I would say that there are over 20 British Curriculum schools here, so my experience could be from the minority - but to name the schools would probably get the thread deleted
I don't know which schools are you guys referring to, but my daighter been to 2 different schools,none ask for assesment. As usual just the 500aed which i can understand for various logical reasons.
I find this whole method of money making by schools here in Dubai quite shameful. You pay the 500 for the admin, then a fee for the assessment, and then some schools want fees in advance and post dated cheques for the whole next academic year....ridiculous, but I did point out that their PDC was pointless, as you can cancel a cheque anytime with your bank.
We applied to 3 British Curriculum schools here across 3 year groups, not having visited the schools first, as we were in another country, but we took them for assessments on our look-see.
All schools wanted the 500 dhs fee, then they wanted 1000 dhs for the assessment.
School 1 took both fees, my kids passed but we declined the place as we did not like the school on our visit. Conduct of the children nor the teachers reaction to them.
School 2 (my preferred choice) took the 500 dhs, but refused to charge the assessment fee until they can assess the child, which they only do once there is a place available (very sensible system IMHO) no places came up until after Term 1 began and I have declined for now but they are all still on the wait list as they can sit there for 2 years.
School 3 - places available for all 3 kids, paid 500 dhs, paid 1000 dhs for the assessment, and that is where they are now...but goodness I wish they would complete the remaining buildings that are not finished..my DH says if he gets one more atrium closure note he will go crazy!!
That's really disgusting. The school my girls are in only ask you to pay the registration fee AFTER they have done the assessment and they've passed. Just a way of making money for them, it seems.
i paid 500 at a brit school in springs, and they sent my child after 10 minutes, because he was crying. and no assessment after that
Ridiculous that is, bet that was my dd school...was that for fs orchard?
yes fairycake that was for FS1
Congrats Vera :)
I think they have so many with older siblings which are piority ...they just accept lots more for assessments that they know they are not gonna give places too....for the money....as my friend had an assessment there last yr and they called her after 10 min due to crying and he wouldn't talk but he still got a place because of his Older sister at the school.
<em>edited by fairycakeyumm on 15/03/2012</em>
i paid 500 at a brit school in springs, and they sent my child after 10 minutes, because he was crying. and no assessment after that
Ridiculous that is, bet that was my dd school...was that for fs orchard?
yes fairycake that was for FS1
I think the dhs500 is considered as an admin fee,so by them reviewing your child's work their 'admin' has been done. Unfortunately the outcome was not what you expected but I think it happens quite often among schools to be honest.
i paid 500 at a brit school in springs, and they sent my child after 10 minutes, because he was crying. and no assessment after that
Ridiculous that is, bet that was my dd school...was that for fs orchard?
We had a similar problem to this too, then they decided they would assess my son and said he had to re do reception (fs1) and couldn't gointo year one as he should have, so we had paid another 500 for the assessment, i knew my son wasn't that behind, he had missed a month of reception but that was it and i had got him a tutor for this time, in the end i put him in another school and he wasn't behind at all ( i think they just didn't have a place in yr 1 but still wanted the fees)
Sorry to hear, I can totally relate to you. If you dont mind can you tell me the name of school? If not a hint. Im having similar problems with a 'reputable' British, small school.Thanks.
doesn't make much sense, surely assessments are the way to find out a child's ability in the first place, so everyone has the same standardised test and therefore a similar chance of gaining a place? Sounds like they are just too full and are using this as an excuse, perhaps? Hope not, but it did occur to me.