Parent's Review of Universal American School in Dubai, UAE

What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

Universal American School

In what town or city is this school located?

Dubai

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

American

What grade levels are represented at this school?

k - 12

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

Drivers, bus, long commute times!

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

Good facilities, brand new,no theatre, no proper music room, cafeteria was built too small, classrooms were built too small for class sizes.

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

There was no help provided when we came. The school is not mature enough to provide such services.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

There is a PTO, parents do try to be involved.

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

This school is too new and profit driven to be an appropriate placement for the serious student. There is no way that I would send my high school child to this school. We have had two kids in elementary where at least class sizes were small. Dubai is booming and there are not enough schools. This school is taking advantage of this and opened before it was really ready. At the beginning of this school year, the high school didn't even have a time table in place, kids just walked through the halls with no where to go. Elementary is somewhat better but one of our kids teachers wasn't happy because she felt tricked into her teaching position (she ended up teaching in a position she definitely had not signed up for.) Some of the elementary teachers are incredibly young and inexperienced, I have felt like I am talking to people on a perpetual hangover. You can do better that this school in Dubai if you just start the application process early enough. Seriously, this is not a quality education, its a band aid if you arrive in Dubai at an odd time in the year and casn't get anything better organised.

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