Do you have any idea if she has gone through this before or has a history of depression? I have been exactly where she is, although luckily not due to bullying and I had a very supportive HOD. However my depression is a long term issue and the situation was made worse by not having the proper medication on moving to the new country.

@alexout is right in providing a non judgemental outlet for her to talk, but depending on the severity or her situation or history, leaving it too long could be a mistake. Only you can really make that judgement unfortunately, as to whether it has gone beyond just coffee and needs more immediate intervention.

My wife managed to find me some online counselling (from a completely different country but the time zones worked well) and I got professional help to provide medication to stabilise me. The thing with depression is that you cannot make rational decisions, in many instances no decisions at all, even as simple as what to wear. So medication can help with that. Many people don't like the idea and stigma of medication, but it was explained to me as simply like taking paracetamol for a headache. Her body may currently be experiencing an illness, just like flu, with a chemical imbalance in her brain and the medication can help redress that.

Once she is more stable the hard work actually begins and that is where proper counselling could be useful. She herself needs to work through the issues and solutions but having someone to guide, support and encourage could be worthwhile. I know you said that the issue may be due to Admin bullying, but is there anyone in a senior position who she could approach for support? Does the school have its own counselor for the kids that she could see? If this is a bullying incident then it needs to be addressed at some point, quite how that is achieved I don't know.

The fact you have picked up on her distress is important and taking action of some kind is needed. I have been in a situation where the distress (from bullying) was not picked up in time and the person did commit suicide. Believe me you do not want to go there.

All the best for you and your friend

Thanks a lot @expatscot for the information, it's great to hear from someone who is in the midst of things.

Can I ask how you feel about Cairo itself as a place to live and bring up kids? I expect it is typical of a big city but you mention the expat areas, are they slightly less chaotic? Is it easy to get out of the city at weekends to go places, especially the coast?

Cheers

Hi Guys

Egypt has always been a place high on my list to experience as both a teacher and traveler, however with a family I am concerned about the safety issue of living in Cairo and moving around the country to explore. Can anyone with current knowledge (hopefully being there now) help out?
Thanks

Thanks you #sitka and #fine dude that is a great start.

I notice many of those listed are American, is that because you are used to that system? Would they have IB curricula?


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As one year ends thoughts for the IT have to look further forward. My family will do one more year at our present international school and then look to move. One area that has come to mind is a move to Africa for something totally different culturally for us and our son. With both IB and CIE experience we hope to have a broad range of places to consider but know little about the current stability of the various countries on the continent. Where have people taught that they would go back to and where would you consider as a safe place with good schools that we could investigate further?

Also Africa rarely comes up on the TES and I'm not sure about Search or other agencies. What avenues would you suggest for finding out about forthcoming opportunities? Not really concerned about attending fairs.

Thanks for any feedback.

Having fallen foul of one of these set ups, run by Montpelier Malaysia, I would whole heartedly advise people to stay away. Do not surrender UK teacher pension final salary schemes for these so called off shore flexible pension funds, they are just money making schemes for under-regulated advisors who take the money and don't give a stuff about your money. Do not under any circumstances go with Montpelier, they lie to their back teeth as shown by the Hume Capital fiasco. I now look after my own investing, there is a huge amount of more independent advice on the internet from more reputable sources, it's not as hard as you might think.

Cheers guys. So sign up for the database but don't worry about the fairs. Would you suggest mentioning in her cover letter that she has a spouse who can offer IB Maths on a part time basis?

My wife and I are gearing up to re-enter the cattle market of finding new positions for 2016-17. So far we have always moved on my position, that being High School Maths with extensive IGCSE, AS and now IB experience. However for personal reasons I have been part time for the past 3 years and so I suspect the next move will need to be on my wife's subject. Although she is Head of whole school PE at the moment, her passion is Primary and she has always been the lone primary specialist. She now really wants to focus on the primary PE, in an environment that has other primary specialists, so she can continue to develop as part of a team, rather than singularly.

My question is as to whether it is worth going through Search and if the fairs, most likely Bangkok, cater for primary specialists? She has IB PYP experience and would like to get back into that too. Also has anyone ever managed to secure a part time position at a fair or is it something best left to discuss later when she has gained a position and I can offer my services to help fill gaps the school may have? (Thus saving a SA registration fee.
Thanks

New leadership team this year came in with a very refreshing and positive outlook. Things haven't quite been followed through, which is a shame, and the air of positivity has been tested many changes are in the pipeline re-structure but lack of communication is making it difficult to judge the effectiveness of this. There is a lot of "input" from NLCS UK in terms of oversight. They are tasked to "monitor" progress yearly but the issue comes when comparing an independent, highly selective girls day school in the UK, with a co-ed, allegedly selective, boarding school in Korea.

Despite the amazing range of provision for the students and focus on flexible teaching, ultimately it is very exam result driven, partly because NLCS UK want to be seen as reproducing their results in their franchise and partly because Korean parents expect entry to top UK, US or Korean Universities (and they are certainly paying a lot so that is fair enough). NLCS UK have been top of the UK IB tables for many years, although given they only enter their top 20 or so students for the diploma (the rest do A-levels) it is not comparable to Jeju. Apparently the UK ranking has now changed to take account of the size of a cohort so that will be interesting.

NLCS Jeju enters everyone for the Diploma, and obviously in a 2nd language too, so the expectation of Level 6 and 7 across the board puts big pressure onto students and staff. However the response to that has been incredible. NLCS Jeju IB results last year were more than solid (average 37 points I think) especially given the cohort. This year's results look like being much better, and year on year as the students have longer in the school, developing their English and adapting to a new system, results will go from strength to strength.

This is generally a very professional staff, a very hardworking staff and one which truly embraces challenge, change and extension of their professional development. Consequently you put in more than your pound of flesh in terms of commitment, but it is also a very stimulating environment with sharing of ideas and opinions. You are required to do 2 co-curricular activities per week, generally from 4.15 to 5.15 or 5.15 to 6.15pm. You also do a duty in one of the boarding houses every two weeks, from 5.15 to 1130pm ish (sixth form House operates differently). This takes new people some time to get used to, especially if you haven't worked in a boarding school before. You also do an activity on Saturday morning from 9-12pm. This is viewed in one of two ways really. If you get onto an activity that suits you it can just be a really nice way to spend a morning, out doing anything from golf, archery, climbing, hiking to making props for the school production. Others view it as time to do planning or marking on site which then makes it feel more like you are working.

The students on the whole are very motivated, sometimes too much so as the Korean culture sees education as being highly competitive and so parents and students put a lot of pressure on. There are very few behavioural issues, although as with education anywhere kids can be kids and not all are quite so motivated to keep up with tasks. The students are really good to teach, and many are incredibly talented. The development of them as students, exposed to a whole new philosophy of teaching (compared to the traditional Korean system) has been wonderful to see. They have really embraced the notion of a rounded education and one not driven by rote learning. Their creativity in class, with music and on stage is awesome.

This is still a new school and one which is profit orientated. The admin side is complex but essentially it is government funded and as such there is a constant pressure to accept more students to keep the fees rolling in. This is where the partially selective comes in as there is an entrance test but students do seem to make it through who aren't necessarily at the level you would expect. This then creates difficulties in gaining those Level 6, 7 or A* IGCSE which puts pressure on staff to do the "magical". This is something the school needs to resolve and accept the range of abilities and be realistic (without putting limits) on grades.

The location takes some adjusting to, although for young families it is very good. The School is part of the Global Education City, a purpose built and still developing region. Access to amenities close by is limited, but improving (a new Thai restaurant opened last week to great excitement!). There are local stores within 20 mins (a corner shop opposite schooll for emergencies) but a large supermarket shop is 30-40 mins away. Beaches nearby are lovely and the "season" is nice and long, generally March to November you can be in the sea. Lots of other outdoor things with plenty of hiking possibilities, mountain biking and road biking. Golf courses are a plenty but not cheap. Access to and from the Island can be a bit of a pain. There are direct flights to limited locations in HK, Japan and China but generally you have to go via Seoul or Busan which can add time to journeys.

As stated before great place for young kids with lots of expat families and local Korean families in the accommodation village or on site. I would be very wary of bringing teenage children. Integration is difficult, as effectively it is a 98% Korean school and the pressure to perform and work long hours (due to cultural reasons) will be alien to many western kids. We have had a number of unhappy kids who have joined directly into the senior school.

Package is good. I think the tax terms have changed recently and you now start off with a 25% subsidy of the 15% income tax rate. The subsidy then increases until in the 5th year you would be on zero tax. Salary is certainly highly competitive, housing provided with nominal management fee of around US$200 pm. A car is essential given the location, these can be leased of around US$350-500 depending on model or bought (I think 18 months of renting about pays for the purchase of a small car). Yearly flights, exceptional medical insurance, subsidy for 3 kids I think (may need to check this).

I've covered a lot of ground, tried to give a range of good and not so good, as impartial as I can to allow people to make up own mind. Turnover end of last year was 39 teachers (40-45% I guess) as the initial 3 yr contracts and second wave 2 yr contracts came up at the same time, this year apparently significantly less turnover (10-15% perhaps). Make of that what you will.

@Ddd
Having been in a new start up school I know what you mean about it being hard, but also incredibly erwarding to be part of the establishment of a new ethose. I think this is Carnleigh's first franchise as well, so unlike say Dulwich which has an established blueprint, I guess they are still finding their feet. It sounds like the building phasing is still on going in terms of accommodation. Are the people you know that work their on ISR by any chance so they could provide some more insight, or if not could you ask if they would be willing to establish a private correspondence?

@Psyguy
I'm sorry I'd rather here from people with actual experience of the School. How on Earth can you do your usual 3rd tier rubbish on a school that has only been open since September? You seem to think you have to respond to every thread, just chill out and let those in the know reply, and if there aren't any out there then fine the thread dies.

@Vandsmith
Thanks, are those colleagues working there or is it word of mouth?

Obviously Cranleigh AB is a new start up since September, any inside info out there? Lots of positions advertised as it is expanding, but also noticed several re-advertised this past week. Website makes it look interesting and philosophy sounds good but.....is it living up to it?

I'm with @auntiesocial on this one, this is a cracking thread. It's like a "Hall of Fame" of Psyguy's dross, we have the admin cheerleader, the Tier status definition, the random statistics, the "facts" according to Psyguy, paragraphs of edu-speak which actually say nothing and at the end a total inability to accept any opinion other than his own. Classic!

@tck4life Thanks for sharing some really good info and insight that related to the initial thread. UWCSEA is well known and respected by those with any sense, but the other UWC schools are less well known I suspect, other than by those who have first hand experience of them, that was very useful.

@Psyguy

Oh dear you really are quite sad. I would lower myself to respond to your pathetic reply but given the multitude of drivel, inaccuracies and lack of anything meaningful I can't be bothered. Maybe that's a typical admin bunny response, I wouldn't know given that I'm not one, but you seem well versed in their facets.

One thing you have wonderfully demonstrated to all is that you can't enter into an adult discussion that dares to question your sanctimonious opinion. At least now I know to avoid reading any more of your posts, which is a very much appreciated saving of my time.