Parent's Review of QSI Chengdu in Chengdu
What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)
QSI Chengdu
In what town or city is this school located?
Chengdu
How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)
American curriculum, international staff and student body
What grade levels are represented at this school?
3 to 18 years old
How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)
School bus or car
How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?
3 storey-building with library, science lab, art and music rooms, computer room and multi-purpose room. Separate playgrounds for pre-school and elementary; basketball court; access to swimming pool in the summer. Varied after school activities offered 3 times a week including ball sports, drama, cooking, arts and crafts, scrapbooking, chess etc. Regular day field-trips for elementary, overnight trips within China for middle and high school.
What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?
The school teaches the American curriculum and does not offer specific adjustment to curricula of other countries. Classes are small (average 10 students) so individual teachers are able to assist students to adjust. Special needs and ESL support are available.
How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?
There is an active PTO that organizes events throughout the year. Parents participate in and help to organize a Fall Festival, Christmas Program, Middle School Festival, International Week, Spirit Week, Chinese Week, Olympic Day, end of year BBQ and End of Year Program plus additional social events for middle and high schoolers. As is usually the case, there tends to be a core group of parents who are active and volunteer their time and the PTO is always looking for more help.
What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?
My children are very happy at this school. Teaching and testing standards are high and there is a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The student body is very international, which creates a stimulating environment. Staff have gone out of their way to accommodate different learning needs. The school has grown rapidly over the past few years and needs to expand facilities to accommodate the growing numbers - plans for this are well underway. In the 2010-2011 school year there is a new Director and Director of Studies who are developing the school during this period of rapid growth.
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Comments about this Report
guestI do not know who wrote the above lately but they do not know what they are talking about. Read the rest of the post and you will know the truth
guestI wrote the above post and find the comment above to be offensive. My children have attended this school for several years and I certainly do know what I am talking about. Some of the other posts are suprisingly aggressive in tone and contain gross inaccuracies eg that there is no ESL help or that a few parents dominate the PTO. If you are considering this school you need to visit for yourself, meet staff and students and make a decision based on your family's needs.
guestinteresting comments.... my child attended this school for over a year before i pulled him out and placed him elsewhere. you do not get what you pay for.....
guestQSI schools are known in the academia world to have a substandard curriculum along with an archaic manner in which they teach. If you have any expectations of your children attending an Ivy league or even a little Ivy, then you do not want to put your children here. With the myopic approach in which they teach, they are unable to expose children to a deeper more philosophical education. Therefore they develop children that lack certain traits that are desired by a better university. The QSI school is attractive to the average person that has no concern or expectation of an extraordinary education for their child. If QSI was the only school to choose from, I would suggest not moving to this location.
ChengduexpatQSI in Chengdu has gotten worse over the four years my children have attended. There are serious concerns about the quality of the teachers here and nepotism is rampant. Married teachers, brothers or teachers and teachers not prepared to teach the courses they do. The good teachers gradually left (the ones who genuinely cared for students) and there is a huge ratio of children of teachers who attend the school. The school often feels like their focus is on their own children, on the backs of those who pay tuition. School leadership is weak and changes frequently - the teachers and administration are clearly disconnected. The school does not value parent participation in decision making (e.g. PTA) and are disrespectful to children having referred to them as spoiled brats and such. Suggest CDIS should not be overlooked.
