# Help and advice for Abu Dhabi please



## allytanya (Feb 7, 2014)

New poster here folks, just arrived in AD yesterday
Couple of questions:
house allowance is 160K AED per year where is the best place to go with that budget?
Next question is major for us, got a six year daughter who along with her mother and little sister should be coming over to join up with next month (inshallah) I simply cannot find a school for her, any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Cheers in advace


----------



## busybee2 (Aug 8, 2013)

unfortunately is very difficult to find sch places.... 160 is a good budget but really you should find the school place before the house, there are more houses to choose than schools. have you applied to all of them, and what is your budget as the new ones that are opening next year will be your best bet. cranleigh is expensive but will have space. reach british school is opening next year and that may well be your best bet its up in baniyas so you could look to rent in khalifa city b opposite for that. be careful if you comeout with no sch space the ministry here will make you repeat a year if you are out of school for like 10 days or so...


----------



## allytanya (Feb 7, 2014)

thanks
I am already here and hope to bring wife and kids towards end of next month, most of the schools we have contacted ask for documents that we cannot provide because I obviously do not have permanent address and residence stamp etc, etc allowance is 30,000 per child per year. I realize that we will probably have to top that up a bit and am prepared to do that I just need to find a place for the eldest one for when she gets her next month

Frustrated dot com already but I am sure that things will get better, are there any other new ones scheduled to open soon


----------



## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Most schools offer places pending all documents being available. Shouldn't stop you from applying for places. 
What do you mean you cannot find school places for her? Have you applied and have had the application rejected? If you are just assuming that you cannot apply then that is not correct. Do it now as a number of schools are making their admission related decisions now.
Can also suggest Repton if your child will go to Grade 2 of the British system (they dont have anything beyond Grade 2 because they opened last year in AD)


----------



## busybee2 (Aug 8, 2013)

allytanya said:


> thanks
> I am already here and hope to bring wife and kids towards end of next month, most of the schools we have contacted ask for documents that we cannot provide because I obviously do not have permanent address and residence stamp etc, etc allowance is 30,000 per child per year. I realize that we will probably have to top that up a bit and am prepared to do that I just need to find a place for the eldest one for when she gets her next month
> 
> Frustrated dot com already but I am sure that things will get better, are there any other new ones scheduled to open soon


you dont need to have all the documents ready if they are asking for the visa docs etc then as long as you get a letter from company to say that they will be processed etc thats enough in the short term. its very difficult to get a place mid term but thre is a rule for kids in uae schs past 15 feb they cannot switch schs so if a place becomes available on 16 feb it will be given to a foreigner etc outside the country but it would mean that you would have to take up that place straight away etc. if you are not in school for a small amount of time they will make you repeat a year. you dont need to have a permanent address put down the company address but of course you need the piece of paper from employer to say that you are employed etc before they will give up a place.


----------



## allytanya (Feb 7, 2014)

Both girls have places at the new Reach British School, so very thanks for the "heads up" that this new school was opening, very much appreciated. So the obvious next question is where should I be looking for housing (what area) we like the family social life scene, would love a compound with shared facilities (pool gym etc) where is the best place to be looking for our budget? thanks in advance


----------



## busybee2 (Aug 8, 2013)

allytanya said:


> Both girls have places at the new Reach British School, so very thanks for the "heads up" that this new school was opening, very much appreciated. So the obvious next question is where should I be looking for housing (what area) we like the family social life scene, would love a compound with shared facilities (pool gym etc) where is the best place to be looking for our budget? thanks in advance


i would look at kcb which is across the road from the new school, there are many standalone houses or small compounds, some with pool some without. if not then look at mbz or kca but they are further away from the school. to have a 5 min commute to the sch would be grate. i can see the new school arising from the sand.... but i have to commute to the british sch in town and thats 20/5 mins each way. there is also al reef and hydra village just up the main road from the school too but right by the airport


----------



## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

busybee2 said:


> i would look at kcb which is across the road from the new school, there are many standalone houses or small compounds, some with pool some without. if not then look at mbz or kca but they are further away from the school. to have a 5 min commute to the sch would be grate. i can see the new school arising from the sand.... but i have to commute to the british sch in town and thats 20/5 mins each way. there is also al reef and hydra village just up the main road from the school too but right by the airport


If you have a car at your disposal and budget permits then Al Raha, KCA , MBZ in that order. 5/10 mins max.


----------



## allytanya (Feb 7, 2014)

Thanks folks you have been very helpful, is there good infrastructure in place at KCB, MBZ, Al Reef and Hydra village? what I mean by that is my wife going to crack up during the day being stuck there until she gets her driving lisence and all that good stuff sorted out or is it pretty much established with everything that you need being around you including taxis if need be?
Cheers in advance once again folks


----------



## busybee2 (Aug 8, 2013)

allytanya said:


> Thanks folks you have been very helpful, is there good infrastructure in place at KCB, MBZ, Al Reef and Hydra village? what I mean by that is my wife going to crack up during the day being stuck there until she gets her driving lisence and all that good stuff sorted out or is it pretty much established with everything that you need being around you including taxis if need be?
> Cheers in advance once again folks


al reef you need a car but there are buses into town, but its really in middle of nowhere right next to the airport so can be very noisey pick your streets wisely, hydra village is even more isolated, mbz again need a car there are buses but only to certain main streets, kcb has no shops yet but once they build capital district inbetween kca and b will become the hub of things.... i would say do your licence before you come, if uk you can exchange easily enough if you do your licence here, for one you learn on automatic and so would need to retake your test again for return to uk, unless you learn on manual car which they really dont do here, taxis can be ordered anywhere, they are all pretty much the same, kcb being the closest to sch then mbz you would need to look on google maps and it will give you an idea.


----------

