The International Schools Review Forum

Anyone out there work in a school where you....er.....work?

By that I mean you get on with the real job. By that I mean: few meetings, no criteria sheets, nobody saying 'impact upon your curriculum action plans', no sub-committees on greening the roof, no dress-code-a-joke and no cliquey staff.

And ECIS has never been near it. Yet it is genuinely good.

Come on. There has to be a school where the kids say, "wow these teachers like each other, they are always laughing' or 'wow I have been here a year and no teacher has asked me to fill in a self-assessment sheet, like wow.'

And it really is a good school: admin, staff, parents, kids, grades, exams and laughter.

Surprise me.

ECIS accreditation is a joke.
It means nothing!

In regards to "guest response", I totally disagree. Schools that take it seriously realize their own strengths and areas where concentration is needed. Anyone who has been part of a Team Visit to a school will tell you that the last things it is is a joke.

We have had a hell of a good run here in Warsaw (ASW). Few meetings, lots of laughs, great students. (cheap beer).

Life is good!! Even with a weak dollar!

All good stuff. Warsaw eh? Poland? You need a sense of humor there eh? ANd as for the attack/defense of ECIS. I have been on all sides of that. Lots of good folks and intentions. But you dont need it to be a good school. ANd a bad school .......... are ya with me? As one old mate told me about many educational things, and ECIS was one of them: "Theyr'e all a racket."

I have been a part of the ECIS accreditation review in at a school in South Africa. It is a complete joke. I met with the ECIS evaluator and personally discussed and showed him many of the complete failures of the school to meet ECIS standards. These include the school's misrepresentation on the website, large number of non-qualified teachers, not honoring the overseas hire contract, safety issues, failure to provide for the safety of boarding students, failure to follow labour law in the country.....

Would you like me to go on?
The evaluator gave a glowing report of the school and accepted gifts during the school assembly from the ever corrupt board.

Two teachers have filed legal cases against the school and went through all levels of ECIS to file grievances to no avail. Accepting the position, I wrongly assumed that ECIS accreditation might give the school some degree of credibility. Boy was I wrong!

I have been through other accredititations like Middle States and all were credible, thorough and ensured that schools met criteria to receive or maintain accredititation.

ECIS and their accreditation standards should be held accountable to the standards they have set and ensure that member schools maintain those standards.