On behalf of everyone at Dubai English Speaking College I would like to wish all our students and parents the warmest of welcomes, particularly if the start of the academic year 2011-2012 constitutes the beginning of what we hope will be a long and happy association with ourselves. Whether you are from our main feeder primary school, DESS, or from primaries elsewhere in Dubai, another Gulf state or overseas I can assure you we will do everything in our power to make sure your experience of DESC is a positive, successful one. Similarly, if you are joining us having started your secondary education elsewhere, we are committed to making your transfer to DESC as smooth and rewarding as possible.
We will endeavour to provide your children with a first class education in the widest sense: where learning, achievement and fulfilment is at the heart of all we do, whether that be within the confines of the classroom or via the extracurricular opportunities we offer. In doing so I believe we have the capacity to ensure our students will leave DESC as responsible, rounded young people with the academic and social skills needed to succeed in what is an ever-changing, competitive world.
As a relatively new school we enjoy the advantage of excellent facilities and a teaching staff who are committed to ensuring our students maximise their potential. In this connection my maxim of “Every Child Matters, Every Person Matters, Every Thing Matters” underpins the belief that people are at the heart of a school community: we all - yourselves, myself, the teaching and support staff, governing body and other stakeholders - need to work together, in partnership, to support our students on their journey through their years in education. Furthermore, that we are all, crucially, of equal worth and committed to working in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
As your new Headteacher I am very excited at what the future holds for DESC. I am equally pleased that you have chosen to entrust your child’s secondary education with us. It is a responsibility we take very seriously and, with that in mind, I assure you we will strive relentlessly to offer our young people the best of educational experiences in their time with us.
I intend to hold a parental forum soon in the new term at which I hope to meet as many of you as possible. In the meantime, should you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s education, please call our office between the hours of 7.10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 7.10 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. on Thursdays, when we will be more than happy to answer your queries and/or arrange a meeting with the relevant member of staff.
It almost goes without saying that I wish every student the best of luck, however that would be to detract from the value of a guiding principle that all our young people at DESC would do well to ascribe to. It lies in the message contained in one of my favourite motivational quotes, a saying first coined by the third US President, Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. He said: “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”. We at DESC look forward to working with you, our students and parents, to facilitate a successful, enjoyable and rewarding year.
Andrew Gibbs
Headteacher
Dubai English Speaking College