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With over forty years of history, DESS is proud to be one of the longest established schools in Qatar.

Our story began in 1971 when an English speaking primary school catering for British children was first built. The junior school was opened in February 1979 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, the present Amir’s father. DESS has enjoyed visits from other members of the British Royal Family, including Diana, Princess of Wales and HRH the Countess of Wessex GCVO.

The discovery and subsequent exploitation of a large gas field on its north coast has led to significant economic progress in Qatar in recent years. This in turn has led to a rapid expansion of Doha English Speaking School, both in terms of pupil numbers and overall facilities.

We have strong ties with our local community and have a special relationship with the British Embassy who we are sponsored by. Many of our UK qualified teachers have been teaching at DESS for many years and we have strong ties with our Alumni community who hold dear their memories of attending DESS and keep in close contact with us, something which is remarkable for a primary school.

DESS is in the process of expanding its facilities to provide a ‘state of the art’ new building where children will be educated to Year 7 from 2019 and then Year 8 from 2020. It is hoped that this facility will be opened by 2019, subject to regulatory approvals.

DESS is proud to be sponsored by three prestigious oil companies in the region, ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, Qatar and Total.

Our Vision

A Beacon of Excellence in International Education

Our Mission

Learning Together - High Expectations - Celebrating Success - Vision

Our mission at DESS is to:

• Create a happy, secure, stimulating and supportive learning environment
• Care for the whole child – prepare future citizens
• Deliver the National Curriculum for England in a relevant, meaningful and rigorous way
• Offer not-for-profit education
• Work in partnership with our community
• Welcome innovation
• Provide staff with the opportunities to enhance and develop professional skills

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Our Values

At DESS we value :

• Care and consideration which allows everyone to thrivevision
• The fostering of respect for, and tolerance of, others and their differing cultures
• The creation of a trusting community where honesty and integrity are the norm
• The nurturing of high self-esteem and the confidence to ‘have a go’
• A climate of enthusiasm and enjoyment in learning
• The development of skills for lifelong learning
• The desire to improve through reflective learning
• The perseverance to strive for success
• The pursuit of excellence
• The celebration of efforts and achievements

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CURRICULUM

DESS is a dynamic learning community where the English National Curriculum provides a framework for learning. Through teamwork and cooperation between adults and children, we learn together through engagement in first hand experiences. Our children gain the knowledge, skills and understanding to continue their education internationally or to return seamlessly to the UK education system. Our results in the UK national tests for 11 year olds places us comfortably in the top 5% of UK Primary schools.

The National Curriculum divides children into 'Key Stages' covering education from Nursery through to Year 11. Foundation Stage consists of Nursery and Reception, Key Stage 1 covers Years 1 and 2, Key Stage 2 covers Years 3 – 6. Children’s progress is monitored against the National Curriculum objectives throughout the school.

Attainment of the age appropriate level can be used as an indicator as to how well a child will progress in future years. These levels are determined through teacher assessment which is supported by the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 tests.

Admission

Papers Required:

Copy of your child's Passport.

Copy of your child's Qatar Residence Visa (if available).

If a Qatar Residence Visa is not available, a Company Family Sponsorship letter will be required to guarantee that a family residence visa will be forth-coming.

Copy of child's father/sponsor Qatar ID Card and Passport.

Copy of your child’s latest full end of year school report (and interim report if available).

DESS Progress Report to be completed by current school attended by your child.

School Timings

Staff are on duty from 07:00 a.m. when the gates open. Children should make their way to their classrooms when the whistle blows at 07:20 a.m.