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United Arab Emirates, Dubai
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Dubai English Speaking College traces its roots to DESS, which began in 1963 as Dubai's first British school. DESS moved to the Oud Metha site in 1967 and formed a Board of Trustees in 1969. In 2003 the Dubai English Speaking Schools group decided to build DESS College (formerly DESC) to provide a dedicated secondary and sixth‑form pathway, and the college opened in 2005. DESS College is located in Academic City and, together with DESS Oud Metha, forms a three-campus family; the brand celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2023 and opened a new Primary School in Academic City in 2025. DESS operates as a not‑for‑profit organisation with a locally based Board of Trustees reinvesting surplus into the schools.
DESS describes its community as warm and inclusive, built on kindness, gratitude and humanity, with a diverse mix of students, staff and families. The House System groups students into Desert, Earth, Sky and Coast, with House leaders organizing cross-year activities that foster belonging. DESS 360 Care and the GROW wellbeing framework embed wellbeing, inclusion and parent engagement through information sessions and workshops. The three campuses—Oud Metha, Academic City and DESS College—educate around 3,800 students from 114 nationalities.
