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EWmums

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looking for school place (fs2) for 2011

Malika Djellali35485

1

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 22:55

Hi all,

You heard it all before I know, please please I need help or advice....we just arrived in Dubai, my daughter is due to start school next year (FS2), managed to find her a place in a nursery. I don't know where to start. Obviously I called all the good schools (kings, JPS, JESS, DESS, Dubai English School), I had the same reply from them all, NO CHANCE!!! what to do now? Is anybody facing the same dilemma? any positive feedback from other schools, I am currently trying safa, horizon, raffles, jebel Ali primary and all of them have a long waiting list for 2011. We will be living in Umm Suqeim 2 so driving is an issue for the far schools

It's depressing...

Malika

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2192

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 09 February 2011 - 17:33

Malika Contact The Childrens Garden. they are based on Beach Road and they do FS2. Its close for you geographically as well. they also have good connections with other schools and are able to guarntee a place in year 1. Speak to them and its worth a try. My son goes to one of the schools on your list below and we recived a letter a couple of weeks ago asking if we had another child FS1 or 2 then we need to tell them now as they are full to capacity. the schools usually keep back somone of the places so they can save them for potential siblings.

275

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 07 February 2011 - 22:38

Hi malika Sorry I am late responding to this thread but I just wanted to say that you shouldn't worry yourself too much over this. Easier said than done, I know, but in Dubai schools make a lot of money out of scaring parents into paying upfront registrations and 'panick applying' all over the place. As a result some apply to 8 or 10 schools at once and the waiting lists are totally misleading. This time last year, a friend of mine began looking for a school place for her dd in fs1 for sept 2010. Her two favourites - safa and horizon - both told her that she had virtually no chance of getting a place, but then she got offers from both. The fact is that there are more school places now than there were 3 years ago, and less kids around to fill them. So there is much less pressure. And iIt's true that certain new and/or expensive schools are easier to get into. These include Gems wellington primary, R*****, JBS and basically any schools which advertise actively. Why would they do so if they had no space? So the bottom line is... don't panic :-)

2322

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 22:10

oh look, a lot is made of the asessments, but they are nothing! Do you really think educational experts are not going to take age into the equation? course, depends on school.....but. USE your head.

SarkySue6236658

212

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 22:06

DSO is Dubai Silicon Oasis on Emirates road, may be too far for you. ASD is American School of Dubai. And your DD will be just fine having the odd assessment it's jus a little play session which you will only be offered if there is a chance of a place. No to goverment nurseries, only private ones, but then you will have to move again in September to a primary school.

Malika Djellali35485

1

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 22:03

Dear all, I am amazed how many of you have replied, this is so great, thanks a million! One small observation, I ve only been here 2 weeks, still not familiar with the acronyms such as: DSO, ASD... Also, I am not sure I m comfortable with all this assessing children business, I am not ready for it yet, my daughter (although very bright and totally fluent in 3 languages) is very shy and would unlikely interact with people she does not know, I don't see how she will ever pass the assessment, so that's another stress added!!! We were told the government doesn't allow nurseries to have an FS2 level, they have to be at school for FS2. This is not how I imagined my move to Dubai, we have the perfect house, nursery but no school...I feel so bad for my daughter...:-( but will call the schools recommended below! Thanks and please keep those posts coming

8

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 16:39

I arrived on Dec 28th and my son got a place at GEMS RDS in Mirdif 2 weeks later

8

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 16:39

I arrived on Dec 28th and my son got a place at GEMS RDS in Mirdif 2 weeks later

270

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 16:37

Does it make a difference how long you have had your child the waiting list?

298

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 16:21

I just got offered to place for my DD for FS2 2011 at Wellington Primary

521

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 13:31

what about ASD? they are becoming IB now

LovinDubai36431

90

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:46

R***** School will happily take any and all, with or without assessment, any time of the year, any year group, any capability. the waitlist for FS2 (reception) is closed until sept 2014 entry though Loads of children are coming and going al the time. The management team are in lala land

132

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:40

R***** School will happily take any and all, with or without assessment, any time of the year, any year group, any capability. the waitlist for FS2 (reception) is closed until sept 2014 entry though

103

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:34

DD had an FS2 assessment at Horizon a couple of weeks ago. It was the only school to offer her an assessment despite applications for various schools being submitted last June. It would appear that they assess everyone on the waiting list. I am not sure why as it must surely be very time consuming. We have been told that we will not know whether she has a place until the end of March (23rd I think). The registrar told us they did not have time to enter into any correspondence re the outcome of the assessment etc, we would just have to wait til end of March. In the meantime we have been offered a place at the new GEMS SO school but I have had to decline the offer as they only give you 7 days in which to accept and I would prefer Horizon if they offer her a place. <em>edited by babapapa on 01/02/2011</em>

Chick Chick36147

130

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:25

lol@Koolestmum I hope that Horizon would tell you the reason why your DD did not get offered a place. It would be helpful to know.

abby_n_christin...

1109

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:24

yeahhh... so will GEMS Wellington... it's only coz of the higher fees for sure...

682

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:23

R***** School will happily take any and all, with or without assessment, any time of the year, any year group, any capability.

abby_n_christin...

1109

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:23

wow... ur lucky with Horizon... all the best for the assessment... they did an assessment for my DD too... but not sure why she wasn't offered a place... she did quite well on the assessment (as in played with the other kids, answered questions, etc.)... we're indian so not sure whether that was a factor in the assessment... but all the best anyways... the school is awesome... had a friend's son who did his primary years there and we were quite impressed by their teaching styles and curriculum

270

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 12:16

I just got a call about an hour ago from Horizon school and my son has an assessment this thursday for FS2! And i only dropped off the application form about 3 weeks ago. Im not sure how the assessments work, but hopefully he will get a place, surely they won't bring you in for an assessment if they are only going to turn around and say they have no space for FS2? keeping my fingers crossed... A friend of mine wanted to apply for her son for FS2 last year, she applied in august, and 2 weeks later he was offered a space at both english collage and emrites int. As another poster said, in summer you do have more of a chance as a lot of mothers put their kids name down at schools and may not take the place if offered, but keep their kids registered to keep their options open. Good luck all.

Chick Chick36147

130

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 11:47

Then the OP better move. These days you find a school first, house 2nd, job 3rd...lol

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 11:39

Try the new GEMS schOol in DSO That would be a very long way out for the OP every day I think from Umm Sequim 2.

200

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 11:22

for those who want registgration fees refund, note that Kings and GEMS world academy refunded me for my registration fee when I refused a spot

HarryPotterfan36430

26

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 11:15

Try the new GEMS schOol in DSO

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 10:57

Have you thought about fs2 in a nursery if you are desperate? Loads of them do fs1 and fs2 I think? What about Raffles too, the Emaar group of schools they are around jum/umm sequim.

2043

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 10:25

Each year this situation seems to be getting worse earlier, I can't for the life of me understand why the schools don't increase their FS2 intake to be closer to their Year 1 capacity.

abby_n_christin...

1109

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 10:10

hi malika... in the same boat... i can tell u where not to try: GEMS Jumeirah Primary School (waiting list for fs2 closed) Jebel Ali Primary (waiting list for FS2 closed) Dubai British School (waiting lists closed) Horizon School (waiting list for fs2 closed) Dubai English Speaking School (waiting list for fs2 closed) English College (waiting list at 60 kids as of last week) Kings Dubai (fs2 closed indefinitely!) Jumeirah English Speaking School (fs2 closed till 2014) Star International Jumeirah (fs2 closed) Emirates International School in Jumeirah and Meadows, GEMS Wellington Primary School, Dubai International Academy are probably ur best bets for the moment... I'm spent a mini fortune now in registration fees at each of these schools... hoping something comes through

3220

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 09:00

http://www.jbschool.ae/

521

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 01 February 2011 - 07:29

I live in Jumeria and there is a new school here- JBS I believe they still have the sign up for open admissions; I'll check again today

5

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 23:42

Hi Malika, we just arrived aswell and had the same problems. I eventually ended up putting our DD into the IB system with Emirates international school in Jumeirah. We were lucky to get this space for her. I have also put her name down with all the others in the hope that something will come up in September. Alot of the schools here have long waiting lists but in the summer some children dont come back and thats when you will be able to get a better chance of having a space become available.

SarkySue6236658

212

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 31 January 2011 - 22:56

Star umm sequim try there or Wellington Primary.

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