School Feedback

Great response.  Very true.  My kids have been at Compass for the last two years.  They are doing well academically but my wife and I are also on top of them regularly reviewing everything and generally involved as all good parents ought to be.  But all this said I repeat many times to my wife who from time to time doubts that MOST of the successful people in this world didn't go to Harvard.  :O)

Either go to a school with people who actually have money or go to a school with people who think they have money. Either go to a school with spoilt qatari kids or go to a school with spoilt expat kids. There is always a pecking order and if its not based on money or social standing it will be based on something else but there will always be a power struggle. I have heard stories in many schools so I guess it makes them mostly equal. Whatever we do lets not forget the thousands of great kids out there from every walk of life. They are in all schools.

Well said Dintovitch.

Sherborne is OK education wise but one should not forget about the students culture as it tends to attract wealthy and very spoiled Qatari kids. I am not saying all Qatari kids are spoiled but in Sherborne, well, I have heard many stories of kids made to feel infrior by other kids who just feel more up in the social order. One also needs to look at whom your kid will associate with. You know kids learn much more from each other than from adults.

We are moving to Doha in time to start the new school year and both my daughters will be attending Sherborne. We turned down a confirmed place at DESS for our older DD in favour of Sherborne, and have no regrets in doing so.

We saw DESS as being more 'popular' because its fees are one-third of Sherborne's, which is a huge factor if you have to pay the cost yourself, and because its in a more desirable, central location.

Definitely visit the schools yourself, feel the vibe, see how they treat your children in terms of showing you around and testing for places etc. then make a decision. But don't wait too long, i think places are running out quickly everywhere.

BTW American School Doha is undoubtedly the best established with great facilities. Its also the most expensive of the lot and is of course, American curriculum.

I am working as a teaching assisttant in sherborne school n have worked before in many schools...as far for my knowledge sherborne is the best school in qatar n im agreed with notsoglad

David... uhh two days QL member just to promote your kid's school , wow! that school must be truly amazing!! ;) tsk, tsk.

To newcomers disappointment, despite all the said above, bad news, locals DO NOT WANT contact with expats outside school so don't make your child's life miserable, and if 'whites like to stick with whites' -what is utter nonsense since ASD is for example one of the most colourful schools in Doha- so be it!

Regards and good luck.

YES< go for Sherborne, if you can afford the Fees, what I assume, DO IT!

About the school, go for Sherborne. Why ? Because not that many people can afford it and they have bunch of teachers, admin staffs that are really committed.

About the school, go for Sherborne. Why ? Because not that many people can afford it and they have bunch of teachers, admin staffs that are really committed.

Agreed so much with davinciq. I noticed generally (not all) the whites like to mix only with the white. Why ? We are in a foreign land, in fact, land with races from all over the world. Why not explore and get to know other races? It is the best place to learn and get to know other cultures. Please, nothing personal.

We have two kids at Newton British School and we are very happy. The teaching is solid and all the teachers are British who have been trained to deliver the British curriculum. The way the classes are distributed may look strange but is pleasant as it gives a relaxing village atmosphere which nice for kids.

We also have another friend who has a kid at Newton International School at D-Ring (the area is called Al Helal I think?) He is also happy with the teaching there even though the buildings may need maintenance. But her kid is happy there and is making friends with many kids from other parts of the world who are at the school.

My advice is to go and explore by yourself, don't just depend on what circulates between white expats. I am white but I am sorry to say that whites here tend to look first at where there are predominantly white kids before they consider a school which is a petty and a lost opportunity for their kids to learn about and harmonize with other cultures.

Thank you all for your feedback, very informative.

Customer service in the Middle East doesn't really exist. Is either take it or leave it, and if you want it, insist on it. This does not just apply to schools, so I wouldn't blame it just on ASD. They got tons of applications and when people don't report to them, they assume the children already went to another school so they indeed don't follow up even if your kid is a genius.

Returning to the topic, Butterflyb, both Compass and Sherborne are the BEST of the 'new' ones, and if they still got places it's because of the high fees, no doubt. My vote goes for Sherborne and I've got nothing to do here, in fact I found it a bit snobbish but considering it is British it's sort of natural. LOL.

Some people are dissappointed about the facilities in COmpass, but looking at Al Jaz.... not fulling mentioning the name, it's a fantastic looking school with great facilities but with a very low academic level.

Stay away of the other fancy British names, I could tell you horror histories, LOL, and the old American Academy is good just after Middle School.

Important is to remember, do not expect the school to do everything for your child in these places, your wife or yourself need always to keep on eye on the kids development because particularly elementary education level is low in the region, regardless of the school.

On the other hand you got wonderful academic achievements from Indian schools but again, you cannot send your children there and it's not a racist comment. It is just that THEY are the racist that don't take kids that are not indian.

That's for me today this morning. Have a great day and apologies if somebody takes it personal. It is just a humble opinnion. Go to Dohamums page (FB) and they certainly will have better info. :D

I ahve taught in Doha for a number of years and the general belief is that these are the 2 up and coming schools - particularly Sherborne.

DESS and Doha College have had their day. Park House is also on the ascendency, if you can get a place.

Both Sherbourne and Compass are fine schools, but usually they are second choices of expat families who could not find spaces at DESS, Doha College or ASD (these schools are more established and have better facilities, and Compass and Sherbourne are for-profit schools, which means not all of the fees are invested back into the school). I have known several families at Compass who chose to stay even when spaces at these schools opened up, because they were happy with the school. The waiting lists for the places like DESS and ASD are long, and most families wait a year or more. It is best to put in an application on the first day they open up the process (in the autumn, but phone to find out the day). Even if you are happy with Compass or Sherbourne by then, it is best to have a choice.

Good luck!

Someone sad something about American School of Doha?????

I tell you all what, I paid 300 QAR for the intermediate admission almost 2 months ago.... Thats it!!!! No one did call me back to say "sorry we have serious sponsors that we have to look after their children always therefore we could not arrange a space for your kid".

Who cares??? No need to call families back??? Right ????

I have many other expression regarding to ASD but I need to be gentlemen therefore I stop right here, right????

Just moved to Qatar, spent the bast three weeks trying to get my kids -whom are not here yet- booked into a school. To cut my long story short, it depends on your budget and the grade you are looking for. Reasnoable one like cambridge would find a place there and average cost per year 25K QAR. Good ones like Park House, Doha collage wouldn't accept more students now, you are a bit late in registeration. Having said that, if you hold an English passport may help.

Good luck

dont move here its so frikkin boring and schoools suck no offence qatar but its a desert u cant get a job u cant go partying blah blah ....

Ask yourself this - why have they got places when all others are full and have waiting lists?

Both of these schools have their merits; I would choose Sherborne myself, however that is just my view.

Whatever you do - don't go down the snob route like a lot of ex-pats. Don’t go for the name or try and keep up with the Jonses’.

Look at the school, see it, feel it and ask yourself - if this school was in the UK would I trust them with my child’s education?

but offers many after school activities what means the kids will be travelling at not-peak hours. Day walker is right, you should consider location.

http://www.sherborneqatar.org/

http://www.cisdoha.com/

Myself and my wife has revieved almost all schools in Doha, and we have decided that the best one CIS for lots of reasons.

There is another important issue, your location must be close to the school, please consider that Doha is small city but there is serious traffic issue otherwise you and your children(s) would suffer lots.

I have no first hand experience... but many friends have kids (or had) there. Both schools are among the few ones that have truly qualified teachers and a high percentage of expat (western) children...

Compass is very expensive for the non-facilities they offer. Not impressed by what they offer in material terms compared with ASD, for example... considering their fees.

Another friend just moved her kiddo from another school to Sherborne and they are as happy as they could be.

COnclusion: I would go for Sherborne. But basically, it depends on you visiting the places personally.

Good luck!

Ale