# Information on Repton Dubai



## Lucas2013

Hi there,

I am about to move to Dubai and was wondering if anyone could give me their unbiased opinion on Repton school, which seems to have places left, whilst lots of other schools seem oversubscribed.
I have read lots of posts on it, both positive and negative, so it's difficult to judge whether they're good or not and whether there is a problem.
I have checked their rating by KHDA and they're ranked as 'good'.
Any opinions welcome, especially if you have first-hand experience.
Thank you.


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## norampin

My children are not at Repton but were offered a place.
I would assume they have places as they are the most expensive. It progressively gets more expensive year on year by silly amounts compared to others.


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## Lucas2013

*Information on Repton*

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, they are expensive and I was wondering whether that was the reason or whether there were other reasons for that e.g. the academic level or the teaching isn't actually that good. I've read quite a few things about staff turnover etc...
Thanks.


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## Tjas

Have also looked at Repton and it seems like a nice school..


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## Lucas2013

Yes, it seems indeed like a nice school, but how is it beyond the veneer of the images and text on the web site? I am quite puzzled that the number of negative comments I have found, even press articles, outweighs the positive ones. Is that a reasonable measure for its reputation. Other more established schools like Dubai College only have positive reviews and seem conpletely oversubscribed almost a year in advance. Explanation?
Thank you


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## Lucas2013

Let me add another question, if I was able to pick the best school to enroll my children (one in year 1 and one in year 7). Which school(s) would I want to go for? Thank you!


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## Hollygolightly

Hi,

Have you found out any more about Repton? I am trying to decide between Repton and Gems Cambridge International School. It's so hard to judge with both of them being new. The fees are much higher for Repton. We are lucky to have any offers this late on in the year it seems.


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## tayseer

*Repton School Dubai my view*

I'm not normally one for posting on these type of sites, but do have a very strong opinion and experience now having 2 children in Repton Dubai, a girl in year 6 and a boy in year 1 for the past 6 months.
I also find it bizarre that there are posts on here replying to folk who asked for opinions and get replies such as "I have heard this" or "I have heard that".....time wasters, please stay away.....you are of no help...with your "poke in the dark comments"...!
So, here's my view :
Myself and (Arabic) wife were in London, totally submerged in the rat race that is the ridiculous private school system, paying for two children to go to 2 different schools in Fulham SW6 at around £5,000 - £6,000 a term (yes a term), for a 4 year old and a 10 year old. So my first point is how on earth can anyone complain about the price of education in Dubai at Repton school because it's a bit more expensive than the one down the road.....trust me in relative terms at HALF the price of what were paying in London its a bloody bargain with more fresh air, more sports facilities, more pastoral care etc... than all of the London based private schools put together, and I'll come onto the education in a bit.
Where some of these comments come from complaining about school fee's I have no idea at all, especially those with UK experience.....really.
Our 5 year old son arrived from (Fulham Prep School) London, BEHIND the level at Repton re RRR but thankfully is catching up and is pretty much where he should be now.
Our then 10 yo daughter thought it would be a walk in the park coming from middle to upper sets in her school in Fulham (Thomas's), but not quite. She has found it all quite challenging and if anything a notch higher than where she was.
Re turnover of teachers.....does the 60 year old pipe smoking corduroy jacketed History teacher really exist anymore in these types of schools..? I doubt it, and even if they did they would have lost most of the enthusiasm that they had 30 years ago surely ?
Teachers these days are mostly on the move these days anyway. In the London school where we had our 11 yo she never had a teacher in the same class for more than a year and most young female teachers were there maybe a year or 3 at the most, with marriage, travel etc...on the agenda. Of course one needs a core of good teachers and heads of departments that stick around and Repton VERY much has that. The right people are in it for the long haul.
I chat regularly to the Head of the Junior school and the Head Master who you can find almost every morning on the front gate saying hello to each and everyone of the 2000+ students who offer honest, open and forthright opinions on the school and their challenges ahead that they take on with full responsibility, after all this school is still quite new, with a lot of students and that does take time to bed systems in. 
As far as the size of the school goes, do not be put off at all as it was one of our concerns at the beginning. Your child has a year group and block and that's pretty much where they stay, other than going for sports and swimming etc...
The junior school block is a normal busy school place come pick up drop off, like any "average sized school". I'll know more about the Senior school next year when eldest moves across the lawn....to the other side.
We have had to make sacrifices as a family. I did not have a ready made job in Dubai like many others and have had to find my way, not just arriving on a contract or placement position and then looking around to see whats about. We CHOSE to come to Dubai and it has been a fantastic decision. Our Kids play more regular sports than they have ever done in London, they look happier, look healthier and are getting stuck in with the education side in a very competitive environment.
To answer another question that I saw on here as to why Repton has "available" places and no one else does : When we were initially fishing around for school places and forgive me but I forgot all of the names of which ones, but mostly the obvious top choices, I didn't get over the first hurdle as the first question was "which company do you work for?" - and as I explained earlier am self employed, we had no chance as a huge lump of the places in the other schools that we looked at are reserved for certain companies, banks, financial institutions etc.... so that when an "executive bloke/lady" is offered a job in Dubai they can take it safe in the knowledge that they have a place booked at a decent ish school......and I'm grateful for Repton not being like that. You come, you take the exam, and if you are good enough, you get in....just as it should be.
On a final note, my wife has a relative living in Dubai who has an 8 year old son who was in a local school. Once we had started at Repton Dubai she came to visit it with her son and wwas so impressed with it all that she wanted her son to take the exam and join us. He took the exam, and sadly failed, being almost a year behind with his learning according to Repton. He did however try after at GEMS world academy, thankfully passed and is very happy there....


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