Full disclosure, I have two kids in the schools on camp.
My general view is the schools try their best. The teachers are enthusiastic and the facilities are pretty good. It’s US curriculum and I would say great for young kids who are less academic and more included to learn through play.
Kids love it and the buses to school are great, coming back at lunch works for us. (Though totally get why this does not work for working couples).
However, I do get the feeling that things used to be better. There’s an undercurrent of something that doesn’t seem right. Hard to put a finger on.
The main issue for me is that my kids are living in a bubble surrounded by largely English as a second language children and parents. I guess that comes with the territory.
I counted two English sounding names on my kids class, that might not be a politically correct statement, but it’s factual.
I am certain this inhibits my kids development, they do extra classes at home to keep on top.
I’m also concerned they will develop that “little emperor” syndrome so many kids exhibit here, they play around other kids with Nannie’s (where are the parents!?) who largely have a different approach to treating others. In short the values based system I grew up with back home is absent here, it’s not a microcosm of American culture as Aramco like to pretend in its marketing.
So like many others, it works for now. But when the kids get a bit older they will go home to study, where they can get a more serious education best placed to set them up for their life ahead.