Still desperately.....

Fab news!! Dizzy duck - fingers crossed for you as well. What school are your kids currently at?

Fantastic kissymac! So pleased for you. Good luck DizzyDuck, I hope a place comes up for you too.

Pleased for you but also would be interested to know how you knew what place your children were on the list. Myself and several other parents I know are all on the wait list with no idea how far down the list we are or if there is even a remote chance that we might be lucky enough to get a place :-(

We got deposits back last year. We'd payed for two schools as couldn't decide where to live/send kids. There was a clause saying tht if fees went up we could get deposit back.... They were being tardy about it and I rang KDHA who said they had to give the deposit back. We got it eventually.

How do you get your deposits back? I thought they were non refundable Blondie007 if you ring Khda they will tell you that the schools cannot keep deposits if you aren't taking the place anymore..... That's what they told me and a friend of mine has just got her deposits back from EC . I know of someone who was given the same information by the KHDA and had the deposit refunded from the school when they decided not to take the place offered.

We were told that no-one is told where they are on the list! Can you tell me who the email was from?

Can I ask how you know that you are top of the waiting list at DESC? Also, do you have places secured at another school in case places don't become available at DESC?

Oh Gawd. I'm not sure. I just know ours have to be paid but you may be right. I'll check tomo with some mums. Keep telling the kids it'll work out. Def been new kids joining year 7 as year went on. Re UK - the school my DD would have gone to (and others in area) are way inferior to DESC. Hang in there! Do you know how many are on wait list before you? <em>edited by Feefmick on 19/05/2013</em>

On a footnote - I worked as a school counsellor in UK and some of the kids who had the biggest fears and issues were those where parents believed there were adult matters that should not be shared with my kids. In my experience the happiest children were those where issues were discussed within a family( on an age appropriate level) with the caveat generally being ending with something along lines of, 'but things will work out one way or another.etc etc" Userathotmaildotcom if you want to chat. That's really interesting Feefmick. Something for me to remember as my children grow up :)

Kissymac - the head is fab as are rest of management team. Please keep confident - deposits are not due till end of May so places will become available then, which reminds me, I'd better send ours lol. I sugges you let the kids know that the deposits are not due till end of May and that places will open up after that. As I said, several children started mid way through first term so places did become available last year. It is difficult but try to stay confident that things will work out.

Kissymac - keep your chin up. My eldest is in year 7 at DESC and even after first term started two or three children joined her year so last year places def opened up. It's hard not to worry but keep faith and I'm pretty sure you'll get places. ALSO - non refu dabble deposits are NOT due till end of May and I know several parents who are undecided and still not paid deposits. Things will become clearer the first week or two in June. There will be some DESS children who got automatic places to DESC who are now going to DC so that may open up places. Agree with Daza and SallyM - year 6 is way old enough to know what is going on and be concerned. In that situation I would suggest saying to them, that you know it's not easy and a bit of worry but you are confident places will open up and that so you are confident things will work out. No point in worrying over something that may or may not happen is what I suggest saying. Reassure them that something will work out and solutions sometimes come from unexpected directions. I suggest talking to them along lines of ' ok. You want to get as good grades as possible in order to demonstrate your abilities to whatever school you attend." ( don't add the words ' if you get into a school'). It's long recognised that what we fear/desire is what we get so although you need to be realistic it is best to talk as if a place is forthcoming.......if they question what happens if they don't get a place simply answer ' I'm confident you will.' On a footnote - I worked as a school counsellor in UK and some of the kids who had the biggest fears and issues were those where parents believed there were adult matters that should not be shared with my kids. In my experience the happiest children were those where issues were discussed within a family( on an age appropriate level) with the caveat generally being ending with something along lines of, 'but things will work out one way or another.etc etc" Userathotmaildotcom if you want to chat.

My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. Surely that's because you have been discussing adult problems with children? No? Wow....ding ding ding to Splinters....you sound like a Mom of 5, so experienced. You are correct, this should be of no concern to the kids, what will be will be. And if she has not brought her anxieties to the children in showing? Again, assuming. This is no consolation to the OP. My apologies to the OP, my comments were directed at Splinters and her wealth of child rearing info.....I never made assumptions about her anxieties.....I just said that this should be of no concern to the kids. My kids just have to take my word for it that I will get things sorted, but nothing is guaranteed in life.

Kissymac - good luck to you and not take into account the negative comments based on assumption. Keep the chin up and hope all goes well for you. If it is any help, I know the head of one of the departments at DESC who helped me - although we moved to another Emirate.

I agree SallyM. My oldest child is 7 and she would have no idea about stress over school places unless I told her. However the age that the OPs children's are they would be well aware of who had places, who was going where etc. It's understandable that they would worry if they thought they weren't joining their friends. What is the OP meant to do, lie to them and promise them a place will come up? What if it doesn't? No school place and a broken promise from mum too. I'm sure the OP is doing all she can to reassure and motivate her children but she can't promise them something she can't deliver. Good luck to your children kissymac.

Ladies- give the OP a break. The whole school application process in Dubai is crazy. The KHDA tried to sort it this year by having non refundable deposits. Little did they realize that many parents would still apply to 2 or 3 schools, maybe pay deposits at more than one school when they got offers- often whilst waiting for a later offer from the preferred school. Now there is no incentive to inform schools that they don't want the space as they won't get deposits back. 11 year old children talk to their friends about where they are going to secondary school so OP's kids will know they are in a difficult situation. It's a stressful situation in schools, such as Jebel Ali, which don't have a secondary school. Good luck to you and your children Kissymac.

My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. Surely that's because you have been discussing adult problems with children? No? Wow....ding ding ding to Splinters....you sound like a Mom of 5, so experienced. You are correct, this should be of no concern to the kids, what will be will be. And if she has not brought her anxieties to the children in showing? Again, assuming. This is no consolation to the OP.

My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. Surely that's because you have been discussing adult problems with children? No? Wow....ding ding ding to Splinters....you sound like a Mom of 5, so experienced. You are correct, this should be of no concern to the kids, what will be will be.

Have to agree.... our two had no input in school choice when we came here, other than if we took them to one and they hated it...to them it was just a case of a new school and they understood that we might have to try more than one before we got a place.. I think you need to try and get them out of this "depressed and demotivated" state sharpish otherwise the whole move will be miserable for them.... Why are they so hung up on the one school ? Hope it works out - do you have a second choice ?

My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. Surely that's because you have been discussing adult problems with children? No? Have to agree with splinters. It's up to you to motivate them and reassure them they will get spots. They are probably noticing and adopting your attitude.

My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. Surely that's because you have been discussing adult problems with children? No?

Surely the parents can't cancel applications until they get a firm offer of a place.....

They are.

How do you get your deposits back? I thought they were non refundable