What are the schools in Saudi Arabia like?

"Great school and programs. However, if your child cannot follow directions and stay out of trouble, don't come. The schools have very good zero tolerance policies," commented one expat when asked about Dhahran school system in Dhahran.

"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.