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Post by bunty on Apr 15, 2012 8:44:48 GMT
We've got an offer from Aramco to move to Dhahran and are trying to decide whether to take it or not. We have 3 young children (4.5, 3 and 1) and are from the UK. Can anyone help with the following questions?
1. What school do the Brits who live in Dhahran send their kids to? We had thought that we'd prefer the kids not to travel out of the camp, but what do most people do? If you send your kids to the British school, does the school bus feel safe and how long does the journey take?
2. What are the family homes like. With 3 kids would we get a detached bungalow or would it be a townhouse adjoining another house and if so what is the sound proofing like as 3 kids can make a lot of noise!?
3. Has anyone had relatives visit them? I would like my parents to come out and visit - is this feasible?
Thanks
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Post by vpainter on Apr 15, 2012 20:44:25 GMT
The Brits do one of two things: Send their children to the Aramco Schools. Some of the kids adjust very well. Your kids not being in school yet would do very well. Others who want a British Schooling for their children send their children to one of the British Schools: 1. International Schools Group - British School - Dhahran. It is right outside the compound on the U.S. Consulate grounds. PM'd contact info. 2. There is an International British School in Khobar. I don't know anything regarding this school, I'll PM you contact info. Yes, the school bus is safe. It is about a 10 - 15 min. ride from DHA. 2. Your home is provided according to your GC and number of children. email me I'll send you and tell me that info and I'll send you pictures of floorplans of possible homes you'd be assigned. vpainter29@yahoo.comThere is a family next door with 4 children preschool to teenager, I do not hear them in our townhouse. I've never heard of any of my friends complaining about hearing their neighbors. 3. Yes, relatives can visit. The process is started about 4 to 6 months before the trip and you have to get paperwork signed. But immediate family is not a problem. |
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Post by azraeil on Apr 16, 2012 6:58:43 GMT
The Bus trip to the DBGS (Dhahran British Grammar School) are provided by Aramco and it's very safe. However, the kids will have to be picked up a bit early (645-0700 in the morning) and although the trip itself is actually not that far, it's the pickup that takes time. Be prepared for the kids to be in the bus for an hour in the morning and another 45 minutes as everybody is dropped off.
My boy complained about the buses always arriving late to school (and he kept getting scolded by the teacher) so we decided after Year 1 to move him to the Aramco School which he has enjoyed very much.
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Post by GroveWanderer on Apr 16, 2012 11:14:22 GMT
My daughter went to the Dhahran British Grammar School for five years until she left to go to boarding school.
It's true that the entire journey, including pick up and drop off times on camp, can seem a tad long. To avoid the long drop-off run in the evening, quite a few of the kids would get off at the Theater, which is the first stop after the bus enters camp, and my wife used to meet our daughter and bring her home from there. We never had a problem with the safety or the punctuality of the buses.
YMMV.
I've been to the British International School, Al Khobar several times (DBGS used to participate in sports tournaments there) but I never heard of anyone from Aramco sending their children to BISAK and as far as I know, there is no transportation provided by Aramco. So if you did choose to send your kid there the transport arrangements could be problematic.
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Post by bunty on Apr 17, 2012 12:47:13 GMT
Thanks for your replies! Feel a lot clearer on the options now.
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Post by willowcat on Apr 24, 2012 20:55:42 GMT
Hi, we sent our children to the British School when we lived in Dhahran and found our children adapted well to the journey. I liked the school and liked the Britishness if you know what I mean?! We have recently moved back to the UK and our children have adapted to the British Schools with no problems, so I'm glad we schooled them at the DBGS. Give them a ring and speak to the headteacher to sort a visit for when you arrive - spaces can be a problem, but I found them accomo......... being a Brit. If you have any further questions about the school, give me a pm. What I would say is, the pre-school there by far exceeds anything else you will come across in the region and from my experience of working in the UK with young children, it is probably better than what you'd get back home. Personally, we never explored the Aramco schools, as we knew we would be returning to the UK at some point and thought it would make things easier curriculum wise. We were right. Good Luck.
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Post by KSE on May 1, 2012 23:27:35 GMT
Willowcat,
I found this discussion very helpful as a mom of three school-aged kids. (We will be moving over the summer to join husband in advance of the school year.) I would like to send you a PM asking for a bit more info if possible on this subject. At my orientation, I was told it is exceedingly rare to be educated outside the camp, even though I, too, wonder about the applicability of the US curriculum (we are CDN and our system is more comparable to that of the Brits) to both later years in CDN and other higher education. Is it possible to send you a PM?
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Post by NOD on May 2, 2012 21:29:54 GMT
Hi, is there anyone who sent their kids to the British high school in Dharhan after going up to Grade 9 in the Aramco schools? If yes, how was the adjustment to a different curriculum? We have been assigned to Abqaiq and because of the travel time and the age of the children we will send them to the Aramco school. I would prefer them to finish their education in the British system but am not sure if this is going to work?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. The kids' education is a major concern for us when considering our potential move to KSA.
Any information on the school in ABQ would also be appreciated, our kids are 10, 9, 7.
Thanks.
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Post by vpainter on May 2, 2012 22:31:39 GMT
KSE, you can PM another user after you have posted 3 or 4 posts and they have been approved.
For British employees it is not rare for their children to attend the British School.
NOD, the length of the bus ride to the British School from ABQ is the only drawback.
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Post by henpecked on May 3, 2012 6:27:58 GMT
Hi All
A couple of points:
First of all, it is not 'rare' for kids to be educated outside camp. There are a large number of Saudi kids who go to Saudi schools off camp. Similarly there are 3 bus loads from Dhahran going across to the British school. Having said that MOST kids go to the Aramco schools and going to a school off camp can make forming friendships on camp more challenging, especially as the kids get older and do fewer activities.
NOD - to answer your question. The Aramco schools are very good, however, the curriculum is different and I know kids who have gone to British boarding schools for GCSEs after being in the American curriculum and have struggled. I would contact the British school for advice, the Head, Mr Jones, is very approachable and helpful. Personally I would suggest at least one year in the British system before GCSEs commence. This would mean moving at the start of British Yr 9 (American Grade 8) .
Hope this helps. PM me if you wish.
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Post by Muzzi on Aug 10, 2012 18:44:49 GMT
I have had an offer for a job in ABQ. I am intending to move over to Saudi Arabia with my family. i would like my children who are 13,10,2 to be educated using the structure of a British curriculum as I am aiming for them to return to the uk after 2-3 yrs. from the posts above I see that peoe have mentioned that the trip/length of trip from abq to DBGS is a drawback,
Could someone elaborate on the journey or a parent who's children make the journey advise me on the timings and punctuality of the transport.
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Post by Ameng on Nov 26, 2012 23:09:39 GMT
o all, thanks for the info thus far which I find extremely useful.
I am in the process of relocating to DHA, and also need to consider schooling for my young boys. DBGS comes very highly on our preference. A few comments above made reference to problems with the bus services. However my relocation agent also mentioned that we could use the taxis and recover the expenses through the EAP. Is that not the case? Does anyone actually use taxi service?
Thanks in advance
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Post by sapphire on Dec 31, 2012 14:30:07 GMT
So, to confirm, kids whose parents are on Canadian payroll can attend the British School if they wish (instead of US curriculum Aramco school)? And do their O/A levels or IB? Or do we not have a choice on this? (I've read the posts but this point is still not 100% clear).
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mac
Member
Posts: 22
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Post by mac on Aug 31, 2013 15:19:51 GMT
Hi Sapphire,
Were you able to have your kids admitted to British school and fee/transportation covered by Aramco? We will be moving from Canada soon and I'll like to send my kids to British school.
Please advise based on your experience.
I tried sending you a PM but didn't work. I have my 5 PM's sitting in outbox but not sent for some reasons I don't know. Moderators..any comments?
Thanks
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Post by vpainter on Sept 1, 2013 6:08:05 GMT
Your PM's have sent. There is a glitch in the system that shows them in the outbox when they have been sent.
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