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EWmums

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Dubai College: Has your child got in?

20

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 March 2015 - 09:37

Hello

Would like to hear from mums whose kids have got into DC for next year. Was the entrance test super difficult? I am aware that besides test results, they also look into extra curricular activities. What are they looking for in a potential student?

I have a year 5 DD who wants to give the entrance exams next year. Your replies will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

:)
<em>edited by ilovethesun on 05/03/2015</em>

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5452

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 23 October 2015 - 10:01

bump

172

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 21 October 2015 - 11:31

Thanks LadyMary, I love this!! Now I want to let my son sit the KS 1 Yr 2 exam to see where he fits in now :p

562

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EW GURU

Latest post on 21 October 2015 - 09:17

Whoops, SATS haven't been abolished, they are just changing next year in line with changes to the British curriculum. Sorry for giving you the wrong info.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 18:31

[i'> ilovethesun replied... Thank you ladies for all your replies. So I gather that the child has to be level 5/6 at the end of year 5. Do they expect a minimum level 5 in all the subjects? [/i'> Not necessarily. My child achieved level 5's in Year 6 and got in. He is doing well at DC.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 15:31

I may be wrong, but haven't SATS been abolished now anyway? I believe there is a new system for levelling/grading kids, but have no specific information as ours has finished primary now.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 11:30

http://www.viscountbeaumonts.leics.sch.uk/National%20Curriculum%20Level%20Expectations.pdf The link explains the levels Year 1 (age 5-6) = 1b / 1a Year 2 (age 6-7) = 2b Year 3 (age 7-8) = 2a / 3c-3b Year 4 (age 8-9) = 3b Year 5 (age 9-10) = 3a Year 6 (age 10-11) = 4b These levels are for state schools, most children in private schools work well beyond these levels. So a year 2 child would achieve a level 3 and a year 6 child could be working at level 5/6

172

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 11:23

Thanks Newbie! Okay, from that link I get that he's KS2 Year 3 but what does Level 2-4 refer to ("KS2 SATs Year 3 Level 2-4 Papers")? Is that referring to the grading system being from 2C at lowest to 4 at highest, and is that still the case (since people here mentioned 5 and 6)?

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 11:10

http://www.satspapers.org.uk/Page.aspx?TId=7 These papers are based on the old curriculum. New curriculum is very similar, but covers maybe 10% more material / more in depth.

172

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 October 2015 - 01:19

Sorry to divert, but I'm new to the British curriculum with my daughter in Year 2, and I'm confused about the terms used (levels and stages and years and stars...) to the extent that I brought her to the FS 2 classroom on her first day this year because I saw a 2 on the sign and thought that must be it :D (We would call that kindergarten, and everything with a number is a grade year!) -- all of you seem to have a firm grasp of the terminology in comparison lol. Can you tell me if these tests are administered at every grade level or just the end of each stage? I'm interested to see past papers for Year 3 tests (if they exist) to compare what her older brother is learning in his IB school this year especially in English, but when I tried searching for them, I kept getting results for the wrong stage. What search term or sites would bring me to SAT past papers for Year 3 English and Math? Or are there any particularly good workbooks for Year 3 children so that I can work with him throughout the year to make sure he's prepared for an entry test into Year 4 in case we decide to move him into his sister's school next year?

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 19 October 2015 - 22:04

Thank you ladies for all your replies. So I gather that the child has to be level 5/6 at the end of year 5. Do they expect a minimum level 5 in all the subjects?

ThirdCultureFamily

138

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 21:48

Thanks for your reply ladies. Funny enough, when I was thinking of what schools it could be, DESC was the only one that came to mind. I don't know 1 family that is unhappy with that school. Anyhow, good luck to the OP!

562

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EW GURU

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 19:21

Third culture, in her case DESC. Good for any type of child, and particularly sporty ones.

48

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 19:21

We are a DESS family so my daughter has a place at DESC, which is also a fabulous school.

ThirdCultureFamily

138

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 18:37

I'm curious. When you say you have an alternative that is a better option, which schools would they be? My daughter is too young for all this and the landscape of education is likely to change by the time she is ready for secondary, but it is still interesting to know what alternatives are considered good for smart (but not necessarily uber-motivated or particularly artsy/sporty).

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 18:35

I really believe in choosing a school based on the child. If your child is highly motivated and naturally bright then DC will suit and they will enjoy it. If they need a kick up the butt to get homework done then this might not be the school for them, alternatively, if they've been heavily tutored you may need to continue that for a bit so they don't get their butts kicked!

562

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EW GURU

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 17:08

Lola, I agree with what you say regarding the tutoring now (ie since the introduction of the new style exams),but not sure the same could be said in the past. I know kids that have worked very hard to get in in previous years. Definitely a change for the better. Like you Plano we were never sure it was the right place for our DD either (bright but not particularly self motivated or overly studious) so the outcome is probably the right one, and what you say about the school reinforces that view. lWe worried that we might have set her Up for failure or stress later on if she had got in. So its a relief in some ways, and like you we have an excellent and probably more suitable alternative. You certainly do hear stories about some kids hating DC and leaving after a year or so. Must be very tough for the wrong kid.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 15:49

One child got in last year, other didn't get in this year. Didn't tutor either of them, and wasn't 100% sure DC would suit our daughter anyway, but figured she may as well try seeing as we already had one there. She has a great secondary school option as is, so we really had nothing to lose. My two are both bright but my daughter is not as self-motivated as her brother and DC is a bit 'sink or swim'. There isn't much communication from the school so if your kids aren't keeping up you may not hear about it until they're already behind. Kids really shouldn't be tutored for this school. My son is very strong in maths, my daughter is very strong in English. They were both level 5 in English and my son was level 6 in maths, daughter was level 5. Extra-curricular wise my son had some fairly impressive extra-curricular and school sports achievements, while my daughter doesn't stick with her extra-curricular long enough to show great development. They're different kids and she wasn't disappointed in the slightest at not having gotten in. edited by Plano on 08/03/2015 edited by Plano on 08/03/2015 <em>edited by Plano on 08/03/2015</em>

2738

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 13:47

I was quoting what the headmaster told me. My daughter passed the DC entrance exam a few years ago I dont think things have changed much since then. 11+ forums have lots of info on passing the 11+ exams Yes they have changed an element in the entrance exam and no amount of tutoring will get a child in who is not the right fit for the school. It's not about how many activities your child does either, from what i understand having spoken to a few children who sat this year and what they sat. <em>edited by Lolacat on 08/03/2015</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 12:47

My advice would be that its now a waste of time and money to tutor. Most of the tutored kids I know didn't get in this year. Last year was a different story,so it seems DC may have succeeded in tutor proofing its exams by introducing the reasoning papers. Good move! As Scaralex says, my observation is also that the exceptionally bright kids get in without the need for any additional extra curricular talents. The picture is very hard to fathom for everyone outside that category. Many kids who seemed to be at the right sort of level (level 5s, predicted some 6s maybe) with lots of musical/sports activities on top didn't get in, others who seemed weaker on both counts did! It is impossible to predict,so best thing is to just give a go if your child is interested. Practicing bond reasoning papers and maths/English entrance exam papers will do no harm, if only for exam practice/familiarity and strategy. The exams are long and formal so it could be unnecessarilydaunting and stressful for children that are totally unprepared.

212

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 11:50

I was quoting what the headmaster told me. My daughter passed the DC entrance exam a few years ago I dont think things have changed much since then. 11+ forums have lots of info on passing the 11+ exams

225

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 08 March 2015 - 11:35

A bit of an exaggeration there ladymary. Children got in from our school on Level 5's. Not many on Level 6's yet. It seems if you are better at Maths than English you stand a better chance. They introduce verbal and non verbal reasoning tests this year so practice those. You are asked to do a one page A4 sheet of extra curricular activities / additional information. Some very bright kids got in with not a lot of extras. Some kids who do a lot of sports and music didn't get in although they must be level 5 ish also. There are just so many children applying! They tell you specifically not to tutor your child. If you need to - it is the wrong school for them. Some tutored kids got in from our school, some didn't.

212

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 06 March 2015 - 11:13

I think your DD would need to be level 5/6 by the end of year 5 to be in with the best chance of a place. You can find past SATs papers on line. Also I would practice UK 11+ past papers for top independent schools

685

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 06 March 2015 - 09:33

My sister has two kids, the older one got accepted while the younger one didn't. They both seem well rounded to me. The only real difference I feel is older one is more interested in science and the younger one is more into the arts.

48

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 March 2015 - 20:08

My son attended DC for years 7 and 8. I was not overly impressed. I think there is a 'myth' about DC that it is the best school in town and maybe it is, but we did not think this was the case. We felt that they take the cream of the crop and then do very little with them, the pastoral care was not great. I think the school needs a bit of a shake up. It is not all about the exam results. The entrance exam was easy he said. We attached pictures of his 'extra curricular' activities and this seemed to help. Good luck. We sent him to boarding school in the UK where he is very happy. I know many friends who have sent their children to DC and they are very happy with the school.

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