Don't touch Emirates National School in either Al Ain or Abu Dhabi with a barge pole.

I was there a few years ago but in 2007 - Select aka Teach Anywhere were recruiting for them and when contacted about the "issues" wouldn't get involved.

I hate to be a fence sitter here but ... We're all professionals and some are motivated by money and others not. Personally having free furnished accommodation with the utilities paid for is great. I can't get anything close to that in my home country. As for unpaid training, I've done it both paid and unpaid. In fact I didn't even check my current contract for it until I saw this thread and checked it, consequently I have a week of professional days with no pay before school starts. I'm fine with this (ok it would be great to get 5 weeks pay at the end of September but it was my goof for not checking and negotiating it). However I get plenty of time to get to know my new colleagues, find where things are in the school, get my classroom set up and get all the prep done for the first week. I'd rather have a week to do this than a day.

And one final point, from what I recall at Emirates National School, we got paid for the professional days. I burnt my contract once I'd broken contract and left the country, so I can't check it to see if my memory is correct. But seeing as how they're well known / notorious in these forums, I don't think being paid for professional days is an indicator of a 'good' school. Its certainly not the case with ENS.

I feel for you Candyapple. I'm a former employee of ENS and leaving was one of the best decisions I ever made.