To answer your original question, I would say that most international schools in Doha would probably not rule out admitting your daughter because of her limited English. However, there may be other factors to consider, such as the fact that some schools definitely give places to the children of British passport holders. Remember that there is a shortage of school places in Qatar and therefore most schools have long waiting lists.
Another thing that you should bear in mind for your seven year old is what is usually called "the school run". Getting your child to and from the school of your choice may not be as easy as you think. When I was teaching in Cairo, there were children in Key Stage One (the junior part of the school) who had forty-five minutes of travelling before and after school. That's just too long for most six year olds!
As a rule, I would say that a seven year old would not find starting at an international school too daunting, provided that the school is able to offer at least some EAL (English as an Additional Language) support. I am currently teaching a Year 5 class at the British School of Bucharest and I have had several students who have started with this year little or no English. It takes about a term for them to settle in and to be able to start taking an active part in everything that the other children in the class are doing. Of course, most European languages are not so different, whereas a child whose first language is Japanese or Chinese would find it rather harder.
Dear Silvio,
To answer your original question, I would say that most international schools in Doha would probably not rule out admitting your daughter because of her limited English. However, there may be other factors to consider, such as the fact that some schools definitely give places to the children of British passport holders. Remember that there is a shortage of school places in Qatar and therefore most schools have long waiting lists.
Another thing that you should bear in mind for your seven year old is what is usually called "the school run". Getting your child to and from the school of your choice may not be as easy as you think. When I was teaching in Cairo, there were children in Key Stage One (the junior part of the school) who had forty-five minutes of travelling before and after school. That's just too long for most six year olds!
As a rule, I would say that a seven year old would not find starting at an international school too daunting, provided that the school is able to offer at least some EAL (English as an Additional Language) support. I am currently teaching a Year 5 class at the British School of Bucharest and I have had several students who have started with this year little or no English. It takes about a term for them to settle in and to be able to start taking an active part in everything that the other children in the class are doing. Of course, most European languages are not so different, whereas a child whose first language is Japanese or Chinese would find it rather harder.