Emirates National School

educator · Post by **educator** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:42 am

Anyone have up to date information about this school? There are numerous reviews covering the period until the end of the 2006 academic year - has anything changed this year?

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:40 pm

AVOID THIS SCHOOL LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! This 'school' is an absolute disgrace to the world of education. I am there now and it truly beggars belief. Teachers are lied to, threatened, bullied, cheated, degraded, belittled, humiliated in front of parents and colleagues . . . and anyone who sticks up for themselves gets fired. Several teachers have been sacked this year already, for no real reasons. Students do not get a proper education here. At the begining of this school year we were short 2 Maths teachers and an English teacher (amongst others), and teachers who have absolutely no qualifications in those fields (the Humanities teacher and the EAL teacher) were asked to teach the subject until the proper secialists were found. One of our SCience teachers was not even qualified in teaching. She was a Scientific Researcher. She did a runner in October (as did a couple of others) and again the EAL Humanities teachers found themselves taking on the subject. This time for TWO MONTHS! Studenst make up stories about teachers they don't like and the pricipals side with them. Teachers get written warnings left, right and centre, for things that you would NOT believe. One teacher got reprimanded for not wearing socks, another for asking a child to bring her back some water from the fountain, and yet another for suggesting to parents that they might like to send treats with their children to school for the class Teddy Bear Picnic (how DARE she ask parents for 'free handouts'!). We are not allowed to speak to parents except via the so-called Parent Care Office (whose English is APPALLING). This is apparently for 'our own protection'. Yeah, right. It is because the school is afraid of what we will say to the parents. NO ONE enjoys working at this school. At the top of the hierarchy, it is run by some very sick-minded non-educators who seem to get a lot of pleasure from throwing their weight around, and further down by some very inexperienced little people in big boots, whose job titles have gone to their heads and they are quite enjoying the power trip. Our principals recently returned from the CIS and ISS recruiting fairs in London and Boston having recruited only ONE new teacher. They have now put an advert in TES saying they need teachers for 2007 because of school expansion. That is total rubbish. The school is not expanding. They need new teachers because the current teachers are LEAVING! Warn others if you can and get in touch again if you want to know more. I am more than happy to give you as much detail as you want.

Goddess · Post by **Goddess** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 2:58 am

Thanks for that!

sp27 · Post by **sp27** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:11 pm

Others teachers with the same opinion ?

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:00 am

EVERYONE!!! Have you read the school reviews? I cannot wait to put my own up once I am finaly out of there! Trust me -- you go there you regret it. Big time.

educator · Post by **educator** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 4:22 am

Thanks to 'garnettulip' for the comprehensive response. Just two more questions. The school seems (at least in its job ads) to be embarking on a path towards I.B. curriculum implementation - the PYP is mentioned. How far down this path has the school progressed and how realistic are these goals given the content of a couple of the responses?

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:09 pm

To put it very bluntly: the school lies. It is true that they are 'interested' in the IB programme and would want to have it in place, but it is more of the status of being able to say they are an IB school than anything else. I have taught IB in several schools and I can tell you now -- there is absolutely NO WAY this IB programme will happen at Emirates National.

In the first place, the IBO has very high standards and expectations of its member schools. Emirates National does not even come close to meeting most of those. As an example, the IB requires that parents and teachers communicate regularly and freely with teachers. However, if a parenst arrives at our school to pick their child up, for example, we are only allowed to greet them and that is all. MANY teachers have been reprimanded and/or have been given written warnings by their principals if they have been 'caught' speaking with parents, however 'innocent' the conversation may be (although, needless to say, we shouldn't have to even consider conversations as as being innocent or not, if you know what I mean!).

Also, the school is also not accredited by ANY OUTSIDE BODY whatsoever (such as the Middle States Association). This means that when our students 'graduate', their diplomas are hardly even worth the paper they are printed on.

In addition, there are no real policies in place, or there are but no one knows about them because they are not written anywhere. There is no proper teacher's handbook except for a few photocopied pages of 'rules' we were given at the beginning of the year. And even these are a joke as they change constantly at the whim of the Board of Directors. For example, at the begnning of the school year we were told that if we take even one sick day off we have to come in with a doctor's note to get piad for that day. That means that every time you are sick you not only have to drag yourself out to the doctor's to get this note but also fork out the equivalent of US$15 for it. Then one day, out of the blue, the Board decided that if we are sick for two days we not only have to get the note(s) but we then also have to go to the Ministry of Health to get them certified! And of course that is another US$15. Then on another day -- just last month in fact, if you can believe it -- the Board suddenly decided to bring in a new policy (surprise, surprise) whereby if a teacher is late for more than an hour to work in the morning he/she will not be paid for the ENTIRE day. Ok, of course we shouldn't be late for work. But things happen. Alarms don't go off or whatever. Have you ever worked in a place where they dock you a day's pay of you are an hour late??? Where I come from that wouldn't even be legal!

Anyway, all this is just to point out to you that the only people the school is fooling is themselves. WE all know that they wll never get the IBO to accept them into the organisation until they start treating teachers like professionals and get their act together in most other areas as well . . . which I cannot see happening AT ALL. EVER.

I speak from nearly 20 years of experience in the international schools circuit -- 9 countries, 4 continents. Believe me. This place is a circus and it's not fun!

AD2006 · Post by **AD2006** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:49 am

Wow you seem very angry with the school. From all you said you said one thing right, they don't tell us why a teacher is fired (something about teacher?s privacy, huh do you imagine a school that cares about the privacy of its teachers even the one it dismissed). But most of us at ENS don't need a reason because we saw it with our own eyes...

Please get help

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:42 am

I am not angry with anyone. I just want to do my bit as a colleague and WARN other teachers so that they don't get suckered in by the school like so many of us who regretted coming here have.

Facts are facts. Anyone who thinks ENS is a 'normal' school is the one who needs help.

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Thu May 10, 2007 5:41 pm

WARNING: I have just read the recent reviews for Emirates National School. It is clear that the two recent glowing reviews have been put in there at the last minute by panicky administrators worried that all the negative (but true) feedback on the website will make it difficult for them to recruit new teachers at the upcoming job fair in London this weekend.

ENS 'World Class'? Ha! More like Second Class.

Bright and educationally sound future? Ha ha ha ha ha. Whom are you kidding???

garnettulip · Post by **garnettulip** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:27 am

Just want to make everyone aware of the recent new reviews posted since the May recruiting fairs. Those who may have found it hard to believe that any school could be this bad, please have a look at what some of my other colleagues have to say about it. You'll know soon enough which two reviews were posted by the administration . . .

chtoru · Post by **chtoru** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:59 am

I have just come back from working at ENS and I am one of the MANY Western teachers who are NOT going back . . . despite the fact that the school thinks we all are. I, along with the other colleagues who are in this position, felt we had no choice but to to do it this way. Yes, we wish we could have been honest, but honesty means nothing at this school.

Believe all the negative comments you read about ENS and STAY AWAY!!!!! This is not a place to further your career.

samuraiwriter · Post by **samuraiwriter** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:35 am

Not to butt in...

I realize that ENS has some problems to work out, according to posts/reviews here and elsewhere. A lot of schools do.

Now many of you "Western" teachers are not coming back. Despite the fact that you (might) have a contract and the school, students, parents and *gulp* administrators are counting on you to return. You know who suffers for your "protest?"

The school: Will your not returning make it a better place?
The staff: Who will have to pick up the slack.
The students: Who will face being taught by overworked and perhaps unqualified teachers.
The community: Ever think how they might view a bunch of "Western" teachers jumping ship without so much a word? And what will that do to the reputation of "Western" teachers overall?
Your career: Because this will have an impact. I know, you don't care...

Be mature, be honest, do the right thing. Just because someone treated your poorly do not lower yourselves to their level. We are professionals, not fast food employees at the local BK. I couldn't imagine returning to work and having to cover for a bunch of teachers who blindsided everyone and ditched out. Congrats, you just made their lives a living hell as well. You are as bad as the administration in my eyes. But what do I know?

Good luck to you in the future.

chtoru · Post by **chtoru** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:09 am

Exactly -- what DO you know? My colleagues and I spent a year (and some of them two) covering for teachers who jumped ship or were fired while school was still in session. Some of my colleagues were even forced to teach subjects which they knew nothing about (I believe garnettulip mentioned this earlier) or lose their jobs. Yes, I know perfectly well what it is like.

Perhaps a year or two of this sort of experience, along with being degraded, dismissed, lied to, mistreated, yelled at, undervalued and belittled by your employers, and working in fear of losing your job at the whim of the admin because they have decided to side with students and parents against you, would give you some insight before deciding to condemn others so blindly?

Lots of jobs open at ENS now. You are welcome to them. Oh, and please do post again in a few months' time.

samuraiwriter · Post by **samuraiwriter** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:42 am

Relax, it is all behind you now. You're safe and sound at home. ENS can't hurt you anymore. Breathe. You've made your bed, now lie it in and have a good rest... it really, really sounds like you need it.