Submit A Real School Report

Real School Reports are an invaluable source of unofficial information from real expats like you. If you are an expat we urge you to submit your own report about a school that you are familiar with.

Please keep in mind:

Please leave questions to which you have no response or that don't apply to you blank; they will automatically be removed from the final report.
Our reports are valuable because they are based on direct personal experiences, which vary from family to family. Please include any anecdotes and examples that will be helpful to other families, while avoiding generalizations which may not be valid for others and which may even represent defamation of the school. (For instance, “This school tolerates bullying” is a potentially defamatory generalization, while “My second-grader experienced bullying, and the administration did not seem to listen to our concerns” is an honest report of a personal experience). All Real School Reports (just like Real Post Reports) will be edited prior to publishing. If you feel that your report has been edited erroneously, please contact us.

Note: The School Report form will time out after 4 hours and fail to submit. If you think you might need more than 4 hours to complete the questions we recommend first saving your answers in a separate document. This is necessary for security and to avoid requiring you to create an account and log in when you visit our site. Thank you very much!

Your post will be saved and reviewed by editorial staff prior to publication; it will not appear on the site until the editing and review process is complete. Please contact the editors at [email protected] if you wish to confirm submission of your report.

School Name:

School URL:

City:

Your Name:

Your Email:

Remain Anonymous:

Background Information

1. Are you the parent of a child(ren) attending this school? A teacher at the school? Or both?

2. What grade or grades do/did your children attend at the school? During what year(s) did they attend the school?

3. What years did you live here?

4. What was your reason for living in the city where the school is located (e.g., government, military, corporate, NGO, retired)?

5. Are other schools available to expatriates in this city? Why did you choose this particular school?

Admissions & Welcome

1. Are the admissions and placement procedures clearly stated to prospective families, either on the school website or through other means of communication?

2. How would you rate the school's support and welcome/integration of new students and their families, and why?

Administration & School Procedures

1. How is the overall communication between teachers and parents, and the administration and parents? How is communication facilitated?

2. Aside from school fees, are there required expenses such as uniforms, laptops/tablets, musical instruments, or field trips that parents are expected to cover? What are the approximate costs?

Academics & Resources

1. What personal or academic counseling resources are available at this school? Is there a dedicated college counselor at the school? Is he/she familiar with universities worldwide?

2. Is there before and/or after-school daycare available? What are the costs?

3. Does the school have a library? How large is it? How updated are the books? Can students borrow books to read at home?

4. What are the technology requirements for students? Do they need their own laptops/ipads? How is technology integrated into the classroom and homework?

5. How are information technology resources at the school. Are they up-to-date? Is there a computer lab?

6. Describe the physical education resources at the school. Is there a gym? A swimming pool? Are there playing fields or tennis courts available?

7. What is the approximate teacher-to-student ratio in the grades that your child attended?

8. Are Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses available in upper grades? If this is an IB school, is the full diploma required of all students?

9. Are students generally challenged appropriately by the curriculum? Please describe any particular strengths or weaknesses in this area. Do you have any thoughts how the curriculum is applied and implemented at this school?

10. Is the amount and type of homework generally appropriate for the age and grade of the students?

11. What fine arts electives are available (music, drama, visual arts)?

12. Are the teachers at the school required to speak English as a first language--or at least fluently?

13. What services are available for gifted/advanced students at the school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.

14. What services are available for students with learning disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.

15. What services are available for students with physical disabilities at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.

16. What services are provided for speakers of English as a second language at this school? Please describe your experience with these services, if applicable.

17. What extra-curricular activities (including sports) are available at this school? Have your children participated in these activities? What activities do you feel are missing at the school?

Social & Emotional Well-Being

1. What is the climate for LGBT+ kids at this school? Are there resources they can draw upon? Does there appear to be any exclusionary behavior?

2. What is the climate for children with special needs? Is there a general attitude of inclusion for children with special needs?

3. Do expatriate students socialize with local students at the school? Are both groups successfully integrated into the school culture?

4. Are there are any problems with exclusionary behavior, cliques, or bullying at this school? Please describe any problems your children may have experienced in this area.

5. What is the climate for students who identify as ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious minorities at this school? Are there resources they can draw upon? Have your children had any experiences in this area?

6. What can you say about diversity among the faculty and staff at the school and their experience in supporting minority students?

Overall Impressions

1. What letter grade (ranging from A, excellent, to F, fail) would you assign to this school based on your overall experience? Would you choose it again?

2. Please describe some of your child's/children's highlights and challenges during their time at this school.

3. Please tell us anything else you think prospective parents and students should know about this school. Thanks for your contribution!

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