boardhouse
Hello
We are moving to Bali in few months with our 7yo son and I would like to ask your recent opinions about the english schools in Bali.
I know there are more than dozen schools and prices vary.
Thank you for everyone.
Timothy
Markit
Why would anyone bring their 7 year old son to a school in Bali? Are the schools in Uzbekistan full? Do you hate the kid that much? What did he ever do to you?
The schools here are shite!
It's great in Bali if you are semi comatose from alcoholism, which I presume the kid is not, but if you should have any aspirations at all for the little feckers future then think again oh, great Solomon.
ferdie
I think you should inform us which area are you going to live before asking for schools advice:biggrin:
balibule
Maybe he's gonna choose to live close to the school he picks?
boardhouse
Thank you for all of you. Specially for Markit.
We have been thing about Canggu, Sanur axis area but basically the schools will also affect the area we'll be moving.
We wouldn't like to spend all day in traffic jams while bringing our son to school.
Thanx
Timothy
Yeamyeam
Try SLK at Gunung Salak. My daughter is happy to be there.
boardhouse
Yeamyeam wroteTry SLK at Gunung Salak. My daughter is happy to be there.
Thank you for your time.
Timothy
JohnnyCool
Hi Timothy
My son (17) went to the [I]Bali International School[/I] (in Sanur) for a while last year. It seems to be a pretty decent school although I'm not a fan of the International Baccalaureate system.
There are a couple of other ones in/near Sanur, like [I]Sekolah Dyatmika[/I] and [I]Sanur Independent School[/I].
The most amazing school I've ever seen anywhere is the [I]Green School[/I].
I would suggest that you look these up on the internet.
[QUOTE][I]We wouldn't like to spend all day in traffic jams while bringing our son to school.[/I][/QUOTE]
If you opt to stay in the Canggu area, you [I]might[/I] find that's the case.
Sanur is much more laid back and a better option (in my opinion) in many ways.
:couple_inlove:
[h=3][/h]
[h=3][/h]
boardhouse
Hi JohnnyCool
Thank you for your precious time
All the best.
Timothy
Markit
The Green School is a disaster, send the kid there. That way he will not blame you entirely when he graduates and gets his first job as a window washer.
They can't keep staff and their whole direction is ecology and sustainability, which is great if you wanted the kid to have a religious education but then you could always go to Iran.
boardhouse
Markit, I just don't like your posts, I love them.
Thank you for your precious time.
Markit
Well boardhouse at least you have a good sense of humor - you are gonna need it when your seven year old first comes home speaking English with a Balinese accent and then Balinese with an English accent and by then he will have forgotten most of his English and probably won't know Balinese yet worth a shite.
Maybe brush up on some sign language? Oh hell, just get him an Xbox and the communications comes to a screeching halt anyway.
Have a nice day (the only thing "precious" about my time is that I have lots and lots)
Markit
balibule
** Gandhi International School (GIS). we've heard that the approach to education at GIS is "rote" learing, i.e. learning is through memorization.
I've heard the exact opposite.
Ghandi is also an IB School (
International Baccalaureate)
surfermoe
Boardhouse, my wife and I just moved to Bali (despite reading Markit's posts before we moved here). We have two sons, ages 7 and 11.
We did a lot of research into schools, and finally settled on Canggu Community School. Our kids just started there yesterday. Here is my assessment of some of the major schools:
** Canggu Community School (CCS) has a growing student body (from 350 a couple of years ago to over 500 this year), which I think reflects the quality of the school and growth of the Canggu area.
Pros of the school:
- IB designation
- Kids from 30-odd different countries
- Excellent sports facilities. The school is spread out on a campus, and is also affiliated with with the Canggu Club. This means it has (or has access to) swimming pools, tennis courts, a basketball court, etc.
- The school also has a small building in which visiting Balinese artists can demonstrate their creations to students
One of my boys is very sports-oriented ans the other is more arts-oriented. I feel CCS has much to offer both of them.
** Bali International School is apparently the oldest (prestigious?) international school in Bali. I visited the school this past November, and was impressed by its emphasis on academics. Like CCS, it's also an IB school, and seems to have a decent sports program. What I didn't like was (1) it's in Sanur (also called "Snore" by some people), and (2) the campus is small compared to CCS. I was also recently told by a former student that BIS has been having "administrative problems", and there's been an exodus of teachers from there.
** Bali Montessori. Both of my boys attended a Montessori school in Canada for years before we moved here. My wife and I love the Montessori approach to education, but I was disappointed by the size of the main school here in Bali (very small and cramped) and location (in Seminyak, along a busy and congested road). The principal and teachers seem wonderful, however. Academically, I'm sure it's a great choice. Also, I understand that the school will be moving to a much bigger campus this year. I'm not sure I'd want my kids attending the school during its transition, but will consider it for next year, if CCS doesn't work out for us this year.
** Gandhi International School (GIS). We considered this school because my wife is from India, but then rejected it because we heard it's like a school in India! In other words, we've heard that the approach to education at GIS is "rote" learing, i.e. learning is through memorization. Coming from Canada, I would like more emphasis on creativity and free-thinking in my kids' education.
So there's my (obviously biased) assessment of a few schools. If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them.
Moe
Markit
Guys I've got nothing against any of these schools if you are only gonna put your kids there for 2 years or so but if you are gonna make a long term commitment out of the Bali visit then you should really consider the effect this will have in later life on the little ones.
My daughter did the I B in a place called Salem School in southern Germany and I found it to be a wonderful, broadbased learning experience that demanded high standards from the kids [B][U]and the staff![/U][/B]
Now amongst other things at the recent Jazz Festival in Ubud I spent an evening talking to 2 IB teachers with 25 years of experience who both loved the course and hated the way it was taught in Bali and had absolutely nothing good to say about any of the schools here, nothing! I found myself in the very peculiar position of trying to defend some of them.
Amongst other academic problems the staff are promised a working permit by the schools but this drags on and on throughout the year until one of the regular raids from Immagrazzi when the staff are all told per sms to "go hide".
Sound conducive to good learning? Keep the buckets, ladders and window wipes handy.
surfermoe
Markit wrote...if you are only gonna put your kids there for 2 years or so but if you are gonna make a long term commitment out of the Bali visit then you should really consider the effect this will have in later life on the little ones.
I agree with this completely. From what other parents have told me, and from what I've read online, most/all international schools in Bali are just "okay" academically. And one parent I know has looked into where CCS students rank on exit exams, compared with schools in the UK. He said their scores are middle of the pack. Not sure I'd want my kids going to high school here.
JohnnyCool
[QUOTE]Bali International School is apparently the oldest (prestigious?) international school in Bali. I visited the school this past November, and was impressed by its emphasis on academics. Like CCS, it's also an IB school, and seems to have a decent sports program. What I didn't like was (1) it's in Sanur (also called "Snore" by some people)[/QUOTE]
Yes, Sanur is called [I]Snore[/I] by some, but at least it doesn't have the traffic jams around Canggu, Kerobokan, Legian, etc. At least not yet.
As Markit mentioned, BIS did have some "administrative problems" a while ago. I went to one meeting of staff and parents and came away even more confused than I started.
I'm not sure, but I think somebody was ripping somebody else off (fairly commonplace in Bali/Indonesia). My understanding at the meeting was that there were quite a few "irregularities" that had been going on a long time.
My first question was something like "If there have been longstanding problems, why is it only now that we're having this meeting?"
I didn't get anything like a credible answer.
My son has since gone back to Australia so I have no idea if the problems at BIS have been resolved.
I also don't know how differently the IB syllabus is taught in different countries. I was surprised that the English syllabus (in Bali) didn't have even one Shakespeare play on it, as well as lots of other important figures (Keats, Yeats, Dickens, Swift, Blake, Poe, Whitman, Bronte...[I]et al[/I]).
:icon_cool:
Joe Writeson
Hi Mr MarkIT...your insightful comments have convinced us that we should go for our second choice and settle in North Korea...thanks...nahhhh my 9yo will sort out any school he ends up at...he is a loud self-opinionated knowitall with an attitude problem..musta got that from his Mother's Javanese side...
Joe Writeson
I'll be arriving with a tough no nonsense 9yo useful fullback who speaks perfect English, Bahasa and Javanese and a demure 14yo Javanese Princess but born on Bali...who thinks and acts like she's 21 and considers anywhere that ISN'T Singapore is in the Stone Age.....err school suggestions please ..oh and we'll be living as close to Gilimanuk as possible
Joe Writeson
'Sound conducive to good learning? Keep the buckets, ladders and window wipes handy'
...that is just so inappropriate...your comment is out of order and not constructive at all....whatever happened to 'do you want fries with that?'
