From a room in a villa to more than 1,000 pupils: Dubai English Speaking School turns 55

It is a year of birthdays for a group of the UAE’s best-known, not-for-profit British curriculum schools: Dubai College celebrates its 40th birthday in 2018, the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi turns 50 and Dubai English Speaking School is 55.

DESS, one of the oldest schools in the country, was established in 1963 in an upstairs room of a residential villa in Dubai. The year before DESS was born there were just 20 schools in what was then the Trucial States. By way of comparison, more than 25 new private schools opened in Abu Dhabi and Dubai alone last academic year and today the UAE is considered one of the most dynamic and diverse education environments in the world.

The first cohort of 10 students were taught by some of the parents and by a British serviceman, Flight Lt F Loughman from the Royal Air Force Educational Corps.

Within months of opening its doors, more than 20 pupils had joined and new premises had to be found in what is now the Dry Docks area of Dubai. A young man named Harry Atkinson was subsequently appointed as the school’s first full-time teacher.

Mr Atkinson revisited the primary school in 2013, as part of its 50th birthday celebrations, and told this newspaper that “I couldn’t even find an atlas that mentioned Dubai” before he travelled to take up his employment in the Sixties. He had got the job by replying to a handwritten advertisement that had been stuck to a noticeboard at Exeter University, but when he arrived in the city he sensed that “something was going to happen and Dubai was going somewhere”. He stayed for two years.

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The school moved to its present site in the Oud Metha area of Dubai 51 years ago, to a plot that had been allocated to the primary school by Sheikh Rashid, Ruler of Dubai. DESS was formally registered as a legal entity in June 1969. Today, around 1,000 pupils, aged three to 11 years old attend the school, a far cry from those earliest years. The last Knowledge and Human Development Authority inspection rated DESS as “very good” and praised its “strong culture of innovation”.

Dubai English Speaking School marked its 55th birthday with a global picnic attended by parents, children, staff and alumni. The school has also been connecting with former pupils via its Facebook page. More than 1,000 ex-DESS pupils have so far joined the group. Jane Shaddick-Brady, deputy head teacher, said “it’s amazing to see how many memories have been shared so far and how emotional it was for the alumni who attended our picnic.”

But the school won’t be dwelling in the past for long. Mrs Shaddick-Brady said DESS will seek to “maintain its reputation as a forward-thinking, innovative organisation and a centre of excellence” in years to come.

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What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

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Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

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Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
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Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE