simonsmity--I am not sure of Doha College's association with the embassy (I have been told it has an affiliation for the senior school), but I do know DESS is affiliated. Personally, I think an embassy's endorsement is important, but I certainly don't think it is the most important aspect of any school here. An embassy endorsement does suggest some oversight and there are plenty of benefits of being the 'official school.' Also the embassy does not endorse for-profit schools.
More important is the endorsement of parents voting with their feet. When I posted earlier on this thread, I phoned Compass and Sherborne to ask about available places. Both had places, and Compass did not even require an interview of my child; Sherborne was willing to waive it after I told them my children were native speakers. To be fair, by children are young, so maybe this is not a policy followed all the way through. DESS and Doha College, in contrast, both hold assessments of ALL children, and DESS stopped putting kids on its waiting list for early years months ago.
I am very glad that you are happy with Sherborne. Everything I have read and seen suggests that it is good school, and I hope it develops and excellent secondary school in the years to come.
simonsmity--I am not sure of Doha College's association with the embassy (I have been told it has an affiliation for the senior school), but I do know DESS is affiliated. Personally, I think an embassy's endorsement is important, but I certainly don't think it is the most important aspect of any school here. An embassy endorsement does suggest some oversight and there are plenty of benefits of being the 'official school.' Also the embassy does not endorse for-profit schools.
More important is the endorsement of parents voting with their feet. When I posted earlier on this thread, I phoned Compass and Sherborne to ask about available places. Both had places, and Compass did not even require an interview of my child; Sherborne was willing to waive it after I told them my children were native speakers. To be fair, by children are young, so maybe this is not a policy followed all the way through. DESS and Doha College, in contrast, both hold assessments of ALL children, and DESS stopped putting kids on its waiting list for early years months ago.
I am very glad that you are happy with Sherborne. Everything I have read and seen suggests that it is good school, and I hope it develops and excellent secondary school in the years to come.