Guide

Dubai Expat Resident Receives Commemorate Passport Stamp After 60 Years

UAE Breaks Heat Record With 51.6°C - Here’s How to Stay Safe and Sane This Summer

Dubai Just Launched a Travel Influencer Academy

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Dubai Named As the Cleanest City in the World Once More

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When Is the Next UAE Public Holiday? Eid Al Adha 2025 Dates Revealed

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Education

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How to Make the Transition to University Life Easier

What Are the Benefits of Academic Scholarships in Dubai?

Money

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Home

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Changes at Gems Wellington Academy - DSO

162

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 14:09

Is anyone actually happy with the proposed changes at WSO? I'm really unhappy especially as they bullied us into paying our re-enrolment fee before announcing them. Can I demand my fee back ?

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162

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 June 2013 - 18:31

Just to avoid scaremongering! The teachers who are leaving, many are at the end of their 2 year contract. A levels are outdated ( just my opinion maybe!) but I'm sure if that is what you want you could transfer school. I am actually very happy with the proposals and have been to all the meetings to hear the questions and answers given ( both primary and secondary). They are moving forwards to best equip children for the future....A levels are not the way forward necessarily. However next year they will be asking all class reps to be involved in the think tank so you could always do that to be more involved in decision making? After our consultation previously some things were amended about the new system. And all the feedback forms that were handed out, the majority were positive. Be interested to know how you know feedback forms were positive. Not one parent I have spoken to is happy about the changes and as class reps, we were only told about the changes a week before the rest of school. There was no consultation. The new CEO doesn't give a damn about us as parents. He has a vision and he will implement that no matter what the consequences. As for the teachers. I have spoken to 5 of those that are leaving and all are leaving as they don't agree with the changes. Ha! and cannot believe that they are now encouraging us not to use sibling club after changing the school timings. We are advised that putting younger children in sibling club for an extended period is not a good idea and we should find alternative arrangements. WE WOULDN"T HAVE HAD TO USE SIBLING CLUB IF YOU HADNT CHANGED THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY!!!!!! <em>edited by Betti on 27/06/2013</em>

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 June 2013 - 12:03

Just to avoid scaremongering! The teachers who are leaving, many are at the end of their 2 year contract. A levels are outdated ( just my opinion maybe!) but I'm sure if that is what you want you could transfer school. I am actually very happy with the proposals and have been to all the meetings to hear the questions and answers given ( both primary and secondary). They are moving forwards to best equip children for the future....A levels are not the way forward necessarily. However next year they will be asking all class reps to be involved in the think tank so you could always do that to be more involved in decision making? After our consultation previously some things were amended about the new system. And all the feedback forms that were handed out, the majority were positive.

162

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 20:04

I'm furious about the fact that we enrolled for UK curriculum with GCSE and A Level and now they have changed it without consultation to IGCSE, BTEC,IBCC and IB, how can they do that ? Apparently they can't without consent from KHDA which they don't have. Watch this space....

296

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 11:29

I'm furious about the fact that we enrolled for UK curriculum with GCSE and A Level and now they have changed it without consultation to IGCSE, BTEC,IBCC and IB, how can they do that ? Exactly as they did with Wellington International on SZR!!

209

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 May 2013 - 08:03

I'm furious about the fact that we enrolled for UK curriculum with GCSE and A Level and now they have changed it without consultation to IGCSE, BTEC,IBCC and IB, how can they do that ?

162

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 27 May 2013 - 12:00

Two hour lessons?!? I don't think anyone as a teacher would support this. I don't wing my lessons and 80min lessons are a struggle for even my brightest students. Parents will be paying for 45-60mins teaching and 60mins of study supervision. Not what I would want to be paying for!! Interesting to hear from a teacher's perspective. Perhaps that's why the teachers are all leaving.

242

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 26 May 2013 - 21:07

Two hour lessons?!? I don't think anyone as a teacher would support this. I don't wing my lessons and 80min lessons are a struggle for even my brightest students. Parents will be paying for 45-60mins teaching and 60mins of study supervision. Not what I would want to be paying for!!

162

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 21:57

Changes to school hours, each section of the school has different times, longer for the senior school. Tutour groups in the senior school will be a mix of age 11-16. Lessons will be 2 hours long. The school is already over 2000 pupils growing to 4500. Thats just a few. We were made as Betti stated to pay our registration fees by the end of Feb or lose your place! These changes were annouced last week, leaving parents very little option to change schools if they didn't agree. Parents were not consulted about any of the changes! We personally feel our kids are being used as guinea ****! edited by Tykes on 20/05/2013 Split pick up times and longer days for seniors are surely a good idea? Tutor groups of mixed age, do you mean that group all gets taught together or the tutor is responsible for a range of ages? Lessons 2 hours long? Means the teachers will have to plan their lessons rather than wing them, it's just double sessions which are so much better in senior. Split pick up times are rubbish if you have children in FS1, FS2 and FS3. I will spend 3 hours doing school runs in the afternoon now. Not to mention that my children will have to miss their clubs /activities that they attend after school. And the CEOs response to this? Not his problem!!! We were also never told that the plan was for the school to grow to 4500 students. I thought 2500 was enough. Already my children are moaning that it is impossible to get into any of the squads as there are just too many people going to trials. It's disgusting that we were bullied into paying our reregistration fee back in Feb (or we would lose our place and go to the back of the waiting list) prior to being told of the changes. I heard today that the plans for this school were tried back in the UK but failed under Tony Blair, so now they are using our kids as guinea **** to trial it here in Dubai. I have opened a case with the KHDA as I know others have. If you are unhappy, please email the CEO and complain to the KHDA. After sending my list of reservations to the CEO, he replied that he had received nothing but positive feedback from parents. Does he think we don't talk to one another!!\ I have to add that some of his ideas are good <em>edited by Betti on 20/05/2013</em>

2738

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 16:17

Changes to school hours, each section of the school has different times, longer for the senior school. Tutour groups in the senior school will be a mix of age 11-16. Lessons will be 2 hours long. The school is already over 2000 pupils growing to 4500. Thats just a few. We were made as Betti stated to pay our registration fees by the end of Feb or lose your place! These changes were annouced last week, leaving parents very little option to change schools if they didn't agree. Parents were not consulted about any of the changes! We personally feel our kids are being used as guinea ****! edited by Tykes on 20/05/2013 Split pick up times and longer days for seniors are surely a good idea? Tutor groups of mixed age, do you mean that group all gets taught together or the tutor is responsible for a range of ages? Lessons 2 hours long? Means the teachers will have to plan their lessons rather than wing them, it's just double sessions which are so much better in senior.

2

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 12:46

Changes to school hours, each section of the school has different times, longer for the senior school. Tutour groups in the senior school will be a mix of age 11-16. Lessons will be 2 hours long. The school is already over 2000 pupils growing to 4500. Thats just a few. We were made as Betti stated to pay our registration fees by the end of Feb or lose your place! These changes were annouced last week, leaving parents very little option to change schools if they didn't agree. Parents were not consulted about any of the changes! We personally feel our kids are being used as guinea ****! <em>edited by Tykes on 20/05/2013</em>

501

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 11:43

What are the changes?

2

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 11:27

We're not happy at all, neither are a lot of the parents we know. Speak to the KHDA, they are very helpful. Good luck

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