September FS1 Questions | ExpatWoman.com
 

September FS1 Questions

477
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 April 2015 - 11:10

hi ladies,

first time fs1 mum here. i have a LOT of questions (DS starting at JPS):

- will the school be in touch closer to the time re: induction day? or do i have to contact them? or do i just rock up with DS in tow? what does induction day entail?
- when do i buy his school uniform - is ZAK open during summer months? there are 100s of FS1'ers so i dont want to be stuck with buying too early (clothes dont fit in spt) or leave it too late (everything out of stock).
- how many extras of what do i buy?
- i want to get a stainless steel bento box for him - is that advisable?

i know i can google some of this, or even phone JPS, but i thought i'd speak to experienced FS1 mums first. you have been through it and can provide logical advice, if you dont mind.

if you knew then what you know now, what would you have done (differently) in preparation of FS1?

thank you.
<em>edited by ilovewine on 29/04/2015</em>

135
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 August 2015 - 09:52
I can't help you with induction day but I think they will contact you closer to the time. Uniforms - I have heard rumours that the uniform is changing so I would wait a while yet. You can get second hand uniforms from the school but the shop is only open half an hour a week (run by a parent). I only buy second hand shorts now as they are very robust. I buy new shirts though. I buy 5 sets of uniforms because I am lazy.... For FS1 I bought 5 pairs of socks from Marks andSpencer as they are better quality than the Zaks ones. I found a small backpack most useful and the book bag useless. I always buy 2 hats. You will need 1 pair of black shoes and 1 pair of sports shoes. you also need 2 drawstring bags - swimming and PE. I get a white permanent marker and write their names really big on them so they can identify their stuff. You will need a pair of navy swim shorts and a towel (they prefer the ones with a hood where they poke their head through as it makes walking to the pool easier). I wouldn't go a bento box. 2 separate snack boxes is better. For FS1 they have a fruit only snack which goes in a separate place to second snack. You put the snacks in tubs at the door on arrival. I used a soft padded cooler bag in FS1 but by FS2 90% of kids use those small hard cooler boxes. you need a water bottle too. I had 2 sets of identical boxes/bottles with shaped name labels so my kids could pick out their own stuff. Do we necessarily need to buy the drawstring bags sold with the uniform or can use our own too?
135
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 August 2015 - 09:51
Heya! Just bringing this thread up as my new thread on this topic isn't getting much love:-) We bought are uniforms this weekend. We found everything except for the swimming kit. The process was pretty smooth and not much of a hassle. I personally thought it was very streamlined. Also I tried on sizes but the same size for uniform and PE kit fit my daughter. My main concern now are lunch boxes. What lunch boxes do u buy? Which ones work best? Also I want to know if it's a must to buy the bags available in the uniform shop with JPS logo or I can buy my daughters fav character bag for her?
1010
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 May 2015 - 17:37
Can't believe it's that time already Ilovewine!! I remember your journey :) Just on uniform shops in general: expect them to be closed during the summer for a refurb (!!), open the week before school at which point every single mother in Dubai is in there all flinging stock around hunting for sizes, which are never consistent, i.e. a size 1 in a PE kit does not equal a size 1 in a uniform etc, they never have all of the kit, so expect to go back at least 20 times for the full kit and still you will be missing something on the first day, and the shirts will probably be missing some sort of combination of stripes/logo/spots/etc, then you queue for one hour to get to the till by which time there is some sort of meltdown from another customer and everything grinds to a halt to sort that one person out and you end up throwing everything in the air, walking out and turning up at school in play clothes. Just kidding. Sort of. Go and buy your uniform before the summer ;)
477
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 May 2015 - 12:13
thanks for the replies. phoned the school - the parents' information session is on 1 june. <em>edited by ilovewine on 03/05/2015</em>
4062
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 April 2015 - 11:24
Rather than buying expensive named labels and stickers for things that never get found when lost anyway I'd start off doing what I do now which is just write names on everything with permanent marker.
391
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 April 2015 - 11:23
I can't help you with induction day but I think they will contact you closer to the time. Uniforms - I have heard rumours that the uniform is changing so I would wait a while yet. You can get second hand uniforms from the school but the shop is only open half an hour a week (run by a parent). I only buy second hand shorts now as they are very robust. I buy new shirts though. I buy 5 sets of uniforms because I am lazy.... For FS1 I bought 5 pairs of socks from Marks andSpencer as they are better quality than the Zaks ones. I found a small backpack most useful and the book bag useless. I always buy 2 hats. You will need 1 pair of black shoes and 1 pair of sports shoes. you also need 2 drawstring bags - swimming and PE. I get a white permanent marker and write their names really big on them so they can identify their stuff. You will need a pair of navy swim shorts and a towel (they prefer the ones with a hood where they poke their head through as it makes walking to the pool easier). I wouldn't go a bento box. 2 separate snack boxes is better. For FS1 they have a fruit only snack which goes in a separate place to second snack. You put the snacks in tubs at the door on arrival. I used a soft padded cooler bag in FS1 but by FS2 90% of kids use those small hard cooler boxes. you need a water bottle too. I had 2 sets of identical boxes/bottles with shaped name labels so my kids could pick out their own stuff.
186
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 April 2015 - 11:15
hi ilovewine my son is also starting JPS in september so im going to follow this thread :) i spoke to the school a month ago and there will be an induction sometime in May for the new students so hopefully we will hear from them soon... i was planning to buy his uniform before we go away in summer- mid july as we dont get back until mid august.. but im hoping the school will advise us at the induction.
 
 

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