Primary Buzz - Exploring, Reflecting and Celebrating!
Hello DESS Oud Metha Families - and welcome to your February 2026 newsletter!
A Remarkable Beginning to Term 2: Exploring, Reflecting and Celebrating!
Welcome to our start of Term 2 newsletter, an edition filled with stories of exploration, community and celebration. As we began our ‘Explore’ Term, the school was immediately alive with a renewed sense of purpose. Children have returned eager to dive into new learning adventures, challenge themselves in fresh ways and embrace the opportunities this term brings.
This year, our term began with Just Be January, a powerful reminder of the importance of balance and intentionality. Our Digital Detox encouraged us all to pause, unplug, and reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with the world beyond the screen. We have now moved into Fairness February. A chance to align our Connect theme with the celebration of Ramadan just around the corner. Fairness means noticing how others feel, sharing so everyone has enough, and pausing to choose kindness, especially as we journey together through Ramadan.
We also returned to school with truly extraordinary news: our school has been named ‘International School of the Year’ by Tes Awards for International Schools. This award belongs to every member of our community. It recognises the ambition and success of the children, our staff’s dedication and care, and the unwavering support and partnership of our families. This is one for the whole DESS Oud Metha Family to be proud of!
In this edition, you’ll find stories that reflect the heartbeat of this term, exploration in all its forms. From classroom inquiry and creative projects to wellbeing initiatives and community achievements, this newsletter celebrates the rich learning experiences that the children have embraced with true DESS spirit and with boundless energy and enthusiasm.
Happy reading...
Tony Clarkson,
Headteacher
Arabic Culture Week: Celebrating Language and Heritage
We celebrated Arabic Culture Week with the aim of raising awareness of Arabic culture through a rich variety of in-class and extracurricular activities. Children enjoyed watching an Arabic theatre performance (The Kingdom of Letters), while our Arabic team organised engaging outdoor activities as part of the Arabic Adventure Park. In addition, a calligraphy workshop was held with professional calligraphers. Children also explored different cities across the Arab world and completed research projects on well-known Arab figures, both past and present.
Our children then got a chance to apply what they'd learnt in their Arabic lessons in real-life contexts. Year 2 children prepared their own fruit salad, Year 3 enjoyed a sports morning set to Arabic music and Year 4 practised the dialogues they'd learnt during a trip to an Arabic restaurant.
Overall, it was a week full of learning, creativity and joy, celebrating the Arabic language and culture in meaningful and memorable ways.
Explore Term Takes Off: Drones, Dinosaurs and Dubai Discoveries
Immersion Day: Launching Explore
Immersion Day kicked off our Explore term in unforgettable style. The school was buzzing with discovery as children searched for missing animals, built shelters and dens, flew drones, boarded DESS Airways, explored mummification, space boots and astronaut training camps, crawled through caves, decoded Morse code, treated snake bites, dug for dinosaurs and navigated with orienteering skills. From VR headsets and Chinese dragons to porridge making, spices, leaf rubbings and the Wonders of the World, there was magic, wonder and excitement everywhere.
And that was only the start.
Learning on Our Doorstep: Creek Park
We're fortunate to have the beautiful Creek Park right on our doorstep. Making the most of this natural learning environment, Year 4 worked together to identify micro-habitats of bugs and insects, linking their Science learning to the Explore theme 'Lost & Hidden Worlds', inspired by the ant farms created on Immersion Day. Year 5 extended their learning beyond the classroom by exploring food from around the world, tasting sweet and sour flavours and using their senses to deepen their understanding of habitats and the needs of different living creatures. Year 6 fully embraced learning in the great outdoors, developing teamwork, independence and resilience as they explored, problem-solved and connected with the natural world around them.
Exploring Dubai and Beyond
This half-term, our learning adventures have also extended across the city and beyond. Year 5 travelled by metro and abra to the Souk, bartering with money, buying spices and learning about Deira as Dubai's original trading hub before baking bread back at school. Year 3 visited the Shindagha Museum, travelling by metro and stepping back into Dubai's rich heritage. Year 6 challenged themselves at Mushrif Park with a demanding 10km trail hike, pushing beyond comfort zones and building resilience.
Looking Ahead
Years 5 and 6 will soon be inspired by The Adaams Family production at DESS College, while FS2 are preparing for an exciting visit to Al Amardi Farm, where they'll continue their search for 'missing' animals. The excitement also continues to build as we look ahead to Year 4's overnighter to Hatta, Year 5's two-night adventure in Al Ain, and Year 3's on-site camp on the school field.
The Explore term is gathering momentum, and we’re excited about the curiosity, connection and unforgettable experiences that are still to come.
This term, our Art Leaders had the opportunity to meet Turner Prize-winning artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan. Lawrence is a contemporary artist based in Dubai whose work explores the power of listening. Through sound, audio recordings and film, he investigates themes linked to human rights and law.
During the session, the children listened to and watched a range of clips from his work and discovered that art can be created in many different forms, not just through drawing or painting. This experience opened their imaginations to new styles of art and fresh ways of thinking and expressing ideas.
The Art Leaders asked some thoughtful questions, including: What inspires your artwork? What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in art? How did you get to where you are today?
It was an inspiring experience that encouraged creativity, curiosity and confidence, leaving our Art Leaders excited about the possibilities within the world of art.
Graphic Novelist John Patrick Green Brings Us Some Comic Magic
In late January, our children welcomed world-famous graphic novelist John Patrick Green. John is best known for his Investigators series of comic books, and his visit was awarded to us by the Dubai Literature Festival after a successful video pitch submission featuring our children performing 'The Bookworm Boogie'.
Mr Green arrived to a trumpet fanfare and an entourage of excited children armed with homemade signs and a barrage of questions. He gave an entertaining talk and live drawing demonstration in the Latifa Hall to Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, in which he told the tale of his very own 'origin story' - an uplifting and positive take on life and the pursuit of his creative dreams.
John also judged our Design a Comic Hero competition, with winners receiving a signed copy of his latest book. Competition winners and library leaders were then invited back to the library for a special Q&A session. Before leaving, Mr Green managed to cram in an intensive book signing session for over 120 children, ending another exciting day here at Oud Metha.
DESS Primaries Hit the Slopes!
What an unforgettable adventure our Year 6 children (from both Oud Metha and Academic City campuses) had on their ski trip to La Tzoumaz, Switzerland! From the moment they set off - bright-eyed and buzzing with excitement - this trip was packed with new experiences, confidence boosters and plenty of snowy fun.
After a smooth journey to Zurich, complete with a special pilot announcement just for us, the children arrived at the Les Elfes chalet to be greeted by fresh snow and stunning alpine views. Skis were fitted, warm dinners were enjoyed, and the excitement for the week ahead was clear.
Over the following days, the children threw themselves into skiing, progressing from beginner slopes to blue, red and even advanced runs across the Four Valleys. Skiing in ability groups, they challenged themselves daily and showed real resilience (even in very chilly conditions!). Hot chocolates, mountaintop lunches, race mornings and breathtaking views made each day extra special.
But the fun didn't stop on the slopes. Evenings were filled with memorable activities including campfires with marshmallows, scavenger hunts, music video-making, VR games, quizzes, team challenges and a magical torchlight walk under the stars. A ski race and prize-giving ceremony rounded off the week perfectly, with every child receiving recognition for their effort, enthusiasm and progress.
Throughout the trip, the children were a true credit to DESS, praised by instructors for their attitude, teamwork and behaviour. Most importantly, they returned home tired but proud, more confident, more independent and full of memories.
A huge thank you to the staff who accompanied us on this trip. A big thank you as well to the Les Elfes team for creating such a memorable experience and well done to our fantastic skiers. What an adventure!
Year 2 Production: Sir David Hattenscarf and the Wonders of the World
The Year 2's wowed audiences with their production of Sir David Hattenscarf and the Wonders of the World. The children explored the world around us on a magical journey across the globe aboard an enchanted carpet, travelling from their grandmother's villa to discover our beautiful planet. Led by the fearless explorer Sir David Hattenscarf, they encountered exotic animals, fascinating people and diverse cultures. The performance highlighted the importance of caring for our world, and raising awareness of climate change and endangered species. We're extremely proud of the children for performing with such confidence and enthusiasm.
Hadith Competition Brings Together 96 Students from Both Primary Campuses
We were proud to host a Hadith Competition at our Academic City campus, bringing together students from both Oud Metha and Academic City in a spirit of learning, faith and healthy competition.
The event saw an impressive 96 registered students, all eager to showcase their memorisation and understanding of Hadith. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and confidence, and it was heart-warming to see how happy and motivated the students were throughout.
To ensure fairness and high standards, we invited two external judges from outside the school to assess the students' memorisation. Their presence added great value to the event, and they were highly impressed by the quality, accuracy and confidence demonstrated by our students across both campuses.
The judges expressed their appreciation for the strong level of preparation and the evident effort made by students and teachers alike. This competition was not only an opportunity to memorise Hadith, but also a meaningful experience that strengthened students' connection to Islamic knowledge and built their confidence.
We're extremely proud of all the participants and grateful to our teachers, judges and organisers who made this event such a success. Events like this continue to reflect our commitment to nurturing knowledgeable, confident and faith-driven learners.
Sports Days 2026: Speed, Spirit and Plenty of Smiles
Whether it was speedy races, standing long jumps, throwing the vortex or carefully balancing an egg on a spoon, it was wonderful to see our children embracing every activity with big smiles, determination and a real sense of fun. In true DESS style, they cheered each other on, celebrated one another's successes and showed fantastic House spirit throughout.
A very special mention must go to our FS1 children, who took part in their very first Sports Day. Their confidence, courage and huge smiles made everyone proud. And to our Year 6 students, for whom it was their final Sports Day at Oud Metha - you definitely made it one to remember.
We also loved seeing so many parents getting involved in the popular Parents' Challenge. Thank you to everyone who joined in - it brought so much fun, energy and a little friendly competition to the events.
BSME Netball & Football
Back-to-Back Champions: Boys Win BSME Football in Dramatic Fashion
Our Boys' Football team arrived at the BSME Football Tournament in Abu Dhabi full of confidence and determination, following a hugely successful Term 1. The boys had already enjoyed an outstanding season, winning the highly competitive North East DASSA League and progressing through to the DASSA Finals.
Their momentum continued at BSME, with a fantastic group stage performance that saw them top their group in a series of performances that saw them demonstrate outstanding defensive discipline as well as scoring lots of great goals. The knockout stages provided tough challenges, with both the quarter-final and semi-final going to penalty shootouts. Showing remarkable composure, our penalty takers delivered under pressure, supported by some excellent saves, to secure a place in the final.
The final itself was a thrilling contest, with both teams battling fiercely throughout. Locked at 1-1 going into the final minute, it looked as though the match would be decided by yet another penalty shootout. However, in a dramatic final moment, our boys' determination and grit shone through as they scored a last-second winning goal to clinch the trophy!
We were crowned BSME U11 Boys' Football Champions for the second year in a row - an awesome achievement and thoroughly deserved after all the hard work, commitment and teamwork shown throughout the year. Congratulations once again to all the boys!
Girls' Football: Two Teams, One Spirit at BSME
The BSME Girls' Football Tournament, held in Al Ain, was a fantastic showcase of talent, enthusiasm and love for the game. With the benefit of so many of our girls participating in football, we were able to enter two teams into the competition.
The teams set off early in the morning, with the bus buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the day ahead. Throughout the tournament, both teams produced some excellent performances, coming up trumps against some top opposition from across the Middle East. The girls demonstrated skill, teamwork and resilience in every match, rising to every challenge thrown at them.
A standout moment came later when our two teams faced each other. It was wonderful to see all the girls display outstanding attitude, determination and sportsmanship, supporting one another and continuing to push themselves no matter the scoreline, with true DESS spirit on full display.
Congratulations and well done to all the girls involved. Their commitment, positivity and passion for football made the tournament a memorable and proud occasion.
Netball Teams Triumph in Bahrain: Third Place and Shield Champions
Our Year 5 and Year 6 netball teams recently travelled to Bahrain to compete in the BSME tournament, hosted by Nadeen School Bahrain, and really did us proud!
Players from both Oud Metha and Academic City travelled together, and we could sense the excitement from the moment we arrived at the airport in Dubai. An early start the following morning saw the girls up bright and early, fuelled by breakfast and ready for a full day of netball.
With two teams competing - DESS Oud Metha and DESS United - it was a busy and intense day on court. DESS Oud Metha had a strong pool stage, winning all their matches and finishing top of their group. All players got court-time, with strong teamwork, effective movement down the court and committed defensive work throughout the day. A quarter-final win against BSAK saw them progress to the semi-final, where they narrowly missed out on a place in the final after a close 8-7 loss to Repton Al Barsha. The team finished strongly, defeating Kings' School Dubai in the third-place play-off to secure third place overall.
DESS United faced a challenging pool stage but showed real resilience throughout the day. Their efforts earned them a place in the Shield competition, where they continued to grow in confidence. Wins in the quarter-final and semi-final led to a final against Kings' School Dubai 2, where they produced a composed performance to win the Shield.
To finish off the tournament, the girls enjoyed an end-of-tournament disco, where DESS United took part in a dance-off with other competing schools, and proved that their great moves aren’t restricted to the netball court! We all had a fabulous time away - and a trip the team will remember.