# GEMS Westminster School Sharjah Review



## enque786 (May 19, 2014)

Hello all, I am planning to do admission of my daughter in FS1 in GEMS Westminster School. They claim to follow the National Curriculum for England for all classes including EYFS for FS1 & FS2. I have heard mixed comments from those whose kids are not studying in GEMS Westminster School Sharjah. I will be very thankful for those who has first hand information (i.e. either their kids or their neighbors/relatives kids are going to this school). 

Thank you in advance for your kind help in this regard.


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## enque786 (May 19, 2014)

Hello guys...I saw 77 views of my post but not a single reply...I will greatly appreciate any replies from those who can help me to take a right decission...


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## Sinbad25 (Jul 23, 2014)

Here are my comments:

The school is new and well equipped. You will be impressed when you visit the premises for the first time. 

But there are some issues:

- I don’t think teachers are as well qualified and trained as they should be. For example, you will find many grammatical mistakes in home work that kids receive.

-Too much dependence on the Internet (emails, websites, logins, newsletters, school magazines, youtube. etc). You will be spending a significant amount of time daily on the computer figuring out what school wants you to do. Check your email multiple times a day for communications from the school. Login to such and such website to receive school reports. Print pages from such and such links (which are mostly broken) for homework. An extra supply of ink cartridge will come in handy.

-Homework is given daily and also on weekends. And there is no time when its coming. You can receive weekend homework on a Wednesday, early or late Thursday. Friday morning or even late. Just keep checking your email. You spend a day and half helping your kids complete the homework……. And many a times teachers don’t even bother to check it.

-The school timings are too long. If you send your kids by bus they will return home exhausted after 9 hours (6am to 3 pm). I guess this is a problem with many schools.

-Kids have to move from one room to another to attend different classes. 

But the biggest problem is the lack of discipline. The students are abusive. And I mean really abusive. They use *bad language* left and right and *curse* each other (even in front of teachers and parents). Unfortunately, school doesent bother to stop such behavior. 

Also don’t be surprised if you kid looses his belongings because someone stole it.

I hope the admin addresses these issues soon.


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## expatteacher2014 (Mar 18, 2014)

Wow. Please don't move your child from GEMS, I wouldn't want you as a parent at my school.


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

You prefer meek parents who feel they can't express their concerns? Quite probably why the children are wild!


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Gems on a whole and in Shj in particular, you pay peanuts......


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## expatteacher2014 (Mar 18, 2014)

_shel said:


> You prefer meek parents who feel they can't express their concerns?


Interesting leap. I prefer parents who are rational, understanding, supportive, constructive and able to raise their concerns with the school in the correct forum.


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## Sinbad25 (Jul 23, 2014)

expatteacher2014 said:


> Interesting leap. I prefer parents who are rational, understanding, supportive, constructive and able to raise their concerns with the school in the correct forum.


The original poster asked a question and I gave an honest answer.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Sinbad25 said:


> Now regarding the issues, tell me. Is it ok for a kid to learn every cuss word in every language possible at the school? Isn’t school suppose to provide a clean and healthy environment where students learn good manners along with good education. Would you like your kids to hang out with friends who frequently use foul language.


I got to say, whilst I was at school many years ago, learning to swear in as many languages was part of the fun, it hasn't done me any harm.

Manners should be taught at home NOT at school, this is clearly a failing on behalf of the parents who offload their little darlings and expect someone else to bring up their child and teach social graces etc. in the same way they "out-source" cooking, cleaning and taking care of heir kids to uneducated, ill-equipped and grossly underpaid employees.

Let me tell you, it's not acceptable, manners and social skills should be taught at home, it is NOT the duty of the teacher to teach your kid this. IT IS YOURS.


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## Sinbad25 (Jul 23, 2014)

The Rascal said:


> I got to say, whilst I was at school many years ago, learning to swear in as many languages was part of the fun, it hasn't done me any harm.


Clearly your idea of having fun is different from mine.



> Manners should be taught at home NOT at school, this is clearly a failing on behalf of the parents who offload their little darlings and expect someone else to bring up their child and teach social graces etc. in the same way they "out-source" cooking, cleaning and taking care of heir kids to uneducated, ill-equipped and grossly underpaid employees.
> 
> Let me tell you, it's not acceptable, manners and social skills should be taught at home, it is NOT the duty of the teacher to teach your kid this. IT IS YOURS.


If a teacher hears a student using foul language at school it’s his or her responsibility to discipline the child. They should involve the child's parents if need be. But such wild behavior should be unacceptable at any school regardless of its fee structure. 



.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

The Rascal said:


> Let me tell you, it's not acceptable, manners and social skills should be taught at home, it is NOT the duty of the teacher to teach your kid this. IT IS YOURS.


Ooooooh, feisty


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

I just want to share my feedback 

1- Thanks God I attended school during 80's and 90's!

2- Manners and social skills should be taught at home as well as at school. Student spends most of his time with students from other cultural backgrounds, so there should be some rules. That's why in arab countries the offical name of education ministries is consisted of 2 parts: (تربية: upbringing) and (تعليم: education).

3- When I grew up in Jordan I started my study in a private school with a very high discipline, where we even were not allowed to curse at all. It was a big shock for me when I moved to public school where I used to watch fights and hear cursing much more frequently, but this also helped me to see the other side of the real world.

4- Now I started sing to "we don't need no education!"


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## expatteacher2014 (Mar 18, 2014)

Sinbad25 said:


> The original poster asked a question and I gave an honest answer.


I'm sure the OP appreciates your honest answer and also your effort in finding and responding to the question nearly 9 months after it was posted 

For the record, I don't disagree with your concerns about poor and abusive language going unchallenged by staff: that is unacceptable.


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## Sinbad25 (Jul 23, 2014)

expatteacher2014 said:


> For the record, I don't disagree with your concerns about poor and abusive language going unchallenged by staff: that is unacceptable.


Thanks. 

I wonder how is the enviornment in other schools?


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