Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the questions frequently asked by parents considering enrolling their children at The English School.

What type of school is TES?
What Curriculum do you follow?
Which exams do you do?
What age children do you take?
Does the school have entry requirements?
Do you take children with Special Education Needs (SEN)?
How do I visit the school?
How do pupils fit in when they leave and go to other schools?
Do you teach foreign languages?
Does the school liaise with public (private) schools in Britain and elsewhere?
What do you believe are your main strengths?
Do we have to pay the school fees in one lump sum?
Are there school buses?
What are your average class sizes?
What Extra-Curricula Activities do you offer?
Does The English School have a swimming pool?
Do you have after school care?
Do you have pre-school facilities?
How well are your teaching staff qualified?
What is the language of the playground?
Who runs the school?
Should I enrol my year 7 (or 8) child at TES?

 

 

 

 

 

What type of school is TES?
The easiest way to describe us is a British Preparatory School.

What curriculum do you follow?
The Foundation Stage (3 years to 5 years) and the National Curriculum for England and Wales (5+ years to 13 years) plus any additional features required for specific entry to future schools.

What exams do you do?
All the age relevant exams which are done in school in Britain. Baseline Assessment at 5 years of age, in Year R, Key Stage 1 SATs at 7, in Year 2, Key stage 2 SATs at 11, in Year 6 plus Common Entrance and specialist exams for future schools. We also assess annually using NFER tests, assess reading age, test with the British QCA additional tests the years when there are no SATs and do internal assessments of our own in all other subjects. Finally, we use specialist tests to help us diagnose children with learning difficulties.

What age children do you take?
2 to 13 years. See also, 'What type of schools is TES?'

Does the school have entry requirements?
Yes, children must speak English, at a peer equivalent level. We also, regretfully, must reserve the right not to take children whom we feel we cannot educate because of profound behavioural, learning or physical disabilities.

Do you take children with Special Education Needs (SEN)?
Yes - if we are sure we understand their needs and can educate the children effectively without detracting from the education of their peers.

How do I visit the school?
Easy, phone and make an appointment - and try to bring your child.

How do pupils fit in when they leave and go to other schools?
Relative to their ability they are almost always ahead of peers with equal ability and are socially confident and integrate well.

Do you teach foreign languages?
Yes, Arabic, French and Latin.

Does the school liaise with public (private) schools in Britain and elsewhere?
Yes, and any other schools the children may be going to. We offer detailed reports to assist in transition and invigilate entrance and scholarship exams if asked to do so.

What do you believe are your main strengths?

Do we have to pay the school fees in one lump sum?
No. School fees can be settled in three instalments.

Are there school buses?
Yes. The School provides transportation through a sub contractor. All buses have central air conditioning, a driver and a chaperone, seat belts and heavy curtains. All drivers carry a mobile phone so that they can be reached by the school administration if necessary, and at least one if not both of the adults on the bus speaks English.

What are your average class sizes?
Our average class size is 20.

What Extra-Curricula Activities do you offer?
Lots. Check out our ECA page.

Does The English School have a swimming pool?
Yes, the construction of a 25 metre 6 lane pool with double deep-ends and adjoining beginners pool has recently been completed. Click here to see a photo

Do you have after school care?
Yes we offer a Late Club.

Do you have pre-school facilities?
We have a 'mother and toddler' room, where mothers (and fathers) can bring their toddlers to meet with other parents and children in a sociable and stimulating environment.

How well are your teaching staff qualified?
All of our staff are British qualified or experienced. We also offer regular INSET for our staff.

What is the language of the playground?
With approximately 40% of the pupils on roll being British (far higher than any other school in Kuwait), and in excess of 60% of pupils from native English speaking countries, the language of the playground is English.

Who runs the school?
The school is legally owned by Mr Mohamed Abudulrahman Al-Bahar, however uniquely for a private school in Kuwait, the owner does not run it as a business for profit. Instead, responsibility for the administration of the school is vested in the Governing Committee whose members serve in a voluntary capacity.

Should I enrol my Year 7 (or 8) child at TES?
Yes. As our school is a small friendly environment to make friends with children who may well move on with them. Many families find that the warm familiarity of our school is reassuring for their children who may already be unsettled by the move to a foreign country. We also work hard not only on the individual's academic potential but also the sense of responsibility. Our seniors therefore are given certain responsibilities (prefects) and privileges that they would not receive at that age in any other school in Kuwait.

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