Schools with space ?!
We are a British family potentially moving from Dubai this summer with a 5 year old girl looking for a good school. We were recommended DESS and we are on a waiting list, are there any others that anyone would personally recommend as you have children there who love it....and most importantly what chance do we have of getting her in ?! If you could let me know what the fees are per term that would also be great ! Thanks.
I am inclined to agree with novita77, especially as different sets of parents often want different and contradictory things!
Perhaps part of the problem with many schools in Qatar is that the lack of available places means that parents cannot make real choices. You cannot have much hope of sending your child to the school of your choice if the school has closed the waiting list.
I am not offering an opinion on Park House but merely some facts. It is not true that all the teachers are qualified. My friend has children there and there is one teacher who has taught at least two different subjects there with no teaching qualification. Also she is not a native English speaker.
X5, I am not in management there, am Just a Teacher/ Trainer with another Institution, but am a mother who monitors her children, the school curriculum and assists teachers to bring the best out of their students.
No offence, but it’s a matter of opinion, at the end of the day, we still have to help our kids make the grades that will get them somewhere in life.
There are no school in Doha that 100 percents parents happy with it. I mean ... come on .... no way school can make all parents 100 percents happy?
Do visit the school ... have a look around ... and use your instict. Don't just swallow other's people opinion.
"Please doesn’t bad mouth the School, if you are not happy find another school?" - that is the problem, no schools in Doha has room so you are stuck with the school even if you do not like it. I have only said what I have heard from other mothers, I do not have any direct experience with Park House. To add another thing, I also know a teacher from that school, she did not recommend that school to any of her friends. The issue that these people are complaining about is not the teachers but the management. It is surprising that the very comment you have made is exactly the same as the comment of the management when some parents try to complain. Are you in the management by any chance? Something smells fishy here....
Park House School has a very good reputation and there seem to be many parents who are happy about the education that their children are receiving.
As a teacher myself, I am pleased that good girl loyally defends her school, but taking your child elsewhere is simply not an option in Qatar, where many schools (Park House included) have long waiting lists. I would have thought that when parents have genuine concerns about any school, the right thing to do is for the parents to discuss these issues with the teaching staff or with the principal or both.
X5 I disagree with your comments about Park House. All the Teachers are qualified to teach and 90% of them are Brits and South Africans. The curriculum is well followed and discipline is number one. Of course you get some cases where parents are not brining their kids up properly and they try to disrupt the school. But trust me, it’s always dealt with.
Yes it's expensive, but that’s a different story.
Please doesn’t bad mouth the School, if you are not happy find another school?
It would be interesting to read some comments from parents who have had experiences of school waiting lists. How long did you have to wait for a place?
If it's of any interest the principal at Doha Montessori is the former primary school principal at Doha College Primary.
Couple of kids from my daughter's ballet class go to Park House, their moms are very unhappy with the school, but they can't move the kids because all schools are full. My daughter goes to Qatar Academy and we are very satisfied with the school so far.
my friends kids go to the Doha Montessori school but she is waiting to transfer them to Park House. Take what you can find for now, as School spaces are hot at the moment.
Thanks for the replies, has anyone heard what the Doha Montessori and British School is like ?
There is no space in DESS as far as I know. Fees is QR 7540 per term.
Try Park house English School you might be lucky. My kids go there and I like it .4689263
I can't give you any recommendations but I can tell you that the HR department from my company sent out an email last week saying that most of the schools in Doha were full for the upcoming academic year except for the Compass School. I don't know anything about it but someone on QL might.