low to me.

Blue Cat

didn't open links but I know historically teachers salary's have never been good here.