KG1 / FS1 school admission assessments.

Hi All, I just wanted to share my recent experiences trying to get my little man aged 3.5 into school here in Khalifa city A. I was obviously very naive.. I thought this would be easy, we have a nice company allowance for school, my little boy (who had always been at home with me) seemed ready for school, I had taught him the whole alphabet to count and read to twenty, he knew all the colours a lot of shapes (pentagon, hexagon some tough ones for his age!) so I picked out some schools.. Al Yasmina, GEM's American academy and Al Raha international. Al Yasmina - we applied for last november and are number 71 on the waiting list.. its not going to happen, I have hear of people being +150 on the waiting list.. by the way the waiting list is scrapped each year too. 500DHS paid to sit on their list. GEM's - We were invited for an assessment after paying again 500DHS my son did not like the assessor who came to collect him from the reception (she was a bit cold so not surprising) I walked with him to the classroom, he did not want to go in, she tried to pull him in, he went bananas and that was the end of the assessment..over no second attempt, no refund. Al Raha international - we again paid 500DHS attended an assessment I was allowed to sit close by while she asked a series of questions. Identify items from a picture and describe what they are used for, umbrella, jug, tweezers (yes tweezers!), why must you pick a fork up from the floor? was asked.. they were quite hard I thought for a three year old.. anyway we did not get in, the email said that he would find the IB system taught at the school too challenging..
I guess what I'd like other parents to know is that schooling here is SERIOUS business. Find the school you want, apply really early, as soon as admissions open. If you are lucky enough (paid your 500DHS more like) to have been invited for an assessment make sure your child can separate from you and go with a complete stranger without making a fuss, prepare them with alphabet, numbers, colours etc..
I know the tweezer question you couldn't possibly prepare for..
We are still anxiously looking for a school and have started my son in a nursery so separation for him is now not a problem, we remain hopeful :)