Bigtaff

Can anyone tell me the COMPULSORY schooling ages in Dubai - i.e when don't they have to attend anymore. My daughter is 16 and due to come out to Dubai with me and has left school in the UK already. My son is 14 and still attending in the UK of course but also coming to Dubai.

Grace O Malley

Same as UK, on completion of GCSE's.

Millhouse

Are they planning on working when they get here? what will they do?

I hope they like the thought of working 6 x 10 hour shifts for 800Dh a month!

Bigtaff

They are planning on pool and not much more than that currently. He will join British Army at some point probably and she, well, she will drain my finances as long as she possibly can then go back to the UK I would think!!!

Roadking

Aaah, so normal well balanced kids then! My 13 yr old thinks it's better to spend her inheritance while we are still around to watch her enjoy it.

aberdeensiregirl

Ah my trio are 22 and still being a drain on our resources!!! It never ends!!!

Millhouse

Classic. I have all this to come.

In all seriousness though, they won't be able to work here, so they better like the pool and the beach.

Victor Meldrew

The other thing is, most/all other children of their age will be at school, so they would be 'home alone'. They are quickly going to get bored.

I seriously think you need to look at other avenues for them. If your son is going to Join the army (isnt minimum age 16?), what is he going to do for the 2 years in between? won't he have to go to school?

What is the minimum working age in Dubai? Is your daughter going to be able to work?

commander

at what age are you not allowed to sponsor your kids? is it 18?

Fairydust

You can sponsor your daughter for as long as you want but I'm pretty sure it stops at 18 for a son unless in full time education.

Grace O Malley

yes it stops at 18 for a boy unless he is still in full time education and the school will have to give you a letter for immigtation

harry1964

Al Ain English Speaking School

My children are at Al Ain English Speaking School, one of them doing AS in four subjects, my daughter doing four AS subjects, English, Physics, Biology, Chemistry. She has only three hours of teaching per week per subject, can anyone advice me, is three (3) hours enough for the AS level?

I have asked other British standard schools in the region and the average they teach per subject around 8 hours per week.

I have informed the management at Al Ain English Speaking School, their replay was, three hours of teaching per week is more than enough? Is that true? If so can you advice me what to do at this stage?

lionheart

Why on earth would a 14yo want to join the army? Moreover, why would a parent want their son to do so? Five British soldiers shot dead by an Afghan policeman yesterday, supposedly on our side in the fight against terrorism.

Grace O Malley

my son currently doing last year of A levels at BSAK in abu dhabi and he has a lot more than 3 hours teaching per week. I know cos he is always moaning that he hardly gets any free periods at all!!!!

Dumpling

In the UK a child usually has 5 double periods for English, Maths per subject, per week.

In response to the original poster. I would think long and hard about taking a 16 year old girl out to Dubai on the basis that it will be 2 years of Sunbathing by the pool. I don't want to sound a B!tch but, Dubai is not the easiest of places to make friends when you are an adult, let alone a young girl who has not had the benefit of going to school and making friends this way.
Most kids in Dubai at 16 years old are still at school, so throughout the day there will be very little opportunity for her to meet teenagers her own age and she will, like most teenagers, become very bored very quickly.
If she has a sport or a hobby I would make it my priority to enroll her into a club, if she doesn't then prepare yourself for 2 years of hearing 'its soooo boring here' and spending most of your time trying to keep her occupied.

16 years and 14 years are difficult ages for children, you may very well have plans for them 2 or 3 years down the line, but the 'in-between' period can be a b!tch!
As I said I hope you don't think me coming across as a wet blanket. I have a friend with children this age when she arrived and it resulted in the 17 year old girl returning to the UK after 6 months because she hated it and the 14 year old boy being sent to boarding school in the UK. These were expenses she hadn't quite banked on and now struggle financially to keep afloat - even on the so called 'tax free' income.
It could be that you kids come out here and absolutely love it and it all works out great for you and your family, however as I am sure you know the best laid plans sometimes go array.
Goodluck with the move, exciting times for you ahead I am sure.