Dubai school travel advice please.

[Patchworkpatty]

Hi Dubai dwellers, Could any of you lovely helpful people give me an idea how long the school bus will take from The Palm to Gems silicon Oasis ?( School bus is charging aed 8700 each PER child so am considering driving myself. ) What I am attempting to ask in a complicated way is, how long would the bus take with all the stops and drop offs and how long it would take me to drive direct. ? very grateful for your advice.

you might be better off asking this question on expatwoman.com
good luck

Many thanks, I will also try there.

I also want an answer to this question as in the same boat

Had a friend in similar position with a different school and they clubbed together with another family to hire a driver for their Dc's. Agree you will get a better response in Expatwoman.

Well it depends where on the Palm because it's huge and could add another 20 mins to your journey. But from the Al Soufouh road at the bottom of the trunk via Hessa street, Al Khail road, about 25 mins, in good traffic. Seriously you could get a driver for 3000dhs a month and a decent biggish car leased for about 3000dhs per month. If you did that the driver could drive you instead of taxis for nights out. And of course when you can't be in two places at once if you have more than one child and after school activities.
Incidentally just curious as to why you would live on the Palm and send the kids there? Plenty of other lovely places to live that would be easier.

Omg forgot to say. School buses quite rightly go slowish and school starts early 7.30/7.45 so expect to have child on the bus by 6am! Wouldn't do,it myself tbh.

The palm to gems silicon oasis would be least an hour.

Why gems silicon oasis in particular? It's a long way from the palm, even in Dubai standards.
We used the school bus until we got driving licenses and cars organised (do not underestimate how long this takes, you need your visa first) and DH also had a driver for the first few months.
However, now I drive them to their school and they much prefer it to the bus.

Gems silicon because ds is Autistic and Dd has serious dyslexia dyscalculia plus learning delay. I other school place available, have been assured that this would be best school for them. Ds currently in special secondary school in UK and Dd has 15 hrs additional help. If anyone knows anything about sn in Dubai I would be grateful for input. Do people think this is the right place for them ? Or should they stay in their UK schools which are set up for their needs ?

Well if you have seen the school and believe it to be right for your children I would not live on the Palm. It's too long a journey on top of the school day. Why not live in The Villa or Falcon City? If its prestige you want go for Al Barari, it's stunningly beautiful, far more classy.
I wouldn't be over confident that GEMS SO could support your children. I'm not sure about that school in particular, it's relatively new. But there are no schools with that level of support that I am aware of. Many schools have a department offering help but generally it's fairly limited and very costly. If it was me I would be investigating very very closely and requiring detailed specific examples of the level of support on offer.

I agree with Isthiscorrect, I would be asking lots of questions about the provision they say they will offer. I have no personal experience of the school but Dubai schools are not remowned for their special needs provision. It may also be worth bearing in mind that GEMS is a large profit driven group of schools!
I would also agree that the drive from the Palm to Silicon Oasis isn't one that I would choose. There are lots of areas closer to Silicon Oasis and lots of other GEMS schools closer to the Palm.
I hate to put a dampener on things for you but it may also be worth considering that you will not be able to sponsor your son after he turns 18. No provision is made for those with special needs.
Not sure if you've already done it but it may be worth contacting Dubai Autism Center (www.dubaiautismcenter.ae).
Good luck

Definitely don't live on the palm and drive to SO every day!