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Is it even possible to get a place in a school?

Not for me (although I could probably do with it)..for my son.
Cant find anywhere without mile long waiting lists,and thats if I can even get on a list!

I am starting to see Dubai from a whole new perspective,and im not sure I like it!
It was much easier when all I needed to find was a decent bra shop.:frown:

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Physically go there, also if School Fees are included in your package then take along proof of that too (it's surprising how waiting lists miraculously disappear when you wave cash at people). Also leverage your companies PRO and other employees with kids at school.

Leg work I'm afraid, think of it like a mini war - or at the very least a battle, it needs to be planned!

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Ah,if only it was that easy.
Im in the UK til October.Karlos is in AD also til then,so not able to pop to the schools.
Its making things more complicated than they could be,but besides all that like I said,the waiting lists are are a big problem.If I have to wait until I get there it will be near on impossible from what I can gather.

The school I wanted to get him have closed the waiting lists already for 2014!
Crazy.

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Don't believe it MissD, but, as I said, you really need to be there to make things happen, appointments (or even better just walk in) with Principals etc. and if it means you have to do a 3 day flying visit then so be it, can Mr Jackal not take a day off?????

It's easier for the employees to say waiting lists are closed, cos if they didn't that would mean they'd have to actually do some work - and that doesn't go down well....

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I do not know one child in Dubai without a school place. Even children who arrived part way through the year. We faced the same problem in September when we were looking. Literally every school we approached had waiting lists >40 children. So we picked the school we liked the best, and I went back and begged for a place. I played on how bright our child is (he is fairly average, actually) and what an asset he would be to the school. I also bigged us up as parents and banged on about how supportive we would be, both of our son and the school. I am not normally that pushy and my husband thought I was humiliating myself, but I was desperate.

They agreed to test him, and the next day he was offered a place!

ETA: By the way, how on earth is your child of school age, Miss D? It doesn't seem 5 minutes ago he was born!

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Nothing like tough love eh.

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Tell me about it.
He will be 3 when we get there.

Yes,begging sounds like a good option.I might have to try that.;)

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There are places available at BISAD from what my madame was telling me

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Ha!
Thats nothing compared to the ways I could describe mine on a bad day!!:rofl:

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Yeah, well, I just don't want to be accused of stealth bragging which seems to be a feature of this site :D

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Second officer Flack is approaching 2 years old, but already I have discussed with 1st officer Flack and we've already agreed we're leaving because we don't want our kids schooled here.

It isn't just the cost, it's that I'd rather them grow up in Europe and not have their little minds filled with nonsense. The villa prices in southern Europe are nutty now, and by next year should be even nuttier. And you have proper freehold ownership.

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If you read Michael Young's: Rise of the Meritocracy, you'll see reference to (perhaps unethical) research showing intelligence/capability frequently polarising between generations. It may be the cause of all teenage angst :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshir...enager_270.jpg

We all want the best for our kids and will jump through hoops to make sure they are raised right. Humiliating yourself is just part of that particular game.

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My son and humiliation go hand in hand.
He has this wonderful gift of being able to do it in public places.
Tesco for instance,the time he put security tagged things in my handbag and set the alarms off when I went through the doors.
Or the time he shouted across a restaurant that I was going for a 'wee wee'.
I could go on but I would be here all day!

Standing in a reception begging for a school place?.....No problem!:D

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Sounds to me as though he needs a damn good thrashing! - Did that with my son, and he changed overnight!

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As long as he doesn't have a 'thing' for using the toilets in bathroom showrooms you don't have to face ultimate humiliation. My mother simply will not let that lie :)

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:rofl::rofl:

Brilliant.

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Just widen the net. Don't overlook schools simply because they don't contain the words English, British or American.:)

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Having just checked, it appears homeschooling in Saudi is legal for expats?

I wonder how many families are over where one partner does not work and it may be better (or worse) for families to get together and simply homeschool, sharing the responsibilities, within the compounds? I presume fewer families come over without compound accommodation? I know one person who has come home to the UK for the purpose of getting their kids a decent education and has actually voiced concern at the state of education here in the intervening years since being abroad.

That way you don't have to spend extortionate fees, you don't have to worry about what to do (or what you can't do if you are female) during the day, and you have full control over your childs education/welfare.

As an additional point, the UK education system has crumbled, although is better at primary level recently. If you homeschool your child and do not follow the curriculum and pay out of your own pocket for GCSE's/A levels, you have a couple of choices. 1) FE college take in kids who aren't suitable for mainstream education at 14+ for GNVQ's/NVQ's to gain a trade. 2) You can always prompt your children to go to an FE college to take an Access course from 19-20/21 and then apply to university.

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schools have closed their waiting lists because they simply have no idea who is actually going to turn up in September. The whole there are no school places is a load of shite (apart from a few of the popular schools). Come the end of September they will know what the situation is and then there will be places available again. You just need to relax.
Its a world gone mad with people registering (and often paying admin fees) at 6 schools at the same time, all cause of a stupid hype.
Besides, he's 3 years old, suppose you cannot get him into the school you want this year, you can always transfer him next year or the year after, it's hardly going to affect his academic carreer.

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Thats the way I was thinking,by putting him into nursery first and then trawling the schools.
I just hope its not as hard as it seems and you are right about the wait lists.

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I think I can say,hand on heart...
I cant think of anything worse than home schooling.
Not only would my son grow up as thick as two short planks,but I would end up in a loony bin!:eek:

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Perhaps preconceptions caused by the worst scare stories! You do need a large enough network of other families, and that most of them are considered 'normal' admittedly, not tin foil hat wearing, hippy, dropout types. Education should be something that prepares your children to be useful members of society. If you fail to do such, then you've failed as a homeschooling parent. Thing is, when you hand over responsibility to the state and they fail your kids, who is to blame then? The law here states it is the parents responsibility to ensure a child of school age receives a full time education suitable to their age and any special needs.....blah blah.

I'm for it, if done properly, although sent my kids back to school in the end myself due to reasons that were out of my personal control. I'm currently trying to figure out whether compound conditions in KSA mean that homeschooling is a more promising proposition for expat children. I was brought up in various military and military funded schools around the world and I think it was about a year ago that the shrinks were coming up with a new theory, that military brats were 'storing up problems for the future'. In some similar manner, maybe expat kids raised abroad face similar issues?

Therefore, it seems to me, a valid question to ask would be: is homeschooling the better of two evils in this particular situation?

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I cant see it being a problem as KTJ junior is white and anglo saxon. They will shift some Johnny Foreigners or Off white British passport holders off the waiting list in favor. Relax and have a beer

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If somebody else wanted to home school my son,in THEIR home,lovely.
I have waited nearly 3 years to be able to send him off with a kiss and have a partial bit of my normal life back!!
As much as I love him,it will be lovely having him out from under my feet 24 hours a day and not have to be 'Mummy'.
I cant be sure,but I would say im not the only one!

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Never fear.. you're not alone! I love mine so much more when I'm at work and they are at school!;)

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I would have never been able to home school my son, it is a very alien concept to me. Besides, the kids I know of who have been home schooled are ...hmmm, well, a bit "different". Not my cup of tea...besides, it WAS lovely to send him off with a kiss for a while :)
Mine went to a nursery at that age, and then off to reception, don't worry, you'll find him a good school when time comes.
Oh, mine is off to boarding school now....and he is a MENSA member, so don't worry, a mum always knows best.:)

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That happens when you get to your age...

settle down old fella. Stop being a complete and utter twat and just settle back down to your usual twat level.

Your comments on this thread are over the top.

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Doing Foundation 1 at nursery is definitely an option. My advice would be to have a look round when you get here. As already stated, there are plenty of places available.

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Yes,I think thats the best idea.
Its put my mind at rest knowing that there will be places for him regardless of what they are telling me.I was coming close to hitting the bottle!

Now I can wait til I get there!;)

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Tons of English curriculum schools don't have "British" in the title :confused:

Anyway, MataHari is right. Come September it will all settle down and a place will be found. He's so little anyway and there are tons of nurseries.

I had to home school my daughter for two months when we came back to the UK. It was horrid for both of us. I have no complaints about the primary school she is now attending and she's much, much happier. It just wasn't for us, plus I want to work, she likes the social aspect of the classroom - doomed to failure.

I'm in awe of those who can do it. More patience than I'll ever have.

And Jack - not nice. Really.

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Either way you're dealing with a load of tits ;)

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You are probably right Spugs!:rofl:

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MD if you can get hold of that cloth cap wearing husband of yours, can you ask him to PM his AD phone number as I want a catch up before we leave, mainly to see how his whippets are coping in the heat unless he has flogged them to the Flipperinos for snacks.

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:rofl:

Will do.Im sure he will drag himself away from his ukulele for 5 minutes.Its the only thing that keeps him from pining for his pigeons.

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:rofl:

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If you and my missus ever think of forming a comedy duo, word of advice.........don't bother!

You are about as funny as The Krankies!

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Karlos... You do, ahem, "know" about the Krankies? Yes?

No? Google "Krankies" and "aren't I a terrible flirt."

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LOL - I knew The Krankies but i didnt know they were 'On The Scene' as for being a flirt.....................Carry on, I love a flirt! although I will probably get a bollocking when Miss Demeanor reads this!

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Flirting?Worlds worst.
Swinging?No thankyou.

I will have to make sure there is no pampas grass outside the villa!:rofl: