Dubai English Speaking School

Dubai English Speaking School (DESS) is one of the oldest educational facilities in the country. Initially established in a small villa in 1963 by the British embassy, DESS has become one of Dubai’s top British curriculum schools.

Following its humble beginnings, DESS has grown into a coveted international school with a highly sought after Outstanding rating from the KHDA.

Today, DESS has over 800 students (representing 50 countries) who are given exposure to the high-quality British curriculum to help them secure admission to the top universities worldwide. This primary school in Dubai covers the National Curriculum of England for children aged 3 to 11 years. DESS established a new facility called Dubai English Speaking College (DESC) in 2006. They also started a new FS1 facility in September 2014.

Read this Dubai English Speaking School guide by Bayut to learn more about the school.

• Location: Oud Metha
• School fees: AED 38,305 - AED 47,406
• Curriculum: British
• Co-ed or segregate: Co-ed
• KHDA rating: Outstanding
• Years offered: FS 1 - Year 6

Located in the community of Oud Metha in Bur Dubai, DESS is a good option providing quality education for families residing in several neighbouring areas. Click the links below to know more about the top residential communities near DESS:

• Deira
• Umm Hurair 2
• Al Karama

However, the nearest neighbourhood is Umm Hurair 2, with quite a few affordable and pocket-friendly apartments. It is a perfect option for families who wish to stay close to the school.

Nevertheless, parents looking for residential buildings close to the school can check out apartments for rent available in Bur Dubai.

• Apartments for rent near Dubai English Speaking School
• Apartments for sale near Dubai English Speaking School
• Villas for rent near Dubai English Speaking School
• Villas for sale near Dubai English Speaking School

Currently, DESS Dubai has only one campus in Oud Metha. The land for the campus was granted by His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the erstwhile ruler of Dubai. Latifa Hall, the main hall of DESS, is named in honour of his wife.

The school features many facilities to enhance the learning experience, including science labs, libraries, sports facilities, ICT rooms, music hall and more.

The school has come a long way since its initial beginnings. Over time, DESS has expanded by including various facilities for primary and secondary students to promote comprehensive learning.

A list of facilities include:

• Two primary school standard-sized football/rugby pitches
• A 25-metre outdoor swimming pool with six lanes
• A splash pool for young learners
• Two netball/Basketball courts
• Two indoor sports halls
• Dedicated nurses room
• Library
• Dance studio
• Zen garden
• Zen room
• Canteen
• Media hub
• Quiet study rooms
• Computer suite
• Central playground with playground equipment
• Outdoor parent cafe
• STEM room
• Sustainable garden

DESS school is on Oud Metha Road in Umm Hurair 2, Bur Dubai, near St. Mary’s Catholic High School. Since the school is in one of the key locations in Dubai, families from all over the Emirate can consider it for their children. The campus is well-facilitated, catering to the needs of students in academic and non-academic fields.

DESS takes pride in prioritising its students’ academic and personal development through an innovative approach to education.

This school believes that for students to be successful and responsible individuals, they must understand core human values.

DESS encourages children to identify their unique skill sets by taking on leadership roles and participating in philanthropic and environmental causes. For this purpose, this school offers a personalised learning environment allowing students to develop four essential skills: creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking.

Being one of the Outstanding rated schools in Dubai, DESS exposes students to a world of opportunities. Consequently, students graduating from this school are praised for their keen sense of understanding and academic acumen. The school is also affiliated and certified by the National Curriculum of England.

Besides the aforementioned, the rich history, highly qualified staff and innovative teaching practises are other considerations that add to the school’s popularity.

Students completing Year 6 are given automatic admission in DESC. This facility currently has over 1,500 students and offers IGCSE, GCSE and A-Level qualifications to students aged 11 to 18.

DESS Dubai follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and British National Curriculum. The core subjects are:

Foundation Stage

The school follows the UK’s EYFS educational framework in the foundation stage. It is a popular educational framework to introduce children to a school. It focuses on fun and engaging activities to build foundational skills that come in handy in the primary stage.

British Schools Overseas (BSO), in one of its inspections of this school, found the FS stage curriculum vibrant and exciting. It further added that the school regularly reviews the curriculum to cater to students’ interests and needs.

DESS also offers Music, Dance, Swimming and PE sessions by specialists.

Key Stage 1 (KS1)

In this stage, children are introduced to different languages, including Arabic, to help establish a strong foundation for later. Teachers use entertaining methods, such as playing games, singing, and acting, to improve Arabic vocabulary. Arabic is taught formally as part of the curriculum in Years 1 and 2.

Key Stage 2 (KS2)

From Year 3 onwards, students are exposed to more languages and introduced to language-based skills to help them develop their vocabulary.
Core subjects taught in KS2 are:

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a government organisation responsible for the growth and quality of private education in Dubai. It assesses private schools in Dubai and issues performance ratings based on a six-point scale.

According to the latest report, the Dubai English Speaking School KHDA rating is ‘Outstanding’. Given below is a 10-year history of the KHDA rating for Dubai English Speaking School:

Some of the main reasons for obtaining this rating are as follows:

• DESS has an Outstanding leadership that developed an inclusive culture in which creativity flourishes.
• Teachers use assessment information that results in outstanding attainment in English, mathematics and science.
• The school offers an outstanding environment for learning in the Foundation Stage and ensures excellent personal and academic development and a sense of social responsibility.
• DESS has outstanding partnerships with parents and excellent arrangements for keeping students safe and promoting healthy lifestyles and emotional well-being.
• Dubai English Speaking School has an imaginative curriculum, excellent library and stimulating teaching areas for Arabic, French, art and music.

DESS also provides support for students with special educational needs (SEND). KHDA inspectors have noted that specialist teachers use extensive tools to identify students with SEND. The relevant data is utilised to match students’ needs, develop intervention programs, and provide in-class support.

DESS Dubai calendar is divided into three terms, as follows:

You can visit the academic calendar for detailed information regarding national and religious holidays.

Dubai English Speaking School encourages parents to check out the tour video and book a tour before filling out the form. Interested parents can send admission applications any time throughout the year. Parents can access the application form on the official website or contact the admissions team at admissions@dessc.sch.ae. Please fill out all the required fields in the online application.

After applying, parents will receive an automated acknowledgement email. The school will ask you to submit supporting documents and the admission fee.

Here is the list of documents required by Dubai English Speaking School:

• Birth Certificate
• Passport Copy
• Recent Passport Photograph
• Most recent End of Year Academic Report
• Most recent Mid-Year Report (if available)
• Emirates Identity Card (if available)
• UAE Visa (if available)
• Educational/Psychological Report (if applicable)

Parents are advised to share the authentic and relevant information on time to avoid any delays in admissions. After that, the school will ask parents to bring their child for an assessment. Successful students will receive terms of acceptance and an offer letter by email.

Admission is decided on the following criteria:

• Age-appropriate fluency in English (reading, speaking, writing and comprehension)
• Exemplary school reports (if eligible)
• A positive attitude and interest in activities such as sports and performing arts

You can get more information regarding the admission process on the website. Parents must ensure that their child meets the following age placement criteria.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: KHDA

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Dubai English Speaking School fees structure reveals different ranges for foundation stage and primary stage. The breakdown of the tuition fee charged here is tabulated below:

Some additional charges include:

• Acceptance fee: AED 3,500 (non-refundable)
• Internal deposit (DESS Year 6 to DESC Year 7): AED 3,000
• Re-registration fee: AED 1,750 (non-refundable)
• Transport: AED 9,000
• Uniform: AED 505 - AED 850

DESS Oud Metha provides discounts for siblings as well:

• A 5% discount applies to third sibling's fees
• A 10% discount applies to fees for the fourth sibling and above

The above-mentioned fees can be paid by credit cards or via bank transfer. Below are the details of the bank account approved by the school to receive tuition fees.

• Account Name: Dubai English Speaking Special Branch College
• Account number: 01-49485189-101
• IBAN: AE500260001014948518901
• Bank Name: Emirates NBD Bank
• Swift code: EBILAEAD

DESS have a kiosk for students in upper grades. Using it, they can order food of their choice. Students can also bring home-packed lunchboxes from home.

Dropping and picking up children to and from the school can be a hassle for parents, especially if they are working full time. For this purpose, DESS has joined hands with United Car Rentals (UCR) to offer a reliable transport service to students.

UCR ensures students a safe and comfortable travel experience thanks to its fleet of modern buses and well-trained drivers. Drivers and other staff members continuously participate in training courses to better serve customers.

Concerned parents should get in touch with the company to know the transportation fee for their area.

Swimming, gymnastics, rugby, basketball and netball are some popular sports at Dubai English Speaking School. DESS also participates in various tournaments throughout the year where students can showcase their talents, compete with other kids on their level and improve their skills.

DESS provides an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. These activities include sports days, career fairs, drama festivals and literature days.

SchoolsBuddy is an ECA (Extra-Curricular Activities) management system by DESS. Parents can select activities they wish their child to participate in through this system and manage all the details. DESS regularly updates the list of available extra-curricular activities each term. Parents can access the details by downloading the SchoolsBuddy app.

Field trips are an essential part of modern-day schooling. Such initiatives allow schools to extend learning beyond classrooms’ walls. DESS also undertakes such initiatives by taking students to recreational and historical sites, such as parks and museums. These trips serve as an opportunity for DESS students to learn about their surroundings and related textbook learning with practical experiences.

Currently, there are no after-school care facilities at DESS other than extra-curricular activities conducted after regular school hours. These activities are charged separately in which students learn music, drama and performing arts.

Two full-time nurses are employed by the school to take care of any medical emergencies. A certified doctor also visits the school twice a week. Parents are informed of an emergency by the nurses.

The parent portal on the website is the primary channel for communication. Using a tablet device or smartphone, parents can easily access child-centric information. Through this portal, parents can also:

• Download their child’s academic school reports
• View and download the examination timetable
• Access useful websites through quick web links
• View contacts and alert the school when there is a change in details
• Reset the password and recover their username if it is forgotten

Besides the parent portal, DESS has WhatsApp groups for each grade to keep parents informed. Parents will need to get in touch with the form teacher or other staff members to join such groups.

• Telephone Number: +971-4-337-1457
• Email:
  • General Enquiries: dess_reception@dessc.sch.ae
  • Admission Enquiries:  admissions@dessc.sch.ae
• DESS Website
• DESS Facebook
• DESS Twitter
• DESS Instagram
• DESS YouTube

What are the timings of your school?

Dubai English Speaking School remains open from Monday through Friday. The school starts at 07:25 am and ends at 03:30 pm, while Friday hours end at 12 noon.

Do you conduct after-school activities?

The school encourages students to participate in after-school activities such as music, drama, performing arts and more.

How many grades/years are there in your school?

FS 1 until Year 6.

How many students are currently studying in your school?

Currently, there are around 995 students enroled at Dubai English Speaking School.

Can you please describe the academic calendar of your school?

The academic calendar starts in the last week of August and ends in the first week of July.

Can you please mention the range of the tuition fee charged by your school?

Tuition fee ranges from AED 38,305 to AED 47,406.

How do you communicate with parents?

The Parents' Portal is the main way to communicate with parents. You can also communicate with school administrators through WhatsApp groups and its social media pages.

Do you have a cafeteria or a canteen on campus?

One will find a canteen in the school serving fresh food to students. There's an outdoor parent café as well.

How often does your school arrange field trips?

DESS Dubai takes students to field trips a handful times through the the academic year.

How many teachers are currently teaching in your school?

As of now, the school has 61 teachers and 46 teaching assistants.