Local government schools

[goalie]

Do any expat types, ie not locals, have their children at local government schools rather than the independent fee paying international schools. If so what ones, why did you choose them and how did ypour kids fit in, is language a problem with the kids making friends with the locals, my children are english aged 8 & 12yrs.

[expat1]

I have 2 kids in local school (primary).  I chose the one closest to my house.  I think it is impossible, as a non-citizen, non-PR, non-"old boy" to get in to one of the so-called better local schools.  

They have no problems except find study of chinese mother tongue difficult because they had no exposure to chinese before going to school.  We could opt out but I felt that exposure and whatever they can pick up is better than nothing.

They have friends at school and come home happy.  The system is different and class size is about 40 pupils per.  However, if you don't gripe or get in a tiff about it, kids adapt and do fine.  It may not be the same as home, but isn't that at least part of why we are here.

There are no other caucasians in their classes, but I have seen a few other caucasians at the school.  Some schools have more than others.  I have heard of a school named Swiss Cottage that supposedly more than a few expats send their kids to.

[PraJo]

Swiss Cottage is now called Balestiar hill primary.

[whynottry]

for girls, Methodist Girls' School, which is a primary and secondary school, or for boys, Anglo-Chinese School, which is the ACS family, with 2 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, and 1 JC... MGS and ACS are sibling schools, and they have expats in the school..