9

I have worked at this school for over 3-years now and it has had its tough times, but generally it is an outstanding place to work. It is a large, corporate school and so often staff get frustrated with the way things are done. However, the purpose of the school is clear and once you accept its purpose you can get on with your job. The students are brilliant - the best that I've ever taught. They are polite, friendly, respectful and generally very hard working. The staff are also great and generally it is a friendly place to work. Facilities are world class for the most part, although the school is lacking in good IT infrastructure within the learning environment. There are plans to improve in this area though. Salary and benefits have to be amongst the best in the world. The housing is great, health care excellent, full flights and tuition for up to 4 children, tax-free, all utilities covered. People save a fortune here! Al Khor is a nice place to live, albeit slightly quieter than what some people may like. Doha, however, is just a 30-minute drive away and it is a vibrant, thriving city with a rich night life and plenty for families and single people to do. This is one of the safest countries in the world, so crime is never an issue. My family and I are very happy here and plan to stay for as long as they will have us...

6

Don't be fooled by the excellent package - flights for up to four dependents and your spouse yearly, tax free salary as well as housing, water, electricity and phone line (not internet) paid for. This school is in a transitional period that is fast making staff question if this is the place for them. This is mostly due to administration placing the blame of failing students on the staff and not on the failings of their decisions, an example of this being essentially an open entry to the sixth form, irrespective of IGCSE results. The constantly changing structure of the EAL department due to administration decisions also impacts widely on results, the fact that 95% of students are EAL students means that many students do not get the instruction that is necessary to help them be successful in any formal assessment. For some staff, housing is excellent, for others it is abysmal; it seems to be that it entirely depends on the luck of the draw. Colleagues are brilliant and band together as administration does little to support. In terms of an allowance to settle in, new staff are given an accommodation allowance to purchase their own furniture - it is not enough to actually equip a home with all the items you would need and you have to pay it back (in decreasing increments) if you leave within four years (at which point you do not have to pay anything back). The school is in a small town, around 30-40 minutes to Doha depending on where in Doha you want to go. You can get all of what you need in the town and there is a little mall with a good supermarket. It is very quiet so staff make their own fun, this in turn does little to attract singles. It is particularly attractive to families and larger families. Many who have left have done so not only because they were unhappy teaching there, but also because they didn't want their children at the school any longer. Think very carefully if the package is really worth it before making the decision.