# Gems Wellington Silicon Oasis - Any experience?



## mas jen (Sep 16, 2007)

We would like to apply for our son to enter GEMS Wellington Silicon Oasis in Year 8. As it is a relatively new school, could any current parents offer any feedback or opinions please?
How academic is it? High pressure? Is there a positive, happy environment? European expats? Sports?
Thank you.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

can't over any info on GEMS Silicon Oasis, but i can offer some info about GEMS.
We have children in a different GEMS school.

The teachers have been fantastic. No question. We've only had teachers with a decent level of home-country experience before coming out here. The last thing you want is fresh graduate teachers in a new country. They will not have learnt how to administer the curriculum properly, let alone deal with the multi-lingual cosmopolitan cross section of pupils.

The management? not much time for them, sorry!
When a head-teacher signs himself as Head Teacher / CEO, that says it all.
I've not heard one teacher with a kind word to say about the Management..

We get bombarded to answer 'satisfaction surveys' designed only to increase their KHDA rating (and hence increase fees) It is not about actual performance. They seem worryingly open about this. 

I think this is the case, to a greater or lesser extent, with many of the schools here.

They are big on 'charity', but it all thinly veils a big business machine.


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

vantage said:


> can't over any info on GEMS Silicon Oasis, but i can offer some info about GEMS.
> We have children in a different GEMS school.
> 
> The teachers have been fantastic. No question. We've only had teachers with a decent level of home-country experience before coming out here. The last thing you want is fresh graduate teachers in a new country. They will not have learnt how to administer the curriculum properly, let alone deal with the multi-lingual cosmopolitan cross section of pupils.
> ...


What vantage said, I'm not a parent but GEMS is pretty notorious for this - as are all other schools owned by the same "educator". 

Admittedly their "product" is good - but that's only so they can charge for it; business first, educators second.


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## mas jen (Sep 16, 2007)

Thank you Vantage and FBT. So, Vantage will you tell me how many years you have had the pleasure of knowing the GEMS school? And what age group for your child(ten)?

And even if the teachers don't like the management, do they stay around? And is there a nice atmosphere for the children, generally, and all the extras that make it a happy place (holiday parties, school fairs etc.)?

Trying to get a feel for personality as I am impressed by the size of the school: 2000 students from Primary - High School. I can't believe the Dubai schools could be so oversubscribed with populations like that!

Thanks again for your comments.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

just one full year completed
one child just finished Year 4, starting year 5
one child just finished FS1, starting FS2

I've heard the same comments from lots of other parents too.

There is staff turnover, but probably no more than anywhere else.
Difficult to say.
Both teachers that our children had last year appear to have been around for a while, and aren't going anywhere.

It seems that the Department Heads, and Deputy Heads get the really rough time, by all accounts.

yes, it's a happy school, the kids are fun, they've both made friends, enjoy sports, events, fairs etc.

The headmaster / CEO chap is asking for a smack in the mouth at some point though....!
his daily cheesy "are you gonna make me proud today, kid?" every morning is asking for a black eye!
Interestingly, he will dedicate all his time to a parent that shows up in a flash suit.
Turn up in shorts and a t-shirt, and he doesn't want to know. 
A fairly juvenile approach to 'sniffing out the cash'

one thing i really do like is that the fees are the fees.
It seems to include all books, pens, pencils and day to day materials.
Some schools seem to charge for all the paper and pencils etc, and you can only buy school branded crap at inflated prices.

the uniforms? don't get me started! Like most schools, they are locked in with a bunch of shysters called ZAKS who seel utter crap polyester. 'clothes' is a polite term for this dross. The prices are ridiculous, it scratches and stains easily, and EVERYTHING is branded, so you cant buy cheap, quality cotton clothes from M&S for example.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

mas jen said:


> We would like to apply for our son to enter GEMS Wellington Silicon Oasis in Year 8. As it is a relatively new school, could any current parents offer any feedback or opinions please?
> How academic is it? High pressure? Is there a positive, happy environment? European expats? Sports?
> Thank you.


Our son went to this school from january this year until the end of term for summer holidays.
We were not impressed with the school and have moved him to another school - he starts term there tomorrow.
Just remember that once at a school, you can only move kds to another school at the end of the academic year - not halfway through the year.
You must therefore very carefully reasearch your chosen schools here!!

Cheers
Steve


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## mas jen (Sep 16, 2007)

Stevesolar, are you suggesting it is perhaps better to hold back in our current home in Europe and join my husband when the best school finally becomes available rather than just go for the "first" one that comes up (within reason)? That is the desperation of it all; it seems we don't have the luxury of choosing the schools; they choose us!

As overseas applicants, at least we can arrive up into a school until May apparently...

Would you be willing to share which school you have now sent your child to and what age he is, please, Stevesolar?

many thanks to you all.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

mas jen said:


> Stevesolar, are you suggesting it is perhaps better to hold back in our current home in Europe and join my husband when the best school finally becomes available rather than just go for the "first" one that comes up (within reason)? That is the desperation of it all; it seems we don't have the luxury of choosing the schools; they choose us!
> 
> As overseas applicants, at least we can arrive up into a school until May apparently...
> 
> ...


When we arrived last December it was very difficult to find a place for our son ready for school in January.
We chose GEMS Wellington a bit out of desparation and our first impressions were quite good.
However, as others have mentioned - schools in Dubai are very commercial and have a fairly captive audience of expats.
Our son is in year 4 and will be starting at Repton tomorrow.
Cheers
Steve


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## mas jen (Sep 16, 2007)

One last question for you, please, Stevesolar:
Knowing the school as you do, do you think there will always be places? Our son is going into year 8, one of the upper years where there seem to be many more places generally in Dubai than in primary.
If we were to apply now and get a place at GEMS, we would be required to pay a fee of 7500AED to hold the place, while we are only planning on coming to Dubai in April.
I have two other independent schools to apply to and they have said that there is often movement when Australians and NZs leave in January and then at that point they can look at the list of overseas applicants because the locals are not allowed to change schools at that point.
If I wait a bit to see what happens with those other schools, what do you think my chances are of getting a place in Spring at GEMS silicon oasis later, in case nothing pans out? Does it really seem as full as 2000 students??? Are the classes completely full?


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

mas jen said:


> One last question for you, please, Stevesolar:
> Knowing the school as you do, do you think there will always be places? Our son is going into year 8, one of the upper years where there seem to be many more places generally in Dubai than in primary.
> If we were to apply now and get a place at GEMS, we would be required to pay a fee of 7500AED to hold the place, while we are only planning on coming to Dubai in April.
> I have two other independent schools to apply to and they have said that there is often movement when Australians and NZs leave in January and then at that point they can look at the list of overseas applicants because the locals are not allowed to change schools at that point.
> If I wait a bit to see what happens with those other schools, what do you think my chances are of getting a place in Spring at GEMS silicon oasis later, in case nothing pans out? Does it really seem as full as 2000 students??? Are the classes completely full?


Well - I would not be paying any money to any school until I actually relocated to Dubai.
A lot of things can happen between now and next April.
I would recommend you research schools a bit more, then contact them a week or two before you arrive to arrange a tour and find out the availability - at that time.
We were conned into paying the 500 AED registation fee by one school - as they told us places were available for our sons year. Once we paid the fee, suddenly no places were available - this was purely a money making exercise by said school (which coincidentally was another of the GEMS schools!).
Schools here are past masters at extracting registration fees, holding fees, assessment fees etc. - often with nothing tangible at the end of paying all these non-refundable amounts.
One thing in your favour is the very transient nature of the workforce here - people are constantly moving in and out of the country, often at very short notice.
This means that school places appear and disappear regularly and you may find that a "full" school now will miraculously find you a place once you arrive next year!
Hope the above helps!

Cheers
Steve


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## mas jen (Sep 16, 2007)

Sincere thanks to you Steve, for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response.
Jennifer


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

mas jen said:


> Sincere thanks to you Steve, for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response.
> Jennifer


Hi Jennifer

You are most welcome,

Sante!

Steve


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## schoolsearcher (Apr 10, 2015)

Hi everyone, I wanted to know how the school Gems Wellington Silicon Oasis was doing with their secondary. I am sending my daughter in year 10 and would like to know how the school is doing. How is the school's IB program? 

How is DIA doing with its MYP and how is DIA's IB program? 

Thank you for all your help and cooperation


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## Insane nut (Sep 8, 2015)

Any feedback on blended learning at WSO.


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