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.

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!

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.

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....

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!

Nothing like tough love eh.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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



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.

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!

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

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