Designing a Legacy: The Vision Behind the Venture
In a city where ambition often meets reality, designing a new school is about more than just blueprints and brickwork.
11-Oct-2024
We aim to provide a consistently outstanding British education in an inclusive learning and growth environment that prioritises diversity, wellbeing and resilience.
Inside and outside the classroom, we’re bold and committed to shaping a better future by pushing boundaries and striving for excellence in everything we do.
We welcome students, staff and parents from different backgrounds and with assorted abilities. We recognise the strength in our differences and treat everyone with dignity and respect.
Our culture values hard work, free and honest expression and discovery through learning. Our community loves Dubai, serves Dubai and learns from Dubai.
SCHOOLS
YEARS OF EDUCATION IN DUBAI
STUDENT NATIONALITIES
Outstanding Inspection Outcomes
STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED
From the seed of a small Primary School in 1963, our not-for-profit organisation has blossomed into two outstanding British curriculum schools meeting the education and development needs of children from 3-18. Our third school, DESS Academic City primary, will open in September 2025.
Click on the map to learn a little more about each school and its location.
Established in 1963, DESS Oud Metha is the oldest British school in Dubai, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023.
Located in the vibrant Oud Metha community, the school offers easy access to a rich array of cultural and recreational facilities, making it a hub for students and families. With its long-standing reputation for excellence, DESS Oud Metha continues to nurture young minds in an environment steeped in history and tradition.
The school’s location not only reflects its prestigious past but also provides a convenient, centrally located setting for students from across the city to learn, grow, and thrive.
Founded in 2005, DESS College provides outstanding secondary and sixth-form education for students aged 11-18.
Located in the thriving Academic City, the college sits at the heart of Dubai’s educational hub, offering students a dynamic and innovative learning environment. The proximity to the soon-to-open DESS Primary Academic City ensures a seamless progression from primary to secondary education, all within the same vibrant community.
DESS College is not just about academic success; it’s about preparing students for life beyond school in a location that connects them to the future of Dubai’s educational landscape.
Opening its doors in September 2025, DESS Academic City is the latest addition to our family of schools, designed to complement the existing DESS Oud Metha and DESS College campuses. Having two primary schools - both with a rite of passage to DESS College at the end of Year 6, will ensure a strong, ‘homegrown’ flow of DESS primary students for the college.
Nestled in the rapidly developing Academic City on land opposite DESS College, this new-build school will offer state-of-the-art facilities amidst a burgeoning educational community. The location is strategically chosen to provide easy access to Dubai’s growing residential areas, making it an ideal choice for families seeking top-tier British education in a modern, forward-looking environment.
We see a future where schools are vibrant, nurturing communities in which students are
empowered to write their own unique story, care for others and our planet, and emerge as influential characters ready to
make a meaningful impact on the world.
We believe memories are the building blocks of our shared journey. Each moment, each smile and each achievement creates our identity and personal brand. Join us as we celebrate the memories we've created and anticipate the unforgettable moments yet to come.
We have big goals for the learning and development of our students. To consistently meet them, we have worked hard to recruit top teaching talent from around the world, but mainly from the UK. It has enabled us to build effective teams featuring strong leadership, world class teaching and learning standards, supportive relationships, high levels of job satisfaction and a resource for mentoring and supporting new colleagues.
We take the time to get to know each other. We listen to each other. We support each other and we learn from each other.
We have a lot to say and love to share our news and views
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We can't wait to welcome you to our community. We have a bright future, together.