Best British School in Doha

sorry about the long comment

DBS is now getting worse... im a student there, the teachers are not so great, for example, in geography my class don't really understand the lessons or him because of his accent.. I am not blaming him but in my opinion teachers need accents which can be understood more... and in English class, there is this teacher who probably doesn't know English well, as an example, she uses the word "wrongly" all the time, she even teaches so slow that other classes have already finished a unit before us! when we were in yr7, we had about 5 different English teachers because they kept leaving and we got bad grades in the end because a teacher only had only 3 lessons to grade us! it was not really fair... the administration office is now just a big mess, my sister was going to get in reception, they had to asses her first, and was rejected! when I went to the school I did not know a single word in English, now anyone who just met me thought English was my first language... my sister knows more english then I did at her age and she got rejected, they said they will asses her again in May, but after May no schools accept more admissions so how can we do this now? she has 2 siblings in this school!!! and just a few days ago they sent an email that they will remove us from the school for overdue fees!! I went there myself with a cheque for the school fees! they also said that they will not give us the reports and certificates if we haven't paid on the due date!!! MY 8 YEARS THERE WILL BE FOR NOTHING NOW!!! and it will be hard to be accepted in another school without them! I am leaving next year and I STRONGLY DO NOT recommend DBS!! what is quite mysterious is that ever since Terry Mcguire became the school principal, the school has been getting worse and worse... my dad has also heard from a parent of an IB student that they think the school is getting worse too..

Hi Michellebailham,

I want to send my younger brother in DBS for Grade 8th?

Hows the school?

Quality of teachers?

Awaiting your reply

Thanks.

I have just compared the schools fees - interestingly PHES and DBS are by far the cheapest of the international schools - Say no more

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

Dear All,

I have been reading these posts for a quite some time and thanks for your feedback which helped me getting an idea about schooling in DOha.

I will be moving to Qatar in September 2012. I need to enroll my daughter (Currently 2.5 years Dob 08-01-2010)in a good english speaking school. Need your help despite of all your above feedback. need suggestion for a nursery (for initial year if not able to get admission) and then i will try to get admission in a good school ( kindly suggest a good english speaking school).

Appreciate your feedback in advance.

Regards

Salman (salmantarik at gmail.com)

Actually you are wrong - my kids got into DC with no problem - my son is top of the top set in most subjects. What I am trying to say it that all the kids that do the exam get in

If you're relocating to the Pearl, as we did, you might find CIS, Al Khor of interest. Compass International School, Al Khor, is a new British school that's just opened about 25 minutes from the Pearl, with bus service running from the Pearl and Zig Zag towers. It follows the British National Curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum. It's a sister school of Compass Doha, and is managed by World Class Learning.

Oh a Sherborne is not the most prestigious..... Maybe in the UK it is but certainly not here!!!

Oh dear oh dear obviiously britladys children didn't get into DC...........chip and shoulder springs to mind!!!

Hippo, I agree with your comment. However, let's make allowance for people like battakabira. His/her name sounds arabic and surely English is not his/her mother tongue. I am sure our Arabic spelling would be as appalling as his/her English. Well, that would depend on how long we have been learning it, I can hear you say.

However, I loathe those pretentious Arabs who say they can speak and write English and have a degree from American or UK universities. When you read their e-mails, OMG, you want to throw up. They simply massacre the English language.

Hi Do anyone no the best place for a year 11 next school year and wants to be a car mecanic

wow.. how sure are you ? If that is true, then to me is more money making than the so called ' Accademically selective' in the past.

As for DESS, eventhough is the best school ,don't even bother applying if you are not a British passport holder. They won't entertain at all.

To me, don't loose hope. Of course apply as early as Jan will be good but doesn't guarantee a place. I have applied since Jan 2011 to a preferred school and have no news till now. When I finally arrived in Doha months later, I have no choice but to pray & apply for alternative school. Thank God that I manage to get a school for my kids. So I believe that you will get a school for your kids when you arrive. Prob not your 1st choice but yr 2nd or 3rd choice. You can move them later.

DC have just pubished their results for their Year 7 exams today and everyone who took the exam got a place - even kids who were borderline remedial !

Looks like all you have to to is pay your money to get a place

What is Global???!!

Try doha College. Definitly Stay away from international school of london. The facilities are okay, but no substance no what so ever.

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.

No, not worth the wait. But it doesn't hurt to keep them on the waiting list if you are not happy with the school they are in.

Let's just say, for argument's sake, that your child should be in Year 3 at DESS, but there aren't any places (as usual). Well, one lady I know had to wait three years before DESS finally gave a place to her son. This therefore might mean that you would also have to wait until the beginning of Year 6 for your child to have one year's education at DESS. Worth the wait? Perhaps not.

Yes, DESS is not for financial profit and is an excellent school. Places are difficult to have but worth the wait in comparison to most schools in Doha.

JA Girl

Very unlikely at this point as admissions and such have already been handled at the better schools. Still worth making a morning of phone calls and getting them on the lists. Most school preference siblings, so once one has a place at the school you want, the other will soon follow. Most people I know usually have to wait about a year unless they are with one of the school's sponsors, which means a reserved/preferential place.

As for the earlier comment about about all the schools being run like businesses that is entirely untrue. Some are profit-making, including some of the decent ones like Sherborne and Compass, but DESS is definitely not-for-profit and neither is Doha College (I think), which in my view are the best primary schools in Doha.

I am planning to move to Qatar in August with my two boys. With all i have read it sounds like i will not be able to get my children into any of the british schools for September since i haven't applied to any yet.

You can help yourself, battakabira, by trying to use the English language correctly. For example, the word "please" is spelt P-L-E-A-S-E, so perhaps you could try to remember this in future. Also "alot" should be written as two words, not one. Sentences, on the other hand, usually begin with something called a capital letter and they normally end with a fullstop. Are you badly educated, battakabira, or is it the case that you are attempting to look "cool" with your abuse of the English language? Maybe you are simply stupid.

hi i need help plz as i heard and read alot about nurseries i need one english nursery near najma area with good money can any body help me plz

From all schools mention above I should mention that sherborn the road acess is a chaos and the Montessori (DBS) is having 30 kids per class in early years that pulls back their reputation and their level of teaching.

The Hippo what colour skin do you need to get into a school in Doha??? Just so I know whether the stick my child out in the sun all day or buy whitening cream??

QATAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Yes, but it helps if your child's skin is the right colour and he or she has an English accent. As a parent, you also need to have lots of money.

It can be tough and stressful finding school places but you are applying early and there is alot of movement in the school population so you should be OK. If you want British Curriculum I would recommend having a look at Sherborne, Parkhouse, Doha College and DESS but putting the names down for all. You have to swallow the cost but you are covering the bases. Then keep in touch with the Admissions people to keep an eye on things. I know the DESS and Sherborne officers are very nice and helpful. It often depends on the ages of your children but if a place for one opens up the others jump to the top of their lists as siblings. We started the process in May and ended up with one place at DESS and places for both at Sherborne in September so it can be done!

That's wonderful, simonsmithy! That means that your friend might be offered a school place for her child sometime next year, perhaps.

My friend ( British) has been on the books for DESS for 2 years and has just been notified that her kid can be assesed for a place on the waiting list !

jjj, not ALL schools are like that here. Many, or even most yes, not all though.

Hi, Sherborne has got the best reputation but is very expensive and not necessarily the best in my opinion. My children go to Doha British School which is up there with the top 4/5. You will struggle to get places in any of the schools mentioned above but is still worth applying baring in mind you might not get a place until the start of the new school year in September. Don't stress about it it can be an ordeal but the likelihood is you will be offered places in the end from one of the schools.

The problem is that schools here are run like businesses with no thought to the actual goal other than the business of making money - children's education comes secondary to this, it is just plain greedy on the parts of the owners.

I agree with the money generated from applications,I was hoping my kids could join school next september,I'm suffering since last December,some schools were honest enough to tell you don't apply as there is no places in waiting pool,while others preferred to offer a n application then to consider a test (extra fees) and finally choosing not to accept both my kids as one of them only was fit witheir education level,now the question is:Is there any higher councils or ministries where I could file a complaint?? As this seems ridiculous, and unfair

If a school in Doha has a place for your child, it probably means that the school is rubbish and you should not consider sending your child there. If you find a school that seems to be very good, then it will be full and maybe you will have to wait a year or two before a place becomes available for your child. In the meantime, you will have to send your child to a bad school. By the time your child is finally offered a place at what you hope is a good school, your contract will probably come to an end and then you and your family will have to leave Qatar.

DC parents to have a 'lording tendancy' suggesting if your kid is not at DC its because they werent clever enough to get in - without realising there are very clever kids at PHES, Sherborne, Compass etc

All full.........I would suggest finding a job in another country. That is what I am going to do. Beware of the non-refundable application fee scenario.....they will accept your application knowing full well that they cannot offer you a place. I've been here since August 2011 and have had no luck at all finding school places. Am I angry? No. Disappointed? Yes. Quite how Qatar is going to build the facilities for the World Cup - and perhaps the Olympics - who knows? Workers with families need schools. No schools....no workers. No workers...no development. Simple. Good luck!

All full.........I would suggest finding a job in another country. That is what I am going to do. Beware of the non-refundable application fee scenario.....they will accept your application knowing full well that they cannot offer you a place. I've been here since August 2011 and have had no luck at all finding school places. Am I angry? No. Disappointed? Yes. Quite how Qatar is going to build the facilities for the World Cup - and perhaps the Olympics - who knows? Workers with families need schools. No schools....no workers. No workers...no development. Simple. Good luck!

Very true britlady.

You are probably too late for this September for the schools listed above - most have closed their waiting lists. You need to find out when they open their waiting lists for 2013 and be quick to get on

Most schools will be closed either next week or week after for midterm break, so better make sure you have enough time on your hands to visit all good reputation schools as many have actually closed waitlists.

Try everywhere - Sherborne is the most prestigious and is fast gaining the reputation for the top school in Doha

If you have three children and wanting to put them into one school, it will be a challenge. I have two in year 5 and 3 and cannot find anything right now even on waiting list for next year. It's good that you come to Doha to visit the school yourself before mobilizing the entire family. Good Luck.

I second what Khanan wrote. And I would add Compass to the list. Places are difficult to land, so i would suggest putting your children on the waiting lists right away. You may have to wait a year to get your kids into your first choice.

Getting places is a big problem. Try ACS. They're a new school - a branch of a British school

this year doha academy is fine....

doha academy pupils many i know suffered a lot

DESS is the best!!http://www.dess.org/

lots of my friend choose Doha Academy

English schools due to long waiting lists.

The best among the lots are :

Doha English Speaking School

Doha College

Doha British School (Montessrrie)

Park House

Search QL for further deatails as alot of references to same subject matter.