# A question for anyone in the Springs...



## Anabelle (Dec 5, 2011)

Hi,

I am moving out next week, kids going to Regent and after looking at houses in the Lakes & Springs DH has said he's seen a great house in Springs 8.

The photos look great and it's been well maintained but I was just wondering is Springs 8 a good location for access to Regent?

If you live there (or elsewhere in the Springs) would you recommend it and what facilities does it have e.g community pool, walking proximity to supermarkets, play parks etc...

Is there anywhere else in Springs that would be a better location for the school or has better access to facilities etc...

I've asked DH these questions but he's a bit vague about it all to be honest so was hoping I'd get more sense from people who actually live there!

Many thanks.....


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

I lived in Springs 8 for 3 years before moving to another Springs Location. With the new improved roads, you have a traffic signal right outside Springs 8 which is excellent as you can go any direction. 

Regent International School is about a 10 minute drive from Springs 8. Depending on traffic conditions, this could go up to 20 minutes during school drop off and pick up times. Springs 8 has a nice community pool, a tennis court and a basketball court (if I remember correctly) and also a great kids playing area. It's also about a 10 minute walk to the supermarket.

Good luck with your move. The Springs 8 area is one of the better ones in that location.


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## Anabelle (Dec 5, 2011)

Thank you for such an informative answer - really grateful and it's put my mind at rest having read much older posts about traffic being a nightmare in that area  

Can't wait to get out there and get on with it now.....


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Have you checked out the Ghadeer Villas at The Lakes- they are very close to Regent School (walking distance) and much newer villas than The Springs. Really nice communal pool and play areas.


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## Anabelle (Dec 5, 2011)

Yes the Ghadeer villas were our first port of call but we need a large one (min. 2E for us & 3 kids) and the lovely one's are like gold dust. 

We can get a larger one on the Springs for quite a bit less and although some of them are really shabby and uncared for this one has been really looked after and is in great condition so I think we need to compromise on location to get the right size at the right price.

DH looked at a 2E in Ghadeer which was run down inside, backed on to a busy road and had sand for a garden at AED 200,000 so he thinks the Springs one is much nicer.

So difficult for me to make a call when I'm stuck in the UK for now but he knows what we need (I hope).....

My kids & I love cycling so I was wondering whether that would be an option from the Springs in the cooler months. Do you think that would work or are there busy roads to cross?

Thanks for replying to these threads - really helpful to get ideas


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

If you lived in The Lakes then cycling would be an option to Regent. From Springs 8 to Regent is a very busy road (you have to cross a dual carriageway) and there are some really bad drivers here!!


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Sorry but am enjoying reading your posts! You are about 6 months ahead of me! My other half going out there in a few weeks and myself and the 3 kids following once this school year is finished. I too will have to rely on him to choose a house and visit schools, hopefully I can trust him to choose wisely!!
Are you shipping your stuff out?
Sorry to be Nosey but just trying to get organised in advance!
How did you choose your schools and did you have long to wait to see if you had places?
Thanks!x


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## Anabelle (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks for the info Wandabug - the Lakes & cycling would be ideal - I think it will end up being the Springs and a drive but I'm ok with that.

Tricktrack - it's a tricky process getting schools and as soon as you know you are definitely going get started as the waiting lists are often long if not closed. The younger the kids the harder it is to secure a place. We visited in Sep and had a look at 6 schools. Most could offer my older child a place but only 2 had a place for my middle child and only Regent had a Reception place and that was absolute luck on the day. It sounds awful and it was a stressful process but the majority of the schools have sibling priority so if 1 gets in the others have immediate priority for the next available spaces. It does sometimes meen you have to send them to different schools to start with but as Dubai is so transient places come up more often than it may seem. Also....people tend to put their kids names down on multiple schools so the waiting lists look over inflated too.

We narrowed our choices down to two schools after visiting and as Regent could offer all a place we decided to go with it. To secure the places we've had to pay for term 1 even though the kids don't start until Feb. Thankfully the company DH is working for have funded it or it would have been a deal breaker for us. Deciding where to live has been based on proximity to the school which is why we've ended up looking at Lakes/Meadows/Springs.

The other school we liked gets better reviews on the forums and Regent seems to have had bad press at times but we really liked it. The kids all seemed happy, classes were calm, teachers friendly, children engaged and really good facilities. Oh...and at home I'd just been researching Florence Nightingale with my son for his homework and they were doing exactly the same topic in the Y2 class I went in which reassured me. Time will tell but hopefully we've made a good choice.

We get an allowance to furnish the villa so most of our big furniture (beds, sofa's etc) is going into storgae here but did ship half a containers worth with bikes, scooters, toy chests, board games, favourite toys, crockery & cutlery, and the items that make a home feel like home (pictures, canvases, kids medals/trophies, photo's etc). It takes 6-8 weeks so the lead time for shipping all our furniture out wouldn't have worked.

Good luck with everything - hope all goes well....


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks Anabelle, I've already started the schools process but its so difficult to know whether I've done enough or not, I've applied for places for all 3 kids at 2 schools based on proximity to where we would ideally like to live, although I know one of them the waiting lists are building I don't know about the other one, being a new school, I'm hoping we might get some luck. The other school is just from the 'better' schools list and would only let me apply for my eldest, but again, would hope to get sibling priority if she was accepted. The little one isn't 3 until July, so not massively worried if he gets anywhere right away or not, but have put him on waiting lists anyway. We've already spent quite a bit just to get on these waiting lists, but not sure if I should put them on more!! Will have a look at the school you are using though, as 'ofsteds' are one thing but its nice when someone has a good feeling about a place!

Best of luck with your move and everything, makes me feel very impatient to get going, but I'm sure the time will fly. Thanks for letting me gatecrash your post! Where abouts in the UK are you based and when did your other half go out there to start?

Thanks x


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## Anabelle (Dec 5, 2011)

Sounds like your already on the right track. 

I tend to ignore 'ofsteds' and go with my gut feel. Regent wasn't even on our list until a registrar from one of the "better" schools suggested we take a look at that one too so don't worry too much. Their last ofsted was good with outstanding features anyway which is the same (if not better) than some of the recommended schools. It really is a minefield and you have to rely on so many other people's opinions if your not there which can be confusing.

We had our heart set on Arabian Ranches to live in as we took a visit back in Sep but once DH got out there and had a proper look it made sense to go with the area we've chosen - not much difference between them all really and I want to be as close to the school as poss esp. when after school clubs and other events kick in. 

DH has been there a couple of weeks and we're from the SouthWest (near Bristol). Happy to catch up when you get out there or answer any other questions once I have a clue how things work....

Have fun planning!


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks anabelle so much. Would love to catch up with you and hear how things are going although I'm sure you will be very busy once you get out there! Not sure how to send a message other than posting as this forum stuff is all new to me!

Sounds like you have been really lucky with schools, hope some of your luck rubs off on us, it's hard to know when to stop throwing money on waiting list fees! Will try and get some info from the schools I'm looking at to see if we are in with a realistic chance!

We like the look of ranches too, although I have never been to Dubai, but the other half had a quick tour before Christmas. But like you say, proximity to schools needs to take a bit of priority.

Have you lived anywhere else before? How old are your kids? Are they excited?x


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## ibkiss (Feb 1, 2012)

JVC has bigger villas & cheaper ones too


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

But they`re in the middle of nowhere, you pay your money you take your choice!


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## ibkiss (Feb 1, 2012)

but its hardly a stone's throw away from springs


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

Remind me not to challenge you to a stone throwing contest!


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## ibkiss (Feb 1, 2012)

dont fear ... ure not on my target when throwing stones .. hehe


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