Anyone aware of this?
I see on the Sportscity road (close to Villaggio) a construction site with a banner Newton British school, that recently appeared.
Still under construction, but wondering??
Can any one guide me what type of school is it. What is the standard of education and discipline among student. What type of nationalities of students are there....etc. What is your experience if your kids are going there. Can you give me the contact numbers of the school.
Im about to move to Qatar in September to teach at NBS and really excited! I cant wait to experience a new culture, bring my teaching experiences over and meet lots of new people. If anyone has any advice or just general information, I would be very grateful! :)
nbs can be good or bad depending on the teacher. however, the HUGE PROBLEM IS THEIR TOTAL DISREGARD FOR STUDENT SAFETY. there is no organized parking and people drive like maniacs. parents told them to organise the parking by having cross walks and stopping traffic. the lebanese school had a student run over and died b/c of this. they had NO interest in fixing the problem. if you want to put your child there, you can, but pray when you walk your child on the street ...
couldnt agree more NBS is doing good job as a new school ....they're listen to ur need and work with you too .....and everybody is so cooperative with you all the way to even the security guard who's the same person everyday ......they're assembly system is make it the kids enjoy to go to school ...I have a bright kids and average kids too ....my bright kids have enough challenge as i work with the teacher , although I sometimes supply the material as I was a homeschooling my kids in the US, so I just gave the teacher an extra reading book that i was going to leave behind when I leave Qatar anyway. It was perfect, my average kids love to learn she could stop telling how great is her teacher is .......as much as I do have little here & there complaint but the most important things my kids Happy and I believe education is come from the house , I Wouldn't give that responsibility to school. and if u not happy with the school, either u work with it and make it the school they way that compromising with ur standard or just forget about it, complaint wont solve the problem. Well at least that what I believe ........everyone have the right to their own opinion.
I have to compliment Newton British School on the excellence of their teachers, and currently (and for some time to come) they have a very good teacher to student ration (aiming at 1:20, currently as low as 1:10).
I had to move my kids from NIS in West Bay, the campus there is woefully small and under equiped. There were also a lot of behavioural issues, and little discipline. Hopefully the departure of the previous principal, and careful selection of her replacement will help, but it will remain a very cramped school unless they move to a purpose built campus. Lack of space will always cause conflict, among any group of people!
One of the Directors of Newton listened to my problems, accepted that I would not be satisfied with the campus as it stood, and assisted me in moving my kids to Newton British School in the middle of last term. Both my kids quickly made brilliant progress academically, I could not believe the turnaround. All the teachers there are formally qualified and experienced in the British Curriculum, and most have had several years in the Gulf, so know what to expect. The absolute opposite was the case at the NIS in West Bay.
I have since moved the kids to another (more affordable, better equiped) school, and they are settling well. The Newton management were accepting of my move, and didn't make a fuss re. short notice etc (I had reserved my rights in that sphere before accepting the move to NBS).
My experience has lead me to believe that it is the academic management that was poor at West Bay, rather than the upper level of management (i.e. the owners). They seem to be relatively "hands off", and perhaps overly trusting of properly qualified staff. They have installed a Director to provide better oversight of the principals and their systems, and I believe that this will bring about improvements.
I would reccomend any new arrivals in Doha to check out Newton British School as a viable alternative to the other, longer established good primary schools. Yes the fees are quite high, but the teacher ratios and experience compensates very well, especially if your employer is paying the fees! (Not so for us).
New Newton British School opened some time in september 2008 (as mentioned on thier site) and its totally different from Newton International school, I have visited there, met teachers and kids & staff, I will compare Newton British school with Dess and Newton International school with Cambridge, aljazira, etc although even Newton International School is much better than thier competators, and Newton British School justify the cost and effort, competator for DESS
I'm glad you've taken the time to read the posts. You should run a search on "Newton" in the search box and have the comments on hand at your next meeting with your fellow co-workers.
It must be very frustrating for you and the other teachers to be in the position you are in. The problems with this school are not with the teachers. Quite the contrary, the teachers are very good indeed. The problems are with the physical structure, maintanance, and organisation of the school.
The problems have not all been sorted out, contrary to what you state. But at least now the public is starting to draw NIS's attention to these shortcomings.
Personally, I think that the parents should each list in point form what they think about the school. The good aswell as the bad......
The D Ring branch of NIS is a really cool school. The facilities are excellent, the children are happy and all of the staff are really good. Yes, there were a few problems last year, but they have all been sorted out now.
I just don't understand, why would they call themselves Newton British, it's easily confused with Newton International. NIS has a not very nice reputation as per qatarliving parents opinion, so maybe it's better to change a word Newton for NBS? You hear Newton, you stay away. That's weird, there are lots of other great scientists' names except Isaak Newton that can be used:)
If all those schools have the same management, don't expect NBS to be different from NIS.
Moonbeam ... seem you happy with your kids move out from Newton , I 'm happy for you .... I laso understand you trying to help . But PLEASE ... PLEASE dont judge NBS same with NIS ...I know you just give your opinion according whta you going thru in Newton D-Ring..
But as Doha Explorer said ... I put my kids in D-ring road before .. I love the teacher for my kids ...Love them ...she is from canada ...she is very attentive to my boys .. I move my kids to Alwaab NBS because I live one block away from the school , I wish I knew that earlier.
But as DohaExplorer said , NBS doing a good job so far ...the teacher really put their effort toward the kids, I was there the whole day during school day .. I insist to be there ...and you know what my kids love the school there , he love his teacher , I also have yr 1 girls ..the first week she was there she read already ...she doesnt even know alphabet yet before ...The teacher there most of all from UK and Aus ... I believe education of the children should come from the house anyway ....As I was homeschooling my kids for 2 years before , and I think they do a good job on the curriculum ... And if you think is not enough just do your part , like I'm bring in some of material from the USA .. so my kids will be the same level when they go back to the USA .... and so far their right on track the same material I have on hand .... so I have no worries about NBS .
I could comment about the owner , but again and again NBS teacher are wonderful and in my kids class only one arab speaking kids and he is USA nationality .
Hope you feel better; there's something going around these days; a lot of people around me have been getting coughs and colds...maybe it's the change in the weather...take care! I really meant what I said: Good luck to us all!
:) thanks dohaexplorer. :) by the way, it wasn't you who was judging me. Sorry if I made it seem that way. :)
Anyway I hope you enjoy Doha. The school may have it's problems, but at least Doha's health care system is truly superb for a relatively 'young' country.
So not everything is negative..... :)
PS. I am particularly pessamistic these days; sorry..... I just have a terrible chest cold, and feel utterly awful!
I am really sorry if I came across as judging you or as implying that you are being a difficult parent; not at all; I don't think parents have any vested interest in being difficult or in complaining to/about schools. I also really do understand your disappointment in not having the problems fixed, as you have obviously been working to get them addressed for a long time. Also, you should absolutely not feel guilty about demanding safety for your child.
I think I am just so anxious for this branch to succeed, because of the horror stories I have been reading about some schools here on QL. I just want this new school to have every possible chance at success.
I sense fatigue in your comments, and I think it could happen (and indeed has happened) to other parents as they face problems with their children's school. I wish your child all the best. I hope s/he is happy at the new school. I guess, as parents we can only try, right?
I agree with you; we all want schools to do well. It's very easy to misjudge a parent who ends up 'losing their patience', and thinking that a particular parent is just being difficult. If you are correct about NBS, in that it does not have the same problems as NIS, than that only serves to upset me even more. I only found out that NBS opened this September. Imagine how I feel after fighting for my kids rights, to find out that another school has been opened rather than fixing the problems in the previous two schools. What so that NBS could 'excel'? What happens to the kids at NIS? Why are they being shunned?
You are very right in saying that it is very very dfficult to place your children in a good school here. DESS won't even give you the time of day unless you have a british passport, and the top schools have a waiting list a mile long. I had hoped that all the problems would have been fixed during the summer, and instead it didn't happen. It's not like I 'hate' the school. Quite the contrary. I think the teachers are good. But when my child started school again in September I had this terrible sinking feeling when I went to school that first week. It was......oh god, here we go again. 1 more year of struggle with the school.
We trust a school to have our childrens best interest at heart. When you leave your kids in the hands of a school, you expect your children to be safe from harm right? Leaving them at school is not just about education. Do you know that when the D-ring campus opened, they had no fire alarms, no fire extinguishers and no fire drill in place? The first time it rained, the roof on the out-buildings almost collapsed under the weight and the leaks ended up closing the school for 2 or 3 days.
I am here to help; I've been trying for over a year now. I haven't been splashing it all out on QL, because I thought they would have made changes by now.
In the end my kid will have to say goodbye to her friends, and I will have to watch her cry because the school didn't deliver what it promised; and I have to move her. This is not a public school..............why should parents settle? We pay high school fees! We should demand the best for our children! Is that too much to ask? Why should I feel guilty about wanting my kid to be safe?
Do we have to wait for disaster to strike to 'learn' a lesson? You know what they say..............hindsight is always 20/20.............
ps. In the end, I didn't have any more fight in me. I just moved my kid. I just wished it had gone better, that's all.
Moonbeam, thanks for all your help and comments to inform people about various issues pertaining to life in Doha. I am very new here, but from what I can see so far, despite having the same management,NBS does not seem to have the same problems as the other 2 branches. Maybe there are lessons to be learned here, and the most important priority for parents in NBS, is not to ignore what happened in the other branches but to make sure they do not happen at NBS. This brings me back to the issue of parents giving constructive feedback to the administration. By that, I mean raising red flags when the situation warrants AND giving praise and encouragement when we like what we see. We may disagree on issues, but I think we all want to see schools do well. God knows how hard it is to find a good school for our children, here or anywhere. Good luck to us all!
AgesinDoha............do you have your kids there? How long have they been there? Newton School (whichever campus you talk about) all have the same management. Therefore there is no excuse for bad running of a school.
If you would care to track my posts and actually take the time to read what I have written......... and note the fact that I have been a member on QL longer enough, and have assisted and helped out people countless times; maybe then you would refrain from being so "vitriolic" yourself.
Expressing ones opinion is what this forum is all about............and after 1 YEAR of WAITING for Newton to brush up their act, MY OPINION is not all that good. In fact, so much so that my kid will attend a different school.
You want your kids to stay there, hey that is your choice. I am just voicing my opinion.....With all due respect, of course.
I think it has already been mentioned before that the British branch of the Newton School (NBS) is new, and most comments so far are about the 2 older branches (NIS). This confusion is not helpful for those seeking updated information about the Newton British School.
I have two children at the NBS, and I could not be more pleased with it. The teaches are friendly, attentive, and competent. My children love the school, and I track their academic work very closely. So far, I am very pleased with what I am seeing.
This is a new school that has gotten off to a good start, as far as I can tell. For it to continue to do well, I think that constructive comments and feedback would be most helpful, and all parents with children already at the school should make sure to let the administration know what they like and what they think needs more work and improvement. What is not helpful however, is this continued confusion with the 2 other branches. I hope this helps parents who are interested in the British branch.
I was shocked to find out from a friend that the school fees at the Al Waab Newton school are QR46,000!!!! How can a school that is supposed to have a failing reputation charge such high fees?
Let us hope that they are justified in charging such fees . Hopefully it's because they have brought in excellent, experienced, dedicated teachers that will show that NBS is a school with outstanding results very soon. Hopefully it will not follow the two other Newton schools down the same path.
Please don't assume things that you can't possibly know ... No, I do not work at NIS and I was referring to the Newton British School which was not open during summer. You do need to appreciate that this forum is to help people meet their various needs in Qatar - that is why it is called Qatar Living. To use it as a tool to rant and rave is completely counter-productive. Please give people the opportunity to form their own opinions. You seem to have 'first hand experience' about a different school to the one being talked about. Lets hope that the people looking for places to educate their children are open minded enough to look at each institution without having to absorb vitriolic rants which may not be applicable at all. With all due respect, of course.
is schooling. I have looked around and you have to be very careful of the content of the education your child is being taught. Check the actual books and course content, don't be satisfied with being told "British curriculum". I have found that the same grade of the same curriculum can vary enormously. Also don't be fooled by shiny premises and looks, I have found both here and in the UK that you need to dig a little deeper. In the UK the school where my kids were at was not the best to look at but the teachers were fantastic and the school had 100 % a-c GCSE grades and here my kids school doesn't have fantastic sports facilities and
to be honest we were a little disappointed but having now experienced the standards of education we are most impressed, my daughter is being taught more than she would at the same grade in the UK. Also the teachers have mostly been at the school for several years, they don't appear to have a huge turn around. I think stability for your children is important.
I can only assume that you work there (or you have been here so long that NIS meets your own personal standards); because I have heard first hand AND Witnessed personally how this school has failed to bring a high standard of education to my child and other children.
I wrote on this subject before, but as usual the school owners are more interested in making money than concentrating on fixing the problems already present in the school.
I thought that maybe, just maybe; the school would have taken some action during the summer holidays, to better the school grounds, facilities, safety issues, and the many other concerns that parents had.............
Of course, as expected, I was mistaken. They spent parents’ hard earned money, building another school, instead of improving on two bad schools.
I for one am very disappointed. As a European expat, our PUBLIC schools at home are better than NIS!
I can agree that the Newton British School has a good mixture of nationalities without any one nationality dominating. They are following the National Curriculum of England and Wales and they have a high pass rate expectation for their entrance tests. People will be very short sighted to write off this school - lovely small classes with friendly staff and good academic levels ... and thats exactly what I want for my children!
Let's start again. There are now THREE different branches of Newton. Two are called "Newton International School" and one is called "Newton British School". The two branches of N.I.S. are in West Bay and the other is next to the D Ring Road (aka Al Mamoura). Newton British School is in Al Waab, just round the corner from Villagio. Now the two branches of N.I.S. have a significant number of Qatari children, together with other Arab-speaking children, as well as expat children. The Newton British School does not have any Qatari children (to the best of my knowledge) and only a few Arab-speaking children. The two branches of N.I.S. have Arabic and Islamic Studies on the curriculum, whereas the Newton British School does not.
I hope that this clears up any misunderstandings. If you really do not believe me, then perhaps the sensible thing would be for you to go to each one of these schools and see for yourself.
To answer sunshine181's question, I suggest that he or she could look at the current edition of The Times Educational Supplement or go to www.tes.co.uk and look at the "Jobs" section. At the moment there are a number of teaching posts in Doha that are being advertised, including some at Newton. Another possibility might be to go to the schools and leave a copy of your CV (resume) with the principal's secretary. Good luck with your job hunting, sunshine181.
Wow, that's amazing. Two diametrically opposed eyewitness accounts of a both a school's ethnic make up and the language the children are speaking. Certainly makes me wonder about the validity of observations here on QL. But perhaps what we have here is a "failure to communicate" and there's been a misunderstanding about which branch each of you are speaking of.
can anyone please let me know, thanks! I am a native english speaking Canadian, from Canada, and i'm seriously looking for a job in Qatar teacher, however havnt had any hope as of yet...
I was at Newton British School with my friend whose kids are studying there yesterday.
I am sorry Olivka but you don't know what you are talking about. There are almost zero Arabs in the school and the kids talk in English during their break time because they don't know Arabic; I heard them myself!
I am speaking about Newton British School in Al-Waab near Sport City.
Sorry Olivka but you are completely wrong and as I have found from the regisrar the children are from the USA, Australia, the UK, Canada, Germany, Japan,New Zealand etc.
The school has just opened but have a serious enterance examination.
Sorry but 97% of students from Arabic countries does not apply to any school in Qatar that uses English as a medium of education let alone NBS.
I've been there and I saw with my own eyes - kids there are almost 97% from Arabic countries. Yes, they have British system but kids on break time speak Arabic...
For Muslim parents this school is the best choice - their kids will learn Arabic from their schoolmates very fast and English from the teachers...
For the other parents who are not interested in their kids to be fluent in Arabic maybe it's better to find another alternative...For example, schools where kids are from European countries and can learn French, Dutch, or Spanish as second language.
The only problem it's hard to get in those schools...
The best way to know is not to rely on forum advises but go and see it yourself, isn't it?
I didn't like the school for several reasons. One of them that they don't teach enough Arabic or Islamic studies. Some of the other reasons are as following:
Kids were seen unsupevised most of the times
some Teachers and people in admition office are not polite. Thy yeal to parents and kids all the time.
one of the teacher don't explain any thing in the class he only set on his seat with a labtop to watch football.
my son didn't have a math teacher for half a year.
they don't have swimming pool as they said when we enroll my sons.
It seems to me that there is some confusion. Yes, there are many Qatari children at the D Ring Road branch of Newton International School and there are plenty of them at the West Bay school, as well as quite a few Arab-speaking children who are not from Qatar. However, I am reliably informed that the new Newton British School in Al-Waab does not admit Qataris, although there may be one or two Arab-speaking children who are not Qataris.
Like some other schools in Doha, the Newton International School at West Bay and the school at D Ring are supposed to follow the English National Curriculum. However, Islamic Studies and Arabic are definitely not part of the English National Curriculum, but nevertheless these subjects take up a significant slice of the available teaching time. This means that there is less time available for other subjects, such as Maths, Science and English. Another important point to remember is that the school day for many schools in Doha is significantly shorter than it is for most schools in the U.K. Therefore it could be argued that English-speaking expat parents would be unwise to send their children to any school where much of the limited teaching time is devoted to Islamic Studies and to Arabic.
What you have heard is not true regarding the nationality of children at the school which is in Al-Waab near Sports City that has opened only this week.
A friend of mine has her children registered there and she tells me that there are hardly any Arab children there. The majority of kids are those of RasGas,Qatar Gas and Qatar Airways employees who are not Qataris or Arabs.
I am also told that all the teachers are British and the building is great.
From what she told me, if I had kids I would have taken them there.
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Can any one guide me what type of school is it. What is the standard of education and discipline among student. What type of nationalities of students are there....etc. What is your experience if your kids are going there. Can you give me the contact numbers of the school.
Hi Misstecaher and lou87,
I'm also moving to Doha in September to teach at NBS.If you'd like to get in touch, that would be great. Thanks.
Hi Misstecaher and lou87,
I'm also moving to Doha in September to teach at NBS.If you'd like to get in touch, that would be great. Thanks.
Hi Missteacher,
what class you will be teaching?
me too
great..will email you just now :)
That should be the at sign - won't come up hehe
Im about to move to Qatar in September to teach at NBS and really excited! I cant wait to experience a new culture, bring my teaching experiences over and meet lots of new people. If anyone has any advice or just general information, I would be very grateful! :)
ok
nbs can be good or bad depending on the teacher. however, the HUGE PROBLEM IS THEIR TOTAL DISREGARD FOR STUDENT SAFETY. there is no organized parking and people drive like maniacs. parents told them to organise the parking by having cross walks and stopping traffic. the lebanese school had a student run over and died b/c of this. they had NO interest in fixing the problem. if you want to put your child there, you can, but pray when you walk your child on the street ...
hi,
i want to only say that admitt ur child in nbs
if u want save ur child's future i compare nbs to
doha college and dess std.
there's lots of position available at International School of London Qatar. good luck!
couldnt agree more NBS is doing good job as a new school ....they're listen to ur need and work with you too .....and everybody is so cooperative with you all the way to even the security guard who's the same person everyday ......they're assembly system is make it the kids enjoy to go to school ...I have a bright kids and average kids too ....my bright kids have enough challenge as i work with the teacher , although I sometimes supply the material as I was a homeschooling my kids in the US, so I just gave the teacher an extra reading book that i was going to leave behind when I leave Qatar anyway. It was perfect, my average kids love to learn she could stop telling how great is her teacher is .......as much as I do have little here & there complaint but the most important things my kids Happy and I believe education is come from the house , I Wouldn't give that responsibility to school. and if u not happy with the school, either u work with it and make it the school they way that compromising with ur standard or just forget about it, complaint wont solve the problem. Well at least that what I believe ........everyone have the right to their own opinion.
I have to compliment Newton British School on the excellence of their teachers, and currently (and for some time to come) they have a very good teacher to student ration (aiming at 1:20, currently as low as 1:10).
I had to move my kids from NIS in West Bay, the campus there is woefully small and under equiped. There were also a lot of behavioural issues, and little discipline. Hopefully the departure of the previous principal, and careful selection of her replacement will help, but it will remain a very cramped school unless they move to a purpose built campus. Lack of space will always cause conflict, among any group of people!
One of the Directors of Newton listened to my problems, accepted that I would not be satisfied with the campus as it stood, and assisted me in moving my kids to Newton British School in the middle of last term. Both my kids quickly made brilliant progress academically, I could not believe the turnaround. All the teachers there are formally qualified and experienced in the British Curriculum, and most have had several years in the Gulf, so know what to expect. The absolute opposite was the case at the NIS in West Bay.
I have since moved the kids to another (more affordable, better equiped) school, and they are settling well. The Newton management were accepting of my move, and didn't make a fuss re. short notice etc (I had reserved my rights in that sphere before accepting the move to NBS).
My experience has lead me to believe that it is the academic management that was poor at West Bay, rather than the upper level of management (i.e. the owners). They seem to be relatively "hands off", and perhaps overly trusting of properly qualified staff. They have installed a Director to provide better oversight of the principals and their systems, and I believe that this will bring about improvements.
I would reccomend any new arrivals in Doha to check out Newton British School as a viable alternative to the other, longer established good primary schools. Yes the fees are quite high, but the teacher ratios and experience compensates very well, especially if your employer is paying the fees! (Not so for us).
New Newton British School opened some time in september 2008 (as mentioned on thier site) and its totally different from Newton International school, I have visited there, met teachers and kids & staff, I will compare Newton British school with Dess and Newton International school with Cambridge, aljazira, etc although even Newton International School is much better than thier competators, and Newton British School justify the cost and effort, competator for DESS
I'm glad you've taken the time to read the posts. You should run a search on "Newton" in the search box and have the comments on hand at your next meeting with your fellow co-workers.
It must be very frustrating for you and the other teachers to be in the position you are in. The problems with this school are not with the teachers. Quite the contrary, the teachers are very good indeed. The problems are with the physical structure, maintanance, and organisation of the school.
The problems have not all been sorted out, contrary to what you state. But at least now the public is starting to draw NIS's attention to these shortcomings.
Personally, I think that the parents should each list in point form what they think about the school. The good aswell as the bad......
The D Ring branch of NIS is a really cool school. The facilities are excellent, the children are happy and all of the staff are really good. Yes, there were a few problems last year, but they have all been sorted out now.
I just don't understand, why would they call themselves Newton British, it's easily confused with Newton International. NIS has a not very nice reputation as per qatarliving parents opinion, so maybe it's better to change a word Newton for NBS? You hear Newton, you stay away. That's weird, there are lots of other great scientists' names except Isaak Newton that can be used:)
If all those schools have the same management, don't expect NBS to be different from NIS.
Moonbeam ... seem you happy with your kids move out from Newton , I 'm happy for you .... I laso understand you trying to help . But PLEASE ... PLEASE dont judge NBS same with NIS ...I know you just give your opinion according whta you going thru in Newton D-Ring..
But as Doha Explorer said ... I put my kids in D-ring road before .. I love the teacher for my kids ...Love them ...she is from canada ...she is very attentive to my boys .. I move my kids to Alwaab NBS because I live one block away from the school , I wish I knew that earlier.
But as DohaExplorer said , NBS doing a good job so far ...the teacher really put their effort toward the kids, I was there the whole day during school day .. I insist to be there ...and you know what my kids love the school there , he love his teacher , I also have yr 1 girls ..the first week she was there she read already ...she doesnt even know alphabet yet before ...The teacher there most of all from UK and Aus ... I believe education of the children should come from the house anyway ....As I was homeschooling my kids for 2 years before , and I think they do a good job on the curriculum ... And if you think is not enough just do your part , like I'm bring in some of material from the USA .. so my kids will be the same level when they go back to the USA .... and so far their right on track the same material I have on hand .... so I have no worries about NBS .
I could comment about the owner , but again and again NBS teacher are wonderful and in my kids class only one arab speaking kids and he is USA nationality .
Hope you feel better; there's something going around these days; a lot of people around me have been getting coughs and colds...maybe it's the change in the weather...take care! I really meant what I said: Good luck to us all!
:) thanks dohaexplorer. :) by the way, it wasn't you who was judging me. Sorry if I made it seem that way. :)
Anyway I hope you enjoy Doha. The school may have it's problems, but at least Doha's health care system is truly superb for a relatively 'young' country.
So not everything is negative..... :)
PS. I am particularly pessamistic these days; sorry..... I just have a terrible chest cold, and feel utterly awful!
I am really sorry if I came across as judging you or as implying that you are being a difficult parent; not at all; I don't think parents have any vested interest in being difficult or in complaining to/about schools. I also really do understand your disappointment in not having the problems fixed, as you have obviously been working to get them addressed for a long time. Also, you should absolutely not feel guilty about demanding safety for your child.
I think I am just so anxious for this branch to succeed, because of the horror stories I have been reading about some schools here on QL. I just want this new school to have every possible chance at success.
I sense fatigue in your comments, and I think it could happen (and indeed has happened) to other parents as they face problems with their children's school. I wish your child all the best. I hope s/he is happy at the new school. I guess, as parents we can only try, right?
I agree with you; we all want schools to do well. It's very easy to misjudge a parent who ends up 'losing their patience', and thinking that a particular parent is just being difficult. If you are correct about NBS, in that it does not have the same problems as NIS, than that only serves to upset me even more. I only found out that NBS opened this September. Imagine how I feel after fighting for my kids rights, to find out that another school has been opened rather than fixing the problems in the previous two schools. What so that NBS could 'excel'? What happens to the kids at NIS? Why are they being shunned?
You are very right in saying that it is very very dfficult to place your children in a good school here. DESS won't even give you the time of day unless you have a british passport, and the top schools have a waiting list a mile long. I had hoped that all the problems would have been fixed during the summer, and instead it didn't happen. It's not like I 'hate' the school. Quite the contrary. I think the teachers are good. But when my child started school again in September I had this terrible sinking feeling when I went to school that first week. It was......oh god, here we go again. 1 more year of struggle with the school.
We trust a school to have our childrens best interest at heart. When you leave your kids in the hands of a school, you expect your children to be safe from harm right? Leaving them at school is not just about education. Do you know that when the D-ring campus opened, they had no fire alarms, no fire extinguishers and no fire drill in place? The first time it rained, the roof on the out-buildings almost collapsed under the weight and the leaks ended up closing the school for 2 or 3 days.
I am here to help; I've been trying for over a year now. I haven't been splashing it all out on QL, because I thought they would have made changes by now.
In the end my kid will have to say goodbye to her friends, and I will have to watch her cry because the school didn't deliver what it promised; and I have to move her. This is not a public school..............why should parents settle? We pay high school fees! We should demand the best for our children! Is that too much to ask? Why should I feel guilty about wanting my kid to be safe?
Do we have to wait for disaster to strike to 'learn' a lesson? You know what they say..............hindsight is always 20/20.............
ps. In the end, I didn't have any more fight in me. I just moved my kid. I just wished it had gone better, that's all.
Moonbeam, thanks for all your help and comments to inform people about various issues pertaining to life in Doha. I am very new here, but from what I can see so far, despite having the same management,NBS does not seem to have the same problems as the other 2 branches. Maybe there are lessons to be learned here, and the most important priority for parents in NBS, is not to ignore what happened in the other branches but to make sure they do not happen at NBS. This brings me back to the issue of parents giving constructive feedback to the administration. By that, I mean raising red flags when the situation warrants AND giving praise and encouragement when we like what we see. We may disagree on issues, but I think we all want to see schools do well. God knows how hard it is to find a good school for our children, here or anywhere. Good luck to us all!
Well said DohaExplorer and I agree Dottymum ... quite simply the point I was trying to make! My feelings exactly. We need more of the same...
AgesinDoha............do you have your kids there? How long have they been there? Newton School (whichever campus you talk about) all have the same management. Therefore there is no excuse for bad running of a school.
If you would care to track my posts and actually take the time to read what I have written......... and note the fact that I have been a member on QL longer enough, and have assisted and helped out people countless times; maybe then you would refrain from being so "vitriolic" yourself.
Expressing ones opinion is what this forum is all about............and after 1 YEAR of WAITING for Newton to brush up their act, MY OPINION is not all that good. In fact, so much so that my kid will attend a different school.
You want your kids to stay there, hey that is your choice. I am just voicing my opinion.....With all due respect, of course.
I think it has already been mentioned before that the British branch of the Newton School (NBS) is new, and most comments so far are about the 2 older branches (NIS). This confusion is not helpful for those seeking updated information about the Newton British School.
I have two children at the NBS, and I could not be more pleased with it. The teaches are friendly, attentive, and competent. My children love the school, and I track their academic work very closely. So far, I am very pleased with what I am seeing.
This is a new school that has gotten off to a good start, as far as I can tell. For it to continue to do well, I think that constructive comments and feedback would be most helpful, and all parents with children already at the school should make sure to let the administration know what they like and what they think needs more work and improvement. What is not helpful however, is this continued confusion with the 2 other branches. I hope this helps parents who are interested in the British branch.
I was shocked to find out from a friend that the school fees at the Al Waab Newton school are QR46,000!!!! How can a school that is supposed to have a failing reputation charge such high fees?
Let us hope that they are justified in charging such fees . Hopefully it's because they have brought in excellent, experienced, dedicated teachers that will show that NBS is a school with outstanding results very soon. Hopefully it will not follow the two other Newton schools down the same path.
Please don't assume things that you can't possibly know ... No, I do not work at NIS and I was referring to the Newton British School which was not open during summer. You do need to appreciate that this forum is to help people meet their various needs in Qatar - that is why it is called Qatar Living. To use it as a tool to rant and rave is completely counter-productive. Please give people the opportunity to form their own opinions. You seem to have 'first hand experience' about a different school to the one being talked about. Lets hope that the people looking for places to educate their children are open minded enough to look at each institution without having to absorb vitriolic rants which may not be applicable at all. With all due respect, of course.
is schooling. I have looked around and you have to be very careful of the content of the education your child is being taught. Check the actual books and course content, don't be satisfied with being told "British curriculum". I have found that the same grade of the same curriculum can vary enormously. Also don't be fooled by shiny premises and looks, I have found both here and in the UK that you need to dig a little deeper. In the UK the school where my kids were at was not the best to look at but the teachers were fantastic and the school had 100 % a-c GCSE grades and here my kids school doesn't have fantastic sports facilities and
to be honest we were a little disappointed but having now experienced the standards of education we are most impressed, my daughter is being taught more than she would at the same grade in the UK. Also the teachers have mostly been at the school for several years, they don't appear to have a huge turn around. I think stability for your children is important.
moonbeam,
i agree with you 100%, i just moved my little son from it and waiting to move the eldest one as well. just trying to save them!
I can only assume that you work there (or you have been here so long that NIS meets your own personal standards); because I have heard first hand AND Witnessed personally how this school has failed to bring a high standard of education to my child and other children.
I wrote on this subject before, but as usual the school owners are more interested in making money than concentrating on fixing the problems already present in the school.
I thought that maybe, just maybe; the school would have taken some action during the summer holidays, to better the school grounds, facilities, safety issues, and the many other concerns that parents had.............
Of course, as expected, I was mistaken. They spent parents’ hard earned money, building another school, instead of improving on two bad schools.
I for one am very disappointed. As a European expat, our PUBLIC schools at home are better than NIS!
Sunshine181 Come Teach at the Canadian school!!! Its in Landmark area. Its very small and friendly there. I would know as I teach there..
Contact me for details.
beeaye at hotmail dot com
well.. I believe that the owner is an astute businesswoman so I'm sure she'll come up with a solution.
I can agree that the Newton British School has a good mixture of nationalities without any one nationality dominating. They are following the National Curriculum of England and Wales and they have a high pass rate expectation for their entrance tests. People will be very short sighted to write off this school - lovely small classes with friendly staff and good academic levels ... and thats exactly what I want for my children!
Let's start again. There are now THREE different branches of Newton. Two are called "Newton International School" and one is called "Newton British School". The two branches of N.I.S. are in West Bay and the other is next to the D Ring Road (aka Al Mamoura). Newton British School is in Al Waab, just round the corner from Villagio. Now the two branches of N.I.S. have a significant number of Qatari children, together with other Arab-speaking children, as well as expat children. The Newton British School does not have any Qatari children (to the best of my knowledge) and only a few Arab-speaking children. The two branches of N.I.S. have Arabic and Islamic Studies on the curriculum, whereas the Newton British School does not.
I hope that this clears up any misunderstandings. If you really do not believe me, then perhaps the sensible thing would be for you to go to each one of these schools and see for yourself.
To answer sunshine181's question, I suggest that he or she could look at the current edition of The Times Educational Supplement or go to www.tes.co.uk and look at the "Jobs" section. At the moment there are a number of teaching posts in Doha that are being advertised, including some at Newton. Another possibility might be to go to the schools and leave a copy of your CV (resume) with the principal's secretary. Good luck with your job hunting, sunshine181.
Wow, that's amazing. Two diametrically opposed eyewitness accounts of a both a school's ethnic make up and the language the children are speaking. Certainly makes me wonder about the validity of observations here on QL. But perhaps what we have here is a "failure to communicate" and there's been a misunderstanding about which branch each of you are speaking of.
Mandi
how can i apply for a job there as a teacher?
can anyone please let me know, thanks! I am a native english speaking Canadian, from Canada, and i'm seriously looking for a job in Qatar teacher, however havnt had any hope as of yet...
I was at Newton British School with my friend whose kids are studying there yesterday.
I am sorry Olivka but you don't know what you are talking about. There are almost zero Arabs in the school and the kids talk in English during their break time because they don't know Arabic; I heard them myself!
I am speaking about Newton British School in Al-Waab near Sport City.
Sorry Olivka but you are completely wrong and as I have found from the regisrar the children are from the USA, Australia, the UK, Canada, Germany, Japan,New Zealand etc.
The school has just opened but have a serious enterance examination.
Sorry but 97% of students from Arabic countries does not apply to any school in Qatar that uses English as a medium of education let alone NBS.
I've been there and I saw with my own eyes - kids there are almost 97% from Arabic countries. Yes, they have British system but kids on break time speak Arabic...
For Muslim parents this school is the best choice - their kids will learn Arabic from their schoolmates very fast and English from the teachers...
For the other parents who are not interested in their kids to be fluent in Arabic maybe it's better to find another alternative...For example, schools where kids are from European countries and can learn French, Dutch, or Spanish as second language.
The only problem it's hard to get in those schools...
The best way to know is not to rely on forum advises but go and see it yourself, isn't it?
My two sons were in the Newton school last year.
Kids are from multi-nationalities
I didn't like the school for several reasons. One of them that they don't teach enough Arabic or Islamic studies. Some of the other reasons are as following:
Kids were seen unsupevised most of the times
some Teachers and people in admition office are not polite. Thy yeal to parents and kids all the time.
one of the teacher don't explain any thing in the class he only set on his seat with a labtop to watch football.
my son didn't have a math teacher for half a year.
they don't have swimming pool as they said when we enroll my sons.
....and many other things.
My children now in a different school.
It seems to me that there is some confusion. Yes, there are many Qatari children at the D Ring Road branch of Newton International School and there are plenty of them at the West Bay school, as well as quite a few Arab-speaking children who are not from Qatar. However, I am reliably informed that the new Newton British School in Al-Waab does not admit Qataris, although there may be one or two Arab-speaking children who are not Qataris.
Like some other schools in Doha, the Newton International School at West Bay and the school at D Ring are supposed to follow the English National Curriculum. However, Islamic Studies and Arabic are definitely not part of the English National Curriculum, but nevertheless these subjects take up a significant slice of the available teaching time. This means that there is less time available for other subjects, such as Maths, Science and English. Another important point to remember is that the school day for many schools in Doha is significantly shorter than it is for most schools in the U.K. Therefore it could be argued that English-speaking expat parents would be unwise to send their children to any school where much of the limited teaching time is devoted to Islamic Studies and to Arabic.
Dear Olivka;
What you have heard is not true regarding the nationality of children at the school which is in Al-Waab near Sports City that has opened only this week.
A friend of mine has her children registered there and she tells me that there are hardly any Arab children there. The majority of kids are those of RasGas,Qatar Gas and Qatar Airways employees who are not Qataris or Arabs.
I am also told that all the teachers are British and the building is great.
From what she told me, if I had kids I would have taken them there.
This new branch is open now, classes have started last week. I've heard there are 97% Arab children, almost no American or European kids...
http://www.qatarliving.com/node/14180