# Moving to dubai



## Joe McCallion (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi, I am moving to Dubai to take up a job offer. I will be travelling out a start of new year, with family (wife and 3 boys 6,4 &2) possibly moving out in mid August. I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good school with english cirriculum. I also need advice on admissions.

All comments would be appreciated 

Thanks


----------



## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi and welcome,

Please ensure before you take the plunge and sell everything, that the company is still in a position to take you on ( the UAE has also been hit quite hard, with a downturn in many sectors).

There have been 3 or 4 people on this forum in the past 24 hours who have either arrived in Dubai, and now found themselves without a job, have just been told( while in home country) that they now dont have a job here, or they have been made redundant from positions held here.

Re: schools.

Here is a list of all the schools ( Dubai only)

Dubai schools

Most schools have a long wait list ( or list closed)- especially in younger years.
We suggest you put your childrens names down at many schools ( you may not get them in altogether in 1 school)
There is a fee for putting names on lists ( a few hundred dhs I believe).
Most schools also have an entrance exam.

Schools are very expensive ( I would say a MIN of 30,000 dhs each up to 60,000 dhs each- not including transport + uniforms)

Hope this helps a little


----------



## dallan (Oct 24, 2008)

Joe McCallion said:


> Hi, I am moving to Dubai to take up a job offer. I will be travelling out a start of new year, with family (wife and 3 boys 6,4 &2) possibly moving out in mid August. I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good school with english cirriculum. I also need advice on admissions.
> 
> All comments would be appreciated
> 
> Thanks


Hi there

I am in the same position as yourself except I am the wife and hubby is going in Jan with us to follow in April (hopefully!!) We have looked at British/English speaking schools and searched the internet for the schools on the list that sgilli has given you a link to, read all the web pages etc. The only thing I will say is none of the schools except 1 can give us a place for our youngest who is 5 - no probs with the older two 14,12. So I have just had to put his name down in loads of schools in the hope that he will get a place soonish

Another good point someone else gave me in the forum was don't just mail or telephone them try and visit (if possible) and speak to the Head Teacher you never know what may happen.

Instead of looking for a house and then finding schools we are planning to do schools first and then the house - this we may have to compromise on as I don't fancy having too long a journey taking to and from school 

We are going over to Dubai next weekend to have a look at schools and houses however I have been reading the forum and am VERY aware of job offers being pulled so a bit apprehensive about everything now

Hope things work out ok for you


----------



## Littleover_Ram (Nov 18, 2008)

Hello SGilli3,

Hope you're well.

With regards to your comments above I'm currently in the work permit application stage having accepted a position with a major Dubai bank. Clearly your comments are quite worrying! In your experience are there particular sectors where this sort of thing is happening more than others?


----------



## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

Littleover_Ram said:


> Hello SGilli3,
> 
> Hope you're well.
> 
> With regards to your comments above I'm currently in the work permit application stage having accepted a position with a major Dubai bank. Clearly your comments are quite worrying! In your experience are there particular sectors where this sort of thing is happening more than others?


HI and welcome.
Not many sectors have gone untouched- but in my opinion, real estate, and construction are the areas who are most effected.
Im afraid that banking has also been effected- though maybe no to the same degree.
( there have been some lay offs etc)

Best to check with your employer here, and ask how things are.
Sadly the stories of people losing jobs/not getting jobs is happening, as the UAE has not gone untouched by the global turndown.

Perhaps someone on the forum working in the banking/finance sector may be able to shed more light on the current situation.


----------



## bigdave (Oct 22, 2008)

hello, just got back from a 9 day visit to Dubai.
If you can try to get your children into a gems school. Mainly the one by Arabian Ranches. There are no spots for k-5 but they are going to create a new class for k-5 starting the new semester in january. You need to show up for the 9am tour, then fill out the register forms aftwards. The school will absolutely blow your mind. They have a planitarium in the school that is run by someone from nasa for god sakes......

very important info here. you need to register your children before dec 15th or they can not go to school untill next september. thats very important. Also if you home school your child the school districts will not accept your child. 

make sure your company is going to pay for schooling as it is very exspensive.


----------



## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

bigdave said:


> hello, just got back from a 9 day visit to Dubai.
> If you can try to get your children into a gems school. Mainly the one by Arabian Ranches. There are no spots for k-5 but they are going to create a new class for k-5 starting the new semester in january. You need to show up for the 9am tour, then fill out the register forms aftwards. The school will absolutely blow your mind. They have a planitarium in the school that is run by someone from nasa for god sakes......
> 
> very important info here. you need to register your children before dec 15th or they can not go to school untill next september. thats very important. Also if you home school your child the school districts will not accept your child.
> ...



I think you are a little confused with the schools
Are you talking about the new GEMS school? ( GEMS World Academy)
It is in Al Barsha ( not AR)
This is the school with the amazing planetarium

GEMS World Academy - Dubai : GCC and Middle East : Our Schools



The school in AR is JESS ( Jumeriah English Speaking School -AR)

JESS - Home

Re: home schooling- you can enter schools here if home schooled/ing. There are more hoops to jump through, and paper work to fill out, but it can be done.


----------



## bigdave (Oct 22, 2008)

sgilli3 said:


> I think you are a little confused with the schools
> Are you talking about the new GEMS school? ( GEMS World Academy)
> It is in Al Barsha ( not AR)
> This is the school with the amazing planetarium
> ...


Yes the gems school
if you want to be technical you are right. I ment by AR, not actually in AR.
I just signed my 2 kids up on tuesday.
We were going to rent in AR but decided to go out to the green community but kept both kids at that gems because of the specacular school and teaching crew.


----------



## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Have fun with the traffic coming out of the Greens !!!!


----------



## bigdave (Oct 22, 2008)

Ogri750 said:


> Have fun with the traffic coming out of the Greens !!!!



traffic is not an issue, thanks though.
even if it was I would trade bad traffic for the great community and fantastic anemmities. I love my house... yayyyyyyyyy positive


----------



## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Ogri750 said:


> Have fun with the traffic coming out of the Greens !!!!


He's living in the Green Community, not the Greens. Total different kettle of fish.


----------

