# Schools in Dubai



## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

Hi there. We live in London and my husband has been offered a position in Dubai and we are considering moving out there in April with our 3 year old son.

Does anyone know what the schools are like in the Springs area for this age group and if it's true that there are long waiting lists to get in, even at this age.

Any help recommending good schools in Dubai/in the Springs area would be very welcome. Thanks!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

dipsy said:


> Hi there. We live in London and my husband has been offered a position in Dubai and we are considering moving out there in April with our 3 year old son.
> 
> Does anyone know what the schools are like in the Springs area for this age group and if it's true that there are long waiting lists to get in, even at this age.
> 
> Any help recommending good schools in Dubai/in the Springs area would be very welcome. Thanks!


 Welcome to the forum dipsy.
I have moved this thread to the Dubai section. You are more likely to get answers to your question here.

Regards Veronica


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

dipsy said:


> Hi there. We live in London and my husband has been offered a position in Dubai and we are considering moving out there in April with our 3 year old son.
> 
> Does anyone know what the schools are like in the Springs area for this age group and if it's true that there are long waiting lists to get in, even at this age.
> 
> Any help recommending good schools in Dubai/in the Springs area would be very welcome. Thanks!


Is La-La, Tinky Winky and Po coming too?

And if so, who's carrying the bag/wearing the hat etc....


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Is La-La, Tinky Winky and Po coming too?
> 
> And if so, who's carrying the bag/wearing the hat etc....



Ooops sorry dispy, I forgot about the Andy Capp factor
you might get a sensible answer from someone eventually


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Veronica said:


> Ooops sorry dispy, I forgot about the Andy Capp factor
> you might get a sensible answer from someone eventually


You know me Ms. V....

But for a serious answer, most mates i have in Springs take their kids to JESS in Ranches.....

Try to avoid GEMS schools, they're basically a money making machine for the Indian owner (who's in the top 10 richest people in India). If you can, get little Dipsy Junior into JESS, it's not for profit (as is Dubai College, but the little mite ain't that big yet)...

Happy now?

I'm not just witty and intelligent. I'm devilishly handsome too!!


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## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

Most schools do tend to have a long wait period or lists have closed ...BUT...due to so many people leaving the Emirates in the past month and within coming months, perhaps you may not have to wait for a school place.

Best thing to do is put your childs name down on numerous wait lists ( there is a fee for doing this), and then hope that there are free positions available.

(the early years are usually full/close to full)- but it will be interesting to see how many positions are suddenly free at the end of the term.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Sgilli3....

I must interject....

It does depend on the employer of the sponsor (in this case hubby) as to whether you'll get in. If you work for a well known, or even better a Government / "Semi government" (think Emirates etc) company, and you're western, you get to the front of the queue.

Sad (in as much as selective) but true.


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks a lot for your responses Andy Capp and Sgilli3.

Andy Capp - I must say I forgot about the inevitable link with the Teletubbies when I chose the name Dipsy!

I've heard about these GEM schools...

Looked at the JESS Arabian Ranches website and the waiting lists are closed until 2011/2012 entry for the younger classes!

It's interesting that they look at employers etc. aswell. 

Will definitely get him down on some waiting lists asap!

Thanks a lot!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Don't believe anything here, get you arse in front of the admissions person, ensure that you can pay (as in give him the post dated cheques) you'll be in.

I've been here 5 years, this is how things work.

But don't take no for an answer...


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks for the reply Andy Capp. Will definitely have to go and hound all these admissions people when we get there.

Also, does anyone know how good the Raffles nurseries in Emirates Hills/ The Springs (The town centre & Village) aswell as the corresponding Raffles International School are?


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## dallan (Oct 24, 2008)

dipsy said:


> Thanks for the reply Andy Capp. Will definitely have to go and hound all these admissions people when we get there.
> 
> Also, does anyone know how good the Raffles nurseries in Emirates Hills/ The Springs (The town centre & Village) aswell as the corresponding Raffles International School are?


I wouldn't wait till you came out to get in contact with the schools. You should email everyone that you are interested in and find out if places are available and go and visit them as soon as you come out. If you do this then you may be surprised where places become available from! Sorry don't know much about nurseries etc in those area we are going to send our children to the Dubai British School, The Springs, when I join hubby in April but they only take them from Foundation level (sorry unsure what age this is!)

Debbie


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks for your reply Debbie. The Dubai British School seems to be very popular, particularly for the younger places! Will definitely get on some waiting lists before we come out.


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## thevarneys (Feb 9, 2009)

We live in the Springs/Meadows area and there are 3 schools
Dubai British School (near Town Center) - english curriculum - great school (my kids go there)
Dubai International Academy (near back road) - International curriculum - big school and good reputation
Emirates International -(meadows village) - international I think - don't know much about it.
There is a nursery in the Springs choitram area (raffles), 1 just opened by DBS (town center),it's raffle as well, and there is one in the Meadows village (run by jebel ali nursery).
don't know the fees.


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Try to avoid GEMS schools,


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

thevarneys said:


> We live in the Springs/Meadows area and there are 3 schools
> Dubai British School (near Town Center) - english curriculum - great school (my kids go there)
> Dubai International Academy (near back road) - International curriculum - big school and good reputation
> Emirates International -(meadows village) - international I think - don't know much about it.
> ...


Thanks for the info. Didn't know about the nursery in Meadows. I'll have a look.


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## webjunky (Feb 11, 2009)

my fiance's cousing brother's son attended that nursery and he is a smart kid. from what i have heard it is very good.


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

DubaiInformationSite said:


> my fiance's cousing brother's son attended that nursery and he is a smart kid. from what i have heard it is very good.


That nursery hasn't even opened it's doors yet. (If you mean the one by Town Centre.)


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

DubaiInformationSite said:


> my fiance's cousing brother's son attended that nursery and he is a smart kid. from what i have heard it is very good.


Do you mean the Jebel Ali nursery in The Meadows?


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## dipsy (Feb 6, 2009)

flossie said:


> That nursery hasn't even opened it's doors yet. (If you mean the one by Town Centre.)


Flossie, is the nursery that hasn't opened yet the Raffles one in The Springs town centre?


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Yes, I think it's a Raffles Nursery.


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## catmul777 (May 16, 2009)

Hi Dipsy, just wondering how you got on with your school search? im in the same boat at the minute and seriously stressing out.
Im moving to Arabian Ranches next month, and really want my son in that school no matter what.

Did you find companys do have influence?


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

I think you will find that it doesn't matter who you are, what you can pay or who you are employed by, the waiting list at JESS arabian ranches, especially in the lower grades, is closed.


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## catmul777 (May 16, 2009)

flossie, I must assume you work at the school?


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

No, you mustn't assume that, because I don't.  I just know many people who have been trying to get into this school. One for the last 3 years. And if going down to the school with a years' fees would get them in, they'd do it. And the fact that the company they work for already have three other families with kids at the school didn't help them.


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## catmul777 (May 16, 2009)

goodness, I think I better start looking at other schools. I was led to believe that some company's have influence, but believe that may not be the case where this school is concerned. I've heard a few bad things about gem schools, so feeling rather limited. getting a good education for my son may be harder than expected in dubai. 

Thank you for your help.


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Some companies have debentures with JESS. Perhaps you can ask if your company does. Ours does, but it still didn't help our friend. This is where the company pay a sum of money to give preferential treatment to get entrance. (Not sure how it works to be honest, but ring the school and ask.)

My kids go to a GEMS school. GEMS schools vary from school to school. Some are aimed at lower income earners, some aren't. They tend to send their best teachers to their 'best' schools. We are more than happy with how our kids are doing and the standard of teaching they receive. In fact, even within a school, it can vary from class to class. In our old (private) school in Australia, that was the case as well. There is no such thing as a perfect school. But suffice to say, our kids have gone from strength to strength are very happy. They don't seem to realise that they are not meant to be either having fun or achieving high standards because they go to a dreaded GEMS school.


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