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Welcome from the CEO
Hello and welcome.
You’re facing one of life’s high-stakes decisions.
One that must consider curriculum, ratings, convenience, culture, reputation, and facilities - and then dig even deeper until instinct says you’re there.
At DESS Primary Oud Metha and DESS College, we are a vibrant, successful, inclusive community of students, teachers, parents, and alumni who tackle today’s most pressing challenges with courage and creativity.
Like you, we understand that the greatest gift we can give our children is the joy of learning in an environment where they are known, heard, safe and appropriately challenged, and where their little quirks make them special.
For more than 60 years, our hubs of learning and growth have been transforming lives with a powerful combination of British education and the not-for-profit status freedom to invest every surplus dirham straight back into enhancing our school and college.
To help us prepare for the next 60 years and beyond, in September 2025 we will welcome students, parents and staff to DESS Primary Academic City. When it opens, the new-build school will be a third Dubai English Speaking Schools campus – and another that comprises so much more than just buildings. It will be a third incubator for ability and ambition, where endeavour and discipline sit alongside decency, respect, kindness, and empathy. Working closely with me on this remarkable new primary school are our two Principals, Chris Vizzard and Catherine Dando alongside our Trustees and partners.
It’s such a privilege to be able to watch tomorrow’s creators, thinkers, and pioneers as they work out how they want to make their mark on the world.
How fortunate we are to have so much history and so many eager and talented youngsters to continue writing it for us.
So come and visit us. Take a tour and talk to our students, teachers, and families. See for yourself why our schools and college are places where futures are shaped.
We can't wait to welcome you to our community.
Warmest regards
Andrew Gibbs
Principal
Principal
![Christopher Vizzard G_DESC](https://dess.sch.ae/hs-fs/hubfs/Christopher%20Vizzard%20G_DESC.jpg?height=2000&name=Christopher%20Vizzard%20G_DESC.jpg)
Chris Vizzard
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Catherine Dando
After earning a First-Class Honours degree in Education from Brighton University, Catherine (Katie) dedicated nearly three decades to primary education in the UK, taking on roles from class teacher to Literacy Leader, and Deputy Headteacher to Headteacher. Her passion for early literacy also led her to share her expertise as a lecturer at Brighton University.
Her leadership skills were recognised with her completion of the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) in 2010, followed by a successful period as a Primary Headteacher in Worthing, UK. Katie’s collaborative approach to education included serving on the Heads Executive, contributing to discussions and initiatives aimed at enhancing school performance.
In 2014, she became the Headteacher of DESS Primary Oud Metha. Her focus has been on creating engaging learning environments that encourage DESS Primary students to pursue lifelong learning. As a mother of three, she brings a personal touch to her role, eagerly welcoming new students, and their families to DESS, and a journey of learning, growth, and discovery.
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Our Journey
DESS Primary Oud Metha celebrated its 60th birthday in 2023 and is the oldest British school in Dubai. DESS College opened in 2005 and provides Secondary and Sixth Form education from ages 11-18.
When it opens in September 2025, the new-build DESS Primary Academic City will sit alongside our existing DESS Primary Oud Metha and DESS College.
All our schools provide opportunities for students to flourish in a DESS environment built on kindness, gratitude, and humanity, that ensures they are not only aspirational but also nurtured in their creative, social, and emotional capacities.
Together, DESS Primary Oud Metha and DESS College educate 2,800 students according to the English National Curriculum, and we’re proud and delighted that they are consistently rated as Outstanding by the Dubai schools’ regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspectorate.
Having not-for-profit status means that DESS Primary Oud Metha and DESS College are not required to deliver profits to owners, shareholders, or investors. Like other not-for-profit entities, once our running costs have been met, every surplus dirham can be invested directly into our schools.
And this isn’t new. In fact, it’s been the case ever since DESS’s first 10 students arrived at a small block of flats in 1963 to be taught by a British airman on loan from Sharjah RAF base.
Those humble beginnings quickly paved the way for the appointment of our first Headteacher Harry Atkinson the following year, the move to our cherished Oud Metha site in 1967, and the formation of our Board of Trustees in 1969.
Countless other defining moments of growth and achievement followed as we marched through the decades to 2003 and our bold decision to build DESS College so that our Year 6 children had a guaranteed secondary school destination at a time when there were so few options.
Then came the addition of our Sixth Form campus in 2017, along with the acquisition of the grounds and facilities that went with it.
And here we are again. On the brink of another new adventure with our new primary school in Academic City opening in September 2025. Relevant, radiant, and raring to make more important decisions to make sure we protect and preserve our school and college for the next 60 years.
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1963
First ten children taught in a small block of flats.
DESS then moves into a "Nissan Hut" where the Dry Docks are now located. -
1967
DESS moves to the Oud Metha site
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1969
First DESS Board of Trustees appointed
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1974
DESS expands to four classes in each year group - from Reception to Year 5
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1977
The legendary Bernadette McCarthy is appointed Headteacher serving in her role for 20 years
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1984
DESS uniform is introduced
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1987
Princess Anne opens the Administration Building
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1989
Latifa Hall opens
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2003
Decision to build DESS College (formerly known as DESC)
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2005
DESS College is opened by Queen Camilla
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2014
DESS opens Foundation Stage 1 (F51)
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2017
DESS College opens a purpose built Sixth Form
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2023
DESS celebrates 60 years
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2025
DESS to open a second Primary school in Academic City
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Why Choose
Dubai English Speaking Schools?
You made a list and you’re gradually reducing it to a handful of schools that seem to fit the child you have today and the bright, ambitious young adult you dream of having tomorrow.
But the future isn’t just what we dream about. It’s what we create together.
Being told that we are ‘Outstanding’ each year isn’t just an excuse to print another corridor poster.
It means the world to us and gives us the impetus to continue striving for excellence inside and outside our classrooms.
For our students, it means learning and growing in a community that offers a warm embrace, true belonging, encouragement to take risks, and a chance to get something from each day rather than just get through each day.
For our parents, it means collaboration and contribution.
And our staff? Well, they’re the dream makers. The master builders who work with British curriculum blueprints and believe the best outcome for your child is to leave a DESS Primary or DESS College having achieved his, her or their full potential.
Our culture values hard work, and free and honest expression and discovery. Our community loves Dubai, serves Dubai, and learns from Dubai.
We welcome students, staff and parents with different backgrounds, diverse perspectives, assorted abilities, and wide-ranging experiences to come and learn, innovate, and feel empowered to flourish in a safe environment built on respect, kindness, and inclusiveness.
Board of Trustees
DESS’s locally based elected Trustees actively support and promote the School’s and College’s mission, vision and strategic goals. They guarantee that there is generous reinvestment in the school to meet both short and long-term opportunities to remain world-class.
Board of Trustees President Vince Cook's DESS connections began in 2016. His journey from Treasurer in 2017 to President in 2018, has sat alongside his responsibilities as CEO of the National Bank of Fujairah, and his toughest job of all - father of five former DESS students!
Mr Vince Cook MBE
Ammar Shams became a DESSC Trustee in 2016 after senior roles with HSBC Group. As Project Manager for Dubai’s Ministry of Federal National Council Affairs he coordinated the first ever UAE elections. A member of the Advisory Board for the University of Strathclyde in the UAE, his academic research led to a PhD in Law.
Ammar Shams
A British solicitor, General Secretary & Trustee Helen Barratt joined the Board in 2017 to provide guidance and oversight on legal matters and ensure that the Board operates in an effective and compliant manner. Helen has a keen interest in the safeguarding, inclusion and special education needs of SEND pupils and ensuring that DESS continues to be outstanding in this area.
Helen Barratt
When Chair of Finance Justin Crowley joined the Board in 2019 he brought with him 20 years of audit and consultancy services within the UAE and UK education sectors.
Justin Crowley
One of the first Governors (as they were then) of DESC when it opened in 2006 with 250 Students, Dame Maggie Thorne joined the combined DESSC Board in 2010. In 2018, she was appointed Community Trustee, reporting to the Board on Primary and Secondary school community activities. Among her many achievements, she and other governors wrote the Articles of Association for DESS; which have remained unchanged since.
Dame Maggie Thorne
Dr Hannah al Ali went through DESS and DESC, before gaining her bachelor’s degree maths at Brunel University in London and then achieving her Master’s degree and a PhD in maths at Coventry University. In doing so, Hannah became Dubai’s first female maths PhD holder. She is currently Dean of the School of Mathematics and Data Science at Emirates Aviation University. When she joined the Trustees in 2020, Hannah has also followed in the DESSC Board footsteps of her mum Sophia Panayotou, who was a DESS Trustee from 2002 – 2013.
Dr Hannah al Ali
Jonathan Siklos joined the Board in 2019 and chairs the HR Sub-Committee. A non-native Arabic speaker, Jonathan also runs the UAE’s oldest community theatre company, the Dubai Drama Group.
Jonathan Siklos
DESS parent Darren Clarke is currently the Chief Financial Officer at the Commercial Bank of Dubai and joined the Board in 2019.
Darren Clarke
Former student and change management specialist Nisha Patel-Wakerley grew up in Dubai and lives here with her husband and son. She joined the board in 2023.
Nisha Patel-Wakerley
Alexis Waller also joined the Board in 2023 and is a highly regarded real estate and hospitality lawyer providing advice to education sector clients on all aspects of their business.
Alexis Waller
Mother of three past and present DESSC students Dr Lames Abdul Hadi is a Higher Education Inspector at the Ministry of Education in the UAE and a certified accreditation evaluator from the Council of International Schools (CIS).
Dr Lames Abdul Hadi
Real estate and construction expert Patrick Rouse was responsible for the full development lifecycle of the Downtown Dubai and Zabeel masterplans.
Patrick Rouse
Alumni
Tapping into an alumni network is like being able to call a friend for a shortcut when you're stuck in traffic. It can be a game-changer.
We launched DESS Connect with five clear goals in mind for our students while they’re with us, and then afterwards:
- Encourage connections with mentors
- Unlock sources of career advice, inspiration, and referrals
- Provide opportunities for experiential learning, placements, and internships
- Facilitate job opportunities
- Share information about nostalgia events and news
While they were students at DESS, our alumni mastered learning and lived through countless challenges to emerge with values and versatility that hopefully equipped them for ‘life on the outside’!
Engaging them in an alumni group that is just as committed to recognising their achievements and to supporting their endeavours – while also giving them a chance to put something back, has created a raft of opportunities that benefit students at many stages of their DESS journey.
Build Your Own
![Future](https://dess.sch.ae/hs-fs/hubfs/DESS_May2024/Images/Future.png?width=1132&height=195&name=Future.png)
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.
British Schools in the Middle East
The BSME supports high quality British international schools in the region by facilitating alliances between member schools and relevant business partners specialising in educational services, products, and tools. Its learning calendar offers career progression guidance at all levels and provides high-level sporting, academic and performing arts events for our students. The association’s Headship Induction Partner Programme provides new Principals and Heads with the support they need while they find their feet in the region, and its lobbying team communicates with regulatory bodies to coordinate the accreditation of member schools.
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The Council of British International Schools
COBIS is a global membership association that represents more than 400 schools in 80 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. Its members educate over 200,000 students and employ more than 17,000 teachers. It lobbies government, education authorities and educational associations, provides compliance and quality assurance guidance, and organises opportunities for career advancement through its professional learning and CPD courses.
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The British Embassy, Dubai
The Embassy maintains and develops relations and political and practical cooperation between the UK and the United Arab Emirates. In September 2021 the UK and the UAE launched an ambitious new Partnership for the Future framework to further strengthen the two nations’ deep and historic relationship by ensuring that both countries work closely together on shared global challenges, promote prosperity and security in the region, and expand the exchange of knowledge, skills, and ideas.
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Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
The KHDA is the UAE government entity responsible for promoting growth and improving quality in the private education sector in Dubai. Providing support to students, parents, teachers, and school principals, as well as to early childhood centres, universities, and training institutes, it works tirelessly to maintain an innovative educational sector. Its regular inspections grade each school according to numerous demanding criteria.
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The Association of British Schools Overseas (AoBSO)
The AoBSO is a not-for-profit membership association working in partnership with the UK Government Department for Education (DfE).
It openly lobbies on behalf of its member schools with policy makers around the world and promotes the BSO and the aims of the UK Government’s International Education Strategy in overseas markets.
The intention is to inform parents of pupils in British Schools Overseas how standards measure up against the standards that apply to independent schools in England.
An essential element of the BSO inspection is considering the extent to which the British character of the school is evident in its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for pupils and pupils’ achievements. By achieving UK inspection-based approval, participating schools can demonstrate that they provide a British education that has similar characteristics to an education in an independent school in England.
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DESS Cares
Kindness, gratitude, and humanity go a long way at DESS, as in life.
When students show their appreciation and treat others with empathy, understanding, and consideration - without expecting anything in return, we all grow.
That’s why we work so hard to devise and deliver a programme of DESS Cares initiatives and events that helps all our students to understand the importance of supporting their local and global communities, and the impact they can have on them.
Initiatives have included a fundraising campaign in partnership with Dubai Cares and United World Schools (UWS); a UK-based charity whose crusade ‘Teach the Unreached’ involves building schools in rural communities where access to education is very limited. In support of their mission, DESS included initiatives to raise AED180,000 ($50,000) to fund the construction of a new school in rural Cambodia.
And when heavy monsoon rains devastated Pakistan, claimed the lives of thousands of individuals, including children, and affected the homes of over 33 million people across the country, DESS Cares stepped up to aid the emergency relief appeal. We reached out to the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) and with the support of parents, children and DESS staff, we collected donations for people living in the areas most severely impacted.
- Develops an appreciation and respect for diversity, and prepares them to live and work in an increasingly interconnected and multicultural world
- Creates a safe classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves
- Fosters a culture of respect and inclusion, which can help prevent negative behaviours at school. Children who understand the impact of their actions are more likely to treat their peers with compassion and empathy
- Boosts mental well-being and reduces anxiety
- Encourages children to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, which helps them better understand different perspectives and experiences
- Enhances a student’s engagement with learning, leading to improved academic performance