QIS vs ISL vs QA
sorry folks. i know this question must have cropped up at least a thousand times, but I had to make a comparison here.
Amongst these 3, how would you rank them? My feel of the schools are all based on info on website since I am not there yet to see the schools.
QIS - very established school offering British curriculum. Fees seem to be the lowest of the three. I thought the British curriculum is good for my kids since singapore's system is close to that too, so will be easier for them when they return. But the website shows very little after school activities here.
ISL - being new, may be chaotic? i am not sure if the facilities like pool etc are already in place? but from the website, there seems to be alot of extra acitivities being offered - something that i like so i don't have to hunt for these classes outside of school. But the fees are quite high. Even application and testing is QR1000 per child!
QA - seem quite established too. Fees seem reasonable, but again acitivities seem lacking. and this one offers IB programme.
I would also like to ask what is the IB programme like? Has anyone had experience with that? How different is the IB from, say, the american or the british system?
would appreciate any input on the comparison of the 3 schools. any idea about the teaching staff? or the student nationality ratio? thanks
Obviously you do not understand the curriculum if this is your stance on the school. ISL-Qatar runs on the IB programme which if you knew anything you would understand is learner centred. Which contradicts your comment about the school not being focussed on the learner.
As for learning something useful, that depends on your take on what is useful. Did you want your children to memorise facts? Yes, then no ISL is not the school for you. Did you want your child to understand the deeper concepts behind, to be able to think critically and reflect on their learning? Yes, then ISL is the school for your child.
As for your statement about students leaving that may be the case but you should also be looking at staff movements. Are teachers changing every two years or are they remaining consistent? If the teachers are leaving it is cause for concern because they know something you may not. Having said that the only people I know leaving the school are leaving for Sherbourne because they wanted British Curriculum not International but were very happy with the school for the time they were there.
Before making grand sweeping statements perhaps acknowledge that the school was not for you but that the extensive waiting list says otherwise. The school has an international student body, and challenging curriculum. It may not be your ideal school but let people make their own judgements rather than being bitter in a public forum.
Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/2317901#ixzz1ydrO2UaJ
Honestly, One of the worst schools i have ever seen not just in Doha, but world wide. Not a learner place, but rather a place for kids to kill time. It looks organized, but kids learn nothing usefull at that school.
The international school of london is one of most expensive schools in Doha and yet the worst by far. Everyone i know attending the international school of London in Doha is about to leave the school.
Poor education and a total waste our kids time to send them to this school. Stay away of this school and try other ones. Such as Global, Doha College, DESS.
We and our friends had a terrible experience in regards to learning. Some of us managed to send the kids to other school and some are looking for places for their kids.
Read more: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/861280#ixzz1oyXaS0VV
Stay away from ISL (international school of london). I agree with most of the comments above. This is a very bad school. If you want to know more ask.
Their interest is in the money they will bring,the more the better!
ISL will be a the best school in Qatar! I had a bad experience by the "good schools", because my family isn't british or american passport holder. But ISL has now problem with it! They are interested on your children, and not the passport what they have!!:)
i've studied both in QIS and ASD... and I prefer the latter... as pike said... it is much fun studying there.
HappY and In Love!
I have heard some glowing reports about the facilities at this new school. However, they are still advertising for new teaching staff on The Times Educational Supplement's website. This suggest that they may not have enough teachers for the start of the next academic year. It also suggests that the school's management should have started recruiting new teachers a lot earlier.
The insult was not so much in the suggestion that one may have been rejected but more so in the unfounded assumption that one may even consider applying...so sorry to disappoint but you cannot be more wrong...now to what should really matter, which is the benefit of your children...this needs to be catered for elsewhere...
QA has by far the best facilities of any school in Doha - how well used they are is another story. Lots of local kids. IB is a great system.
QIS - Have never heard anything good about this school - you get what you pay for - if it is cheap there is a reason for it.
ISL - new, so who knows. I believe it is in a temporary building so facilities may not be what they should just yet.
I totally agree about not judging by websites - I found them to be extremely misleading.
If I had a choice all over again i would choose ASD. All the kids there seem happy and ??? they may be starting the IB program.
Pike, can I interpret your statement, ignoring my question as a confirmation that you applied, with no success, for a job at ISL? You can talk about everything on QL, even that.
"Choosing a school for a child is one of the most imprtant decisions parents make. The school - its teachers, curriculum, educational philosophy, and values both explicit and implicit - will affect the child's day-to-day life. It will help shape the child's personality, view of life, behavior, and destiny as an adult. And it will also deeply affect the lives of the parents and the life of the family as a whole".
Ronald Koetzsch
Just look at the mix of kids they take. Most of these schools have a lot of local children and I am told that can cause problems with discipline. Have looked at all of them and am sending my kids to Compass.
Pike, I have seen many of your 'warnings' regarding ISL; "look elsewhere", "stay away" etc. etc.
I am a parent looking for a school for my kids, but your 'warnings' are useless and unreliable, unless you make clear why we should stay away from this school. They didn't started yet and will be open in September. How can you judge about a school that is not existing yet.
The only reason I can think of is that you was rejected for some position at this school. If not, and if you have reasons to warn us, please state it here, otherwise stop it.
Stay away from the 2nd one u litsed...the only impressions u should get from websites are about the abilities of their designers...go for one of the other 2!
Hi Gumby
thanks for your thoughts. yes, the lack of activities at QA is very much an impression I form when I visited their website, compared with, say ISL or ASD or DESS. In your opinion, is that not true?
May I also ask why you would rank QA above QIS?
thanks again!
My first thoughts would be to avoid ISL for the time being. I know little of them, but a brand new school, still getting set up could be, as you say, chaotic.
QA is very much first rate. Don't know where the idea of lack of activities came from. Is that the impression from the website?