Parent's Review of British International School of Stavange (BISS) in Stavanger, Norway

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

British International School of Stavange (BISS)

In what town or city is this school located?

Stavanger

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

British International

What grade levels are represented at this school?

age 18 months to 18 years

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

Up to age 4 parents responsibility. After that complete mix of bus, walking, parents.

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

Facilities are good. Lots of extracurricular activities. Great pre-school play areas and they make the most of the local area around them (forest, beach, playcentres etc.) the curriculm is busy and demanding for pre-schoolers and the discipline is more strict than the Norwegian system in general. In pre-school they do seem to watch a fair bit of TV.

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?

Nothing. They are a rules orientated school and basically if you abide by the rules they are happy and if your child needs something outside of that you have to shout loudly

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

Not very impressed. There is a good informal parent network but the school is more focused on engaging volunteers regardless of whether it is an event your child is entitled to go to or not.

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

Be careful about:

1. Childcare provision for school holidays. There is no provision for about 9 weeks of the year so if both parents work it is not a feasible solution

2. If your child requires anything that is different to the schools standard procedures, accept that you will have to go through some heartache to convince them of your child's needs.

3. The children get a lot out of the activities offered, and all seem to be happy so I would say my gripes are only about administration rather than happiness of the child.

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