Tjas

Hi all,

We are currently in the process of moving to Dubai from the UK (hoping to be there in August) and are frantically trying to find a good school for our twin 6 year old boys for September 2013. One of our boys is due to have an assessment by an educational psychologist this month at his current school in UK as he has some concentration issues and we anticipate he will need some individual/ special needs /learning support in the classroom. I've contacted a few schools in Dubai and they have hinted at having a limited Individual needs dept!

So as well as the first issue that its almost impossible to get a place in most good schools; I'm also at my wits end about finding a school that will accommodate his needs and on top of this I really need to get them both into the same school as splitting them with make things much worse with too much change for them

Please please could anyone provide ANY tips, advice or guidance as to which schools have good provision for individual/ special needs? And how to best approach this and the schools?

Any help and advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks
Tjas

busybee2

unfortunately schools here dont do special needs very well as they dont have to being private, the government is trying to include more, if they do quite often you have to pay for a shadow teacher etc. in the end most people try the system here and then decide its in the best interests of the child to go back to the uk where you do at least get support, but of course each child's needs are different. i cant comment on the inclusion in dubai schools, as i only know them in auh. try the older non profit schools.

Tjas

Thanks Busybee2, really hoping we will find something for him

Blue Cat

Try Regent International School, the is a support teacher called Miss Smith but there are two Miss Smith's so make sure you get the right one

LaLaLayla

I think there's only one Miss Smith now, they fired the other one.

I know of a boy at either Dubai International Academy or Dubai British School (not sure which one) who has a full-time shadow teacher. So it is certainly an option.

Mogs

I would suggest getting in touch with this company. There is a guy who works for them (an Occupational Therapist) who does sessions during school time in my kids school. I guess they do the same thing at other schools.

http://www.kidsfirstmc.com/

I would suggest most schools will say they cannot cater for kids with learning difficulties, but most of them will have some sort of extra support available.

Good luck

Poshy

The less you say the better, get the lads in a School and see what happens, don't all kids have trouble concentrating ?

If you can find a School with a place at 6 they should sit a little entrance test and you provide last School report and see how they go on.. Anticipating extra support is not actually worth mentioning in my opinion....why would you when you don't know the outcome ?

He's not ACTUALLY seen any specialists yet has he ?, no need to lie on application form.

I can only judge from what you said obviously I dont know how 'special' your child is.....but if youre thinking along the lines of serious ADHD/ADD ? or similar then after diagnosis youre seriously going to struggle getting a place anywhere without a full time shadow which will cost you about 70,000aed per year on top of School fees.

Poshy

Have a read of this one...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=791729

Lady in similar situation recently x

Blue Cat

course they did! forgot about that little incident

Tjas

Thanks guys, getting stressed by the minute....just wondering if I've done the right thing being so honest with the schools so far??

And whether to mention it to other schools or not....

Poshy

Mention what ? that he has some concentration issues??



I wouldn't...let them decide if he has any...

What area you going to be living in ?


Don't get stressed about something that hasn't happened yet, moving here is stressful enough...

Tjas

Thank you for directing me to this thread Poshy!

Tjas

Appreciate that

Yes, whether to mention his concentration etc and the fact that hes due to be assessed!

Glad Acer's child got his place

Not sure where to live yet, we like Dubai Marina but are hoping to secure a school place before we commit to accomodation......btw trying to oganise all this from the UK at the moment..

Any suggestions/tips?

thanks

Tjas

Thanks Moggy, have left a message for them

Tjas

Thanks Busybee, I tried Regent but they told me they dont have much learning support