What are the schools in Riyadh like?

"It is a very good school. It has had some troubled times over the last six years or so. Up until 2011 it had has a number of heads in a short period, but now the principal and the heads of senior and primary seem to be established and making a real difference. Some posts suggest that the school is a mess, and I hear it was for a while but now I think it has settled and all the parents I have met seem to think it is very quickly getting better and better. Most teachers really do seem to care a lot and there are even catch up classes at the weekends. They seem to be able to attract very good teachers which can't be easy in Riyadh! and they seem to stay a while. Exam results are very good, and all leavers seem to go to good universities. Classes are small - I think they have a maximum of 20 in a class, but it is not easy to get into unless you are British. The wait lists are very long I hear. There are loads of activities after school - my youngest is busy every night, though the oldest does less. He has quite a lot of homework. but he does go on trips - and is booked on a ski trip for next year. We toyed with the idea of sending the children to boarding schools in the UK but I am really pleased that we didn't - they love BISR, and if they are happy, so are we," remarked one expat living in Riyadh with children attending British International School Riyad.

"EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET KIDS INTO B.I.S.-R, AS NEARLY FULL, EXCEPT IF ENGLISH AND DUTCH PASSPORT HOLDER. START WHEN KIDS ARE YOUNG AND BOOK EVEN COUPLE YEARS BEFORE SCHOOL ENTRY. DESPITE HASSLES AND COST THE ONLY SUITABLE CHOICE IN ALL RIYADH UNLESS YOU HAVE A RIDICULOUS INCOME OR BENEFIT FOR U.S.A SCHOOL, AND THINK YOU WILL END UP IN THERE SYSTEM FOR LONG TIME! GO AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS FRESH KNOWLEDGE ON THE BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: VERY ORDERED, VERY STRUCTURED, WHICH LEAVES PRONE TO INFLEXIBLILITY. DO YOU HOMEWORK RE HOURS OF FACE TO FACE TEACHER CONTACT: IN RIYADH WE HAVE 176 STUDENT TEACHER CONTACT DAYS[NOT INCLUDING THE WEEKEND], WHERE THEY GET 5 HOURS AND 40 APPROX MINUTES [MINUSED THE BREAKS: WHICH ARE USELESS AS THEY DON'T GET WIND DOWN, PLAY, THEY ARE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO GO LAY ON "BEAN BAG" AND QUIETLY READ IN HOME ROOM!!! THE LIBRARY IS THE ONLY ESCAPE SO DIFFICULT FOR REAL "BOY, BOYS ACTIVITY AND ADHD KIDS!!!!!"] WE LEFT 24 TEACHER STUDENT CONTACT DAYS...LONGER BREAKS IN SCHOOL DAY...FULL ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY...A SELECTION OF MATES...NOT BEING HASSLED AND TEASED BECAUSE WHITE [ONLY THIS GROUP IN 15 YEAR OLDS] DO YOUR HOMEWORK BUT ULTIMATELY HAVE TO WORK WITH WHAT YOUR GO! NOTE: IF YOU CAME FROM A PRIVATE SYSTEM WHERE YOU ARRIVE AND EVERYTHING IS PROVIDE FOR AND INCLUDED IN FEES INCLUDING: ALL STATIONARY; ALL SCHOOL TRIP;ALL DAY TRIPS; MOST AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND YOU HAVE A GOOD SECOND UNIFORM SHOP BURSTING WITH CLOTHES; PRINTED AWARDS;PRESENTS MADE FOR SPECIAL DAYS; MORNING TEAS; THEN BE AWARE THAT ALL OF THE ABOVE WILL COST YOU, ESPECIALLY THE HOLIDAY!!," said one expat in Riyadh with children at British International School Riyadh.