Hello

I am about to relocate to Riyadh with my husband and two children - my son is 5 and my daughter is 3.

I'd be interested to hear views on the experience of living in Riyadh for an (initially at least) non-working mother.

Also - schools - any recommendations? I have heard some not so positive comments about the British School.

And finally - any advice on compounds? I hear AL Sedar is good, is that right? If so, I cannot find any contact details - anyone know how I can find out about availability and prices there?

Many thanks in advance

wow...where you getting your 'intel' from?

Hello

Well...mainly from Mr Google, and some from a friend who lived in Riyadh a while back. He is a male ex colleague with grown up children - so I am interested to hear more especially from a female perspective, and ideally from a mother of young children.

Also I've been an expat for almost 7 years now so I know from experience (not all good!) what I'm looking for/need to ask before relocating.

Hi PCW1

In my opinion if you are British the BIS-R is the best option.

Seder Village is an OK compound. Low bungalow types. Not that central but cheapish.

Riyadh can be tough and unlike any other ex-pat posting especially for non-working mums.

Your kids are at an age where they can enjoy life on a compound and a good school.

Good luck

sf

Sorry to say, but unless the company your husband will be working for has available villas on compounds, you will have a very small chance to get into one. Please talk to your company and see what they say...to live in a good compound is make or break in Riyadh, IMHO. If you are British, the British school on Al Hambra compound is your best option...no idea about availability. Call them.

BIS-R is the British School on Hamra.

There's ofsted reports if you look for it on line.

Only negative comment I've heard is on the turnover of staff in relation to other regional British Schools but that can be expected in KSA. Hear more good things about the place than bad.

Compounds wise, it all depends on the standard that the Company are willing to splash out. The higher end are:
Cordoba
Arizona
Al Hamra
All popular so you may have to wait to get on.

Mid range:
Eid Villa
Kingdom
Al Bustan ( still under construction but now has residents )

Budget end
Fal
Seder
Ranco
We live on Seder at present. As SF says, all bungalow , detached, with quite spacious gardens. Walls are paper thin though so you literally hear everything from every room. It's not bad, has a bar.

Most compounds will provide the same basic amenities, shop, restaurant, pool, gym, salon etc. and also provide a school bus to the main schools, as well as a shopping bus service.

Schools wise - although not perfect, the BISR ( on Al Hamra ) is probably your best bet. It is vastly over subscribed so best get your kids names down now. Other choose is the Multi National School, but not as good.

For younger kids, compound life is pretty good. For non working mothers, life in Riyadh can be pretty boring, so you'll have to create your own social circle.

Good luck.

Al Bustan and Kingdom certainly aren't mid-range pricewise.

I was on Cordoba, 3 bed villa, annual rent was going on close to 350,000 sr. I thought Al Bustan / Kingdom were around the 250 mark?

Good compound and good school are crucial. Everything else is secondary.

depends on the size of the 3-bed on Al Bustan (reading from their price list)

222m2 townhouse - 275k
281m2 semi - 355k
420m2 exec 3-bed - 440k
433m3 exec w pool 3-bed - 500k

don't convert that to sterling...it's silly money

Thanks all - some really helpful info

BIS-R - already had an email exchange, very unhelpful and unwelcoming - and for me that is very off putting. Not an environment I want to put my children into.

You probably dealt with admin/secretarial staff who are recruited locally.

Isn't it just! Mind you, a 433sqm villa would be quite spacious....like the ones on Jedawel / Ishbillia - 500sqm, four en suite bedrooms and another four bathrooms. Ridiculously big. Any idea how much they are going for these days, a year or so ago they were going for around 320k, but I heard they'd reduced them even more?