Hi,
My name is Marja, currently living in Russia but moving with my family to Mauritius in August.
Our daughters (15 and 12) will enroll in an IB school. The choice seems to be between Le Bocage and Northfields and I have read great reviews on both on various forums and blogs, which is great of course!
However, a few questions remain and I would very much welcome feedback from other parents!
1. Am I right in believing that NIS keeps a northern hemnisphere timetable, starting term 1 in August? Le Bocage seems to start in January, which brings up the issue of delayed start including when going to uni in Europe. Anyone who had to make this decision and can share the experience?
2. I read a comment that students at NIS speak mostly French among themselves. Not so great for my daughters who don't speak French yet. Can anyone confirm? Assuming this is not the case at Le Bocage?
3. We will be living in Floreal and from what I understand the drive to the north takes a very long time due to slow traffic. Have any new roads opened yet to make this quicker? Would it be reasonable to assume it would take about an hour each way on school runs?
A lot of questions, I know, but I would be very happy with any feedback from you! Thanks!
Marja
Mauritius - IB School - traffic
Hello , NIS starts 21 August
We visited the school last year November and our kids start there April this year.
Lovely school with a good mix of expats and Mauritians so lots of English speaking kids.
My kids don't speak a word of French either.
As far as traffic goes I can't really help
You as we will be living in the North.
Regards cara
I can't really comment on NIS but my daughter is at Le Bocage. Both school, I'd believe have a good mix of language (just to reflect the situation on the island), where English & French are spoken at random ... or where it fits the correspondent.
From Floreal, Le Bocage is nearer as compared to NIS. However, the Verdun branch road makes things a lot easier to go down to north. You don't need to cross Port Louis. I usually reach Grand Bay, in around 20 minutes from Trianon.
Hi there,
The language barrier is not really there as in both Schools there will be a mix of both. If you will be in Floreal then your best bet will be Le Bocage as Northfields may be a bit far. Even with the new bypass may take up to two hours to and from Northfields.
Regards AJ
Thanks Nadeem. Very helpful. Still, 20 minutes during peak hours??
Thanks for this!
Well, I'm planning to shift to north... and we have tested the route (the other way round) from north to Bocage... still 20 - 30 minutes max.
So yes, it works for me :-)
Articles to help you in your expat project in Mauritius
Mauritius is quickly becoming a higher education hub for the region as it offers many options. Most Mauritian ...
Expats moving to Mauritius generally prefer international or even French and Anglo-Saxon schools to local schools ...
Mauritius has a well-developed public transport network, although the frequency and working hours might not work ...
Opening a bank account in Mauritius can help you in many ways, including to receive your salary, pay your monthly ...
Health is a major issue when moving abroad. Are expats eligible for the Mauritian health system? What are the ...
The list below contains emergency numbers in Mauritius, should you be in need for assistance at any ...
