The English School of Kyrenia

Les&Tasha


Joined: 17/03/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 12:15

As promised here are our impressions of the private schools we visited. We are posting these threads for reference by other parents who are thinking of educating their children in Cyprus:-



The English School of Kyrenia.



The glossy blue brochure for bears no resemblance whatsoever to the current school on Mustafa Cagatey Cadesi. There is a new school being built off the Bellapais road which is scheduled for occupation in September this year. My wife felt that choosing this school was like buying an off plan property. All glitzy artists impressions, big ideas and a teacher whose spiel was more like an Emlak’s. The current operation appears to have grown from a kindergarten. Maybe this school will become a good option but you will have to wait three years to know for sure. The fees are more expensive than the GAU and given the ambitious building plans are almost certain to rise.

kamaks


Joined: 03/03/2009
Posts: 123

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 12:49

Thank you for this Les and Tasha its a gret help, we are hoping to come over this month to check out schools. We are seriously thinking about relocating from Istanbul this summer.Girne seems to be the best place to live thats why I was hoping for a glowing report on ESK .In cyberspace this school sounds perfect for us with 3 boys. .Would you guys not consider this school at all?

Did you not check out sunnylane?

ataturk


Joined: 09/09/2008
Posts: 712

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 17:35

Our children go to Gau but we are far from happy there. Althoguh you pay your money thinking its a private school it really is just a glorified state school. There are some excellent qualified teachers there and some not so qualified. We are considering moving to ESK and have had glowing reports from it so far. I know someone who works there and her son also goes to Gau but she is pulling him out this year to go to ESK. There has been too many problems at Gau and we have even considered sending the children to a state school.



I cannot comment on Sunny Lane but there has been recent posts on here so you can do a search and find the relevant info.



With regards to schools in the south I would think very carefully about sending children there if you are going to live in Girne, the travel and long day may be too much for young children.

Les&Tasha


Joined: 17/03/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 18:52

Re Msg 2



The Cyberspace view is not real. It would depend on how old your boys are. If they are all primary school age then take a look at the current set up. It is not bad. However the secondary school does not really exist yet so it can hardly be recomended...



Sunny Lane did not make our list. We did not visit. There is a lot of bad comment on the internet. Not that we believe it all but with so much some of it must be justified. Also the fees have risen very rapidly in recent years.



You must visit these schools yourselves if they are under serious consideration. Your criteria may be different to ours. It would be interesting to compare notes.

rsalih


Joined: 01/11/2008
Posts: 306

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 19:01

have you tried the Near East College, which takes children from 3 years to uni age. My daughter is a teacher there.

Yellowbelly


Joined: 17/05/2009
Posts: 70

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 19:03

My daughter goes to ESK, she is extremely happy and is getting a good education.

Vidal


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 867

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 19:45

Les and Tasha



We recently visited Sunny Lane having thought about moving to TRNC for two years. We needed to know that our 14year old son would be happy and supported making the move as He is just about to start his GCSE's.



We spoke to everyone, from the chap washing the buses, the ladies in the office, the cooks in the canteen, the kids and the teachers and I cannot speak more highly of our impressions so far.



We too have read everything there is to read about Sunny Lane but preferred to do the homework ourselves rather than rely on 'he said...she said'.



As you say..we all need something different for our Kids and by visiting all the schools you will find the one that suits you.



For our son Sunny Lane ticks all the boxes.

Les&Tasha


Joined: 17/03/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
31/05/2009 23:58

Re Message 6 - The existing primary school looks OK and we respect your personal recomendation. This does not explain why ESK is projecting a false public image? Anyone who visits the school in person will see the vast descrepancy between the advertised product and reality...



Re message 7 - If you wish to praise Sunny Lane then start a new thread for that school. This one is about ESK.

Vidal


Joined: 14/05/2009
Posts: 867

Message Posted:
01/06/2009 03:14

OK bossy boots...But you mentioned Sunny Lane, I answered.

fallenangel


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 125

Message Posted:
16/06/2009 11:05

My son currently goes to Sunny Lane, year 10 and benefits from there being 9 kids in the class at present, so they get plenty of attention and encouragement. He has just taken 2 IGCSE's a year early, which he may not have been

able to do in a UK school, and is studying for an additional course after school one day a week.

The fees have risen in the past year, also a charge is now made separately for the school bus if used, but compared to the UK again it would come out on top. ( lunches are included in the fees)

Unfortunately Mr Leyland the head will be leaving this year, he ran a tight ship but was respected by all the pupils for his no nonsense approach, and also taught history.Hopefully they have an equally capable replacement for September.

We had been promised a new six form to be built to cover A level studies, but this is not happening at present, which means pupils have to decide between GAU, the new English School at Bellapais currently being built, or returning to th

jolly


Joined: 15/06/2009
Posts: 4

Message Posted:
16/06/2009 12:04

My child goes to ESK, and is very happy and is doing fantastically well. I have visited most of the schools on this Island and in my opinion there is no question that ESK is by far the best.

'The glossy blue brochure for bears no resemblance whatsoever to the current school' ESK has only been open for nine month, so like all newly founded school they have to use imagination to give the concept of what they are trying to achieve.

The past academic year, there is only been three classes, however the school is progressing into a key stage 1 and 2 school for this coming September with only a few places left.

I have every faith in ESK to build bridges for the future and would not hesitate at all to recommend ESK to anyone who has their children’s best interests at heart.

Well done to all of the staff and the founders of the school.

twinky


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 74

Message Posted:
17/06/2009 18:46

I think the school is excellent, so does my child!!

Les&Tasha


Joined: 17/03/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
17/06/2009 20:18

Hello jolly,



I will reply to your comments in detail =



"'The glossy blue brochure for bears no resemblance whatsoever to the current school' ESK has only been open for nine month, so like all newly founded school they have to use imagination to give the concept of what they are trying to achieve."



So you think it is honest to have a chapter in the brochure about their IB program when no such program exists or will exist for years to come? Or to include photos of an Olympic sized swiming pool which does not exist and will likely never exist?



If you published this school brochure in England you would be prosecuted for misrepresentation.



"I have every faith in ESK to build bridges for the future and would not hesitate at all to recommend ESK to anyone who has their children’s best interests at heart."



Belief which is beyond arguement. After all you may believe that fairies live at the bottom of your garden !!

Yellowbelly


Joined: 17/05/2009
Posts: 70

Message Posted:
18/06/2009 21:10

Les and Tasha. Do you have to be so rude?

sienna


Joined: 09/01/2009
Posts: 1627

Message Posted:
18/06/2009 21:34

if you look back they always rude abrupt and down right nasty shame it appears they are moving her - I wouldnt engage in the debate with them

Pixie


Joined: 18/03/2009
Posts: 489

Message Posted:
18/06/2009 21:51

Im glad that les and tasha posted their comments about schools in general. I also have the same pre requisites for my child-who is arriving in July.



One of the most stressful things about moving here was a decent english-speaking education for our child.



He will start to attend a kindergarten when he is around 2.5 and so far our only option is Miss Judy's even though we live in Nicosia. We thought to put him into ESK for primary school but I changed my mind after reading les and tashas posting. Who knows perhaps they will join the IB program and get a pool installed in 5 years time, but it was shocking for me to read that there was no such thing, especially after all the ads we saw in the kibris papers.



I think different people place importance on different things, and we can't all agree on everything.



But I don't see the coments that les and tasha make as rude, they are just repeating what they believe in and they have made similar comments before in msgs 1,4,8 and 13.

NatAless



Joined: 31/03/2009
Posts: 789

Message Posted:
19/06/2009 14:29

kamaks, sorry to change subject but how do you find living in Istanbul, I see you want to move here but just wanted your views on life there! Maybe I could email you?

Thanks

Natx

Marisa


Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 545

Message Posted:
19/06/2009 15:15

You are telling about ESK, what is it ?

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
19/06/2009 21:52

les & tasha,

take no notice it takes allsort. i know your sound!

regards S.

kofaliking


Joined: 20/06/2009
Posts: 126

Message Posted:
20/06/2009 19:59

For a child moving from to TRNC, the Sunny Lane School is by far the best, i mean i suppose i am being biast, but from recommendation we recieved when choosing a school for my kid sister, all pointed highly towards Sunny Lane.

It is private school working towards the final exams using the IGCSE curriculum which is basically identical to the English GCSE qualification. So your child isnt going to be confused by new lessons, they will feel perfectly comfortable in this school. I believe now, there is approx 45 students in the whole school, leaving the lessons to about 10 students per. This is going to allow for a better standard of education than in England nowdays!

Are you worried about transport? Dont be, they have a bus service which will pick up your child and take them to school, and the child is not allowed to leave school premises after school unattended, beliterating all the antisocial behavior you see elsewhere.



Highly recommended.



Hope this helps everyone out!



M

Taliha


Joined: 13/08/2009
Posts: 208

Message Posted:
18/08/2009 23:36

At GAU they have the International Prep School, which also do the IGCSE exams, and follow the english curriculum. The head teacher there Miss Ross is very, very good, and sets very high standards in education and disipline. They also have a bus service, a large range of after school activities (even some for the little ones in the nursery school), a summer school, a swimming pool and a cinema. My daughter goes there and is very happy, and doing very well.

woozy


Joined: 19/08/2009
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
19/08/2009 15:02

hi my daughter is 13 in october could any one tell me wat school fees are for private schools compared to public schools and are there any in girne area

tulik


Joined: 14/07/2009
Posts: 220

Message Posted:
19/08/2009 15:28

An issue exists where the Cypriot and English children do not mix in English schools. My daughter attended Sunny Lane so I speak from experience. They do have small classes but this is a double edge sword because in the end there were not many children for my daughter to mix with. When I spoke to the teacher she showed no interest about encourageing the 2 groups of children to mix even when bullying occurred. And after speaking to other parents the same was normal in other years. You need a school that considers this and will listen to the parents. My daughter will start ESK this September, after voicing my concerns to the directors I am heartened to find they are aware of this and take bullying very serioulsy no matter who the parents maybe of any child in question responsible for bullying.