Parent's Review of AICS Amsterdam International Community School in Amsterdam
What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)
AICS Amsterdam International Community School
In what town or city is this school located?
Amsterdam
How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)
International
What grade levels are represented at this school?
4-19 IB
How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)
bus, train, metro
What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?
Don't bother. This school is only a few years old and has not settled down yet. Last year (2009) the first set of students sat the IB and not one passed. The fees buy you classes in English rather than classes in Dutch, but other than that you get nothing. If you can't afford the bona fide international schools then there are other options as cheap as this one - near Leiden and in Hilversum, which are much better and it would be worth either the commute for your child or settling there for the family. Both Leiden and Hilversum are very pleasant towns.
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Comments about this Report
guesthear hear, I was a student of the AICS for three years and I have to say that all it has brought me is a non-existant diploma and a huge struggle to find any form of further education. It is still not registered as a MYP school and therefore we recieved no Certificate when we passed MYP5 which brought me and a lot of my classmates into trouble when trying to further out education in any other school. I would also like to add that the management of the school is non existant and chaotic at best.
guestThe AICS was very succesfull in the last two years with over 90% of the students who passed for there IB exams.
guestI am a mother of two children at AICS, I have been extremely happy with the school, its management and teachers. The quality of education is high the environment spontaneous, friendly, international and colorful, but not that 'posh' and fake as some other international schools. We truly love it and the kids are exposed to variety, openness, modern style of teaching, wonderful friend and a sense of community
guestMy son has been been going to AICS for 2 and a half years, with disastrous results. He started being bullied there toward the end of his first year and this problem went on unchecked. It is still not resolved today. The staff there (especially at the head of the school) is at best incompetent, and at worse dishonest. They are unprofessional in all matters: education, information of parents, accountability... their main focus is clearly making money. Their primary curriculum is largely improvised, their "reports" are irregular and unofficial appreciations. Nothing in the school is professionally done. Their ethics is most questionable. So are their methods: from intimidation to misinformation and lies. They make frequent mistakes and get defensive - instead of adopting a responsible attitude. The mistakes made can have serious consequences on the children, as, for example, when they wrongfully diagnose "Special Educational Needs" for a child and stigmatize her/him accordingly. My experience with this school is that they are unprofessional, inexperienced, dishonest and harmful. I strongly discourage anyone from putting their children there ! NB: beware: the school at as yet unaccredited - and given the way they operate, I should think it will remain that way
guestI am AICS parent (secondary) for the last four years and I can say that this is the best community-based school in Holland. My son wakes up and go to AICS with joy! In the past, he attended ISA, the British school and the American School in Wassenar and he was sick and tired of the fake attitudes of the children and their parents over there. All these complaints about AICS come from all these "posh" parents ( usually American and British middle class people from the suburbs) who instead of spending some time with their children, they prefer to live their lives and put their children on the "automatic" pilot. At least the AICS teachers take care of my son and support him to become a good person.
guestI am AICS parent (secondary) for the last four years and I can say that this is the best community-based school in Holland. My son wakes up and go to AICS with joy! In the past, he attended ISA, the British school and the American School in Wassenar and he was sick and tired of the fake attitudes of the children and their parents over there. All these complaints about AICS come from all these "posh" parents ( usually American and British middle class people from the suburbs) who instead of spending some time with their children, they prefer to live their lives and put their children on the "automatic" pilot. At least the AICS teachers take care of my son and support him to become a good person.
guestI fully agree with the comments on the British School. Stay away!!!
SDMalhotraIf posh means disliking the incompetence, bullying and mismanagement at AICS leading to an unrecognized diploma I must be posh.
