DESC Newsletter 12

As I write my newsletter this week, the College is decked out in the colours of the United Arab Emirates, the country that has become home to many of us. National Day is one of my favourite times of the year, when we are reminded that we are part of forging this nation.

Driving along the Sheik Zayed Road gazing up at the skyline, it is easy to forget that the UAE has literally blossomed from the desert. Within three generations, the population has seen change which it is difficult to conceptualise and they have managed this transition with extraordinary ease. Now the second-largest economy in the Middle East, only surpassed by Saudi Arabia, this nation has enjoyed a meteoric rise. 

Formed in 1971, the UAE is a young country but one that has rapidly established itself upon the world stage. At an assembly last year, one of our Year 13 students, Roudha Almana Alfalasi, delivered a moving ceremony which included a number of photos of Dubai in the 1970’s. The country was unrecognisable: a sparse collection of buildings fringed the pristine coastline, whilst the centre of Dubai was virtually an empty space. The small airport had recently been upgraded and the runway, previously built from compacted sand, had been lengthened and upgraded to asphalt.

Looking at these photos reminded me of how far the country has come in a relatively short space of time. The modest airport that could only accommodate medium-size aircraft is now the world’s busiest for international travel, with over 90 million passengers stopping off and passing through in 2018. The glittering spire of the Burj Khalifa that pierces the Dubai skyline remains the tallest building in the world, a symbol of the ambition and engineering that characterises this nation. Similarly,  the final preparations are being made for Expo 2020, which is likely to overshadow all previous exhibitions, both in its scale and audacity.

Just like the UAE, DESSC too has flourished. Formed in 1963 on a small plot of land in Oud Metha, graciously donated by Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, DESS is the oldest English speaking school in the UAE. From its origins as a tiny primary school with parents and a single British Officer, Flight Lieutenant F. Loughman, as teachers, it has grown into a large and thriving organisation with one of the largest and most successful Sixth Forms in the Middle East.

As I walk along the corridors in the Sixth Form Centre looking at the sepia pictures of the old school, I realise that our own history is deeply and indelibly part of the wider history of this country – in short, we have grown together. Perhaps this is why National Day is such an important day in the College. We realise that this nation has been kind and welcoming to so many of us. It has given us the chance to thrive and advance in a way that may not have been possible in our home countries.

Here in the College, we have enjoyed assemblies all week celebrating the nation’s proud history. Students and staff are looking forward to our National Day celebrations, which this year will be held on Thursday, 5^th December. There will be the usual attractions which are popular with the students, stalls with henna painting, quizzes, calligraphy, food tasting and more. But what is more important than all of this is that there is a genuine underlying sense of pride in this country that extends well beyond the Emirati students who attend the College.

On Wednesday evening we hosted our Sixth Form Open Evening in preparation for the academic year 2020-21. The Sixth Form Centre was set out with university style subject stalls and was a hive of activity. The evening proved to be the largest event that we have witnessed, as we welcomed our Year 11 parents, together with families from all over Dubai. Applications for the Sixth Form have now officially opened, and it will be our mission over the coming months to ensure that all our students select the most appropriate academic pathways for their aspirations and abilities.

It was a quick turn around after the Open Evening to prepare for the annual presentation of shirts & netball dresses to the talented students who will be representing DESC at the famous Dubai 7’s tournament next week. I felt privileged to be asked to be a part of this tradition and enjoyed being able to personally congratulate the students involved and wish them luck.

I’m sure we would all like to send our best wishes to the teams that are competing at the Dubai 7s next weekend, I look forward to supporting them from the sidelines and, win, lose or draw, I know they will do DESC proud.

I would like to wish you all an enjoyable and restful extended weekend break.

Roger Hancock
Assistant Headteacher

Bistro Lunch lead by the Y13 BTEC Hospitality Team

Monday, 25^th November saw the third Bistro lunch lead by the Year 13 BTEC Hospitality team. 

Over the previous few weeks year 13 students had been busy developing and refining recipes to impress diners with an outstanding three course menu.   Starters included lamb and apricot kofta, salmon fishcakes and roasted pepper and tomato soup.  Over 75 guests then went on to enjoy main courses of classic chicken Dianne with rosti potato, our very own DESC cottage pie or vegan cottage pie or a chipotle baked salmon.  To add to the ambience and complete the dining experience guests were dazzled by the musical delights of our In-House musicians whilst enjoying their trio of desserts. 

The event was conducted as part of the Hospitality curriculum and run in conjunction with Unit 22 where students are required to plan, manage and organise an event.  Students well and truly rose to the challenge and were given the opportunity to undertake a range of roles to include; event management and supervision, financial control, administration and, of course menu development, kitchen management and food service.  Students thoroughly embraced the event and thrived whilst working under pressure in a true hospitality environment.  The event has grown in popularity over the years and Headteacher Mr Chris Vizzard described the event as being “one of the highlights of the academic year”.  To view the event please see us on twitter @descfood

F1 in Schools World Finals

On Sunday, 24^th of November, a group of our Year 9 students attended the F1 in Schools World Finals in the Du Forum in Abu Dhabi. F1 in Schools is a highly acclaimed global STEM competition, with students forming F1 teams in miniature to design, make, test and race an F1 in Schools car. The students who travelled to Abu Dhabi were the winners of last year’s DESC F1 in schools competition, held annually for Year 8 students.

The World Finals competition featured verbal presentations, portfolio, pit display, marketing and engineering judging sessions, as well as the intense pressure of the 20 metre F1 in Schools track racing. As spectators, our students had a fantastic time interacting with the teams from 22 countries and watching the races, where time differences between the cars were as little as 0.025 seconds. Our students also had the opportunity to experience the adrenaline rush of a Formula One pit stop through the use of Virtual Reality, as well as creating and racing their own model cars.

Overall, our students had an exciting and interesting day and we hope it has inspired them to pursue their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Hopefully one day soon we will be cheering on a DESC team in the F1 in Schools World Final!

Creative & Performing Arts Tour to London

Last week, students from Art, Dance, Drama, Media and Music embarked on a fantastic (although extremely busy) Creative and Performing Arts tour to London. Students were exposed to a number of art installations and galleries, exploring the National Gallery, Tate Britain and Tim Walker exhibition in order to support their future studies. Students were riveted by a number of live performances, singing along to the musical numbers of Everyone is Talking About Jamie and Come From Away, even more so following a number of master classes with the actors currently in these West End shows. Students were able to laugh at the comic timing seen in the hilarious Groan Ups and the immersive virtual reality performance of War of the Worlds. Students were also exposed to Agatha Christie’s Witness of the Prosecution staged at the London courthouse and also the magic of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Students had the opportunity to visit ArtsEd London who we are in partnership with, where they were put through their paces in West End choreography and Musical Theatre workshops. The Art and Media students also had the opportunity to participate in 3D Printing and Camera Obscura workshops, along with a trip to the Guardian Newsroom.

Finally, students explored the behind the scenes action with a backstage tour of the National Theatre and trip to the Museum of Branding before heading over to the Harry Potter studios. Throughout the week our students were an absolute credit to DESC, with all of the practitioners we worked with commenting on their outstanding behaviour, enthusiasm and talent for the Arts. The Creative and Performing Arts teams would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the students for their hard work, positive attitude and exceptional ability to take on all of the challenges they were presented with. We look forward to discussing all of these experiences over the coming weeks.

Youth Sevens U13 and U15 Netball Tournament

Thursday, 21^st November was the Youth Sevens U13 and U15 Netball Tournament. The tournament started at 4pm and went on for four hours. It was an excellent afternoon of competitive netball which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and all DESC students involved demonstrated grit and determination throughout.

DESC U13 team played brilliantly winning all their games and coming top of their group. They then played JC in the semi-final and DESC U13’s not only secured victory, but finished the tournament undefeated.  The final will be held at the Seven’s stadium on Thursday, 5^th December at approximately 4.50 (STC).

DESC U15 team saw a mixture of Year 9 and Year 10 students. All players fought hard and played some excellent netball. The team got through to the semi-finals but unfortunately lost, however all players were motivated and persevered until the end.

All the girls worked hard to achieve great results. It was a pleasure to be involved and they all did DESC proud. Well done to all the girls involved.

Good luck to the U13 team in the final.

Inter-House Performing Arts Competition

Over 150 students took part in a fantastic display of talent right across the 3 areas of performing arts: Music, Dance & Drama. The Performing Arts Inter-House Competition has been running for six years now and this year we welcomed the addition of Battle of the DESC.

On Sunday and Monday, musicians ranging from grades 1-8 took their platform on stage and bravely shared the music they’ve been working so hard on perfecting. Guest judge Adam Laird, Head of Music at Sharjah English School, was impressed by the array of talent. He found it incredibly difficult judging our more senior musicians, but a special mention must go to Reese O‘Connell who won the senior grade 7-8 category as well as the Solo Battle of the DESC category. Huge thanks go to Miss Morrel-Orchard and Miss Wetherell who between them managed to play over 40 piano accompaniments for our musicians.

On Tuesday, our actors took to the stage and really brought their monologues to life with carefully rehearsed pieces that captured the characters and context beautifully. Many were preparing for their LAMDA exams in January and this gave them the opportunity to perform to a live audience. They were encouraged with kind words of support from our judge Sian Davies, who once took to the stage and screen herself, so was able to share her experiences and wisdom with our budding young actors.

Rain almost stopped play on Wednesday, but thankfully we were able to accommodate all our dancers on the Thursday afternoon, straight after the Battle of the DESC. With help from judges Mal McGrogan and Francy Correa-Taborda the stage was set, and the PA system ramped up ready to receive our electric musicians. There was a solo section followed by a Band section. It was fantastic to see our students pulling together to really entertain the audience with lively performances that showcased an array of musical talent. Our judges were impressed by all performers, but the band Broken Seal stole the show and took first place with their rendition of “Come Together” by The Beatles.

The final aspect of the competition was the dancers. We had entries from Years 7 to 11. There were soloists, duets and group performances. Performers brought energy and creativity to the stage, impressing both of our judges, Miss Malone and Miss Bellis. The performers had thought through their routines, their outfits and their polished delivery. It was a wonderful way to end a spectacular week of talent across the Performing Arts.

DC7s and the Inaugural WSO Rugby X Competition

This week our Rugby teams took part in the annual DC 7s event and the inaugural WSO Rugby X competition. 15 teams had the chance to represent DESC during the week across all levels, rounding off a fantastic Rugby 7s season. Then new game of Rugby X saw nine teams have the chance to play a variety of schools with bonus points for tries scored from kicks and set piece attracting some scintillating Rugby! The DC 7s also had some brilliant matches, with competition closer than ever between the schools, showing the overall level of Rugby improving across the UAE. Our U14 team were the pick of the bunch with a tremendous display in the final showing how far they have developed as a group of players.

Coming up we have a block fixture of 15s Rugby on Thursday, 28^th November away at Kings Al Barsha and two South African touring fixtures on Wednesday, 4^th December here at DESC, before the Dubai 7s 2019 to round off a brilliant term of Rugby.

The students should be extremely proud of their efforts this term and hopefully come back well rested next term for the DASSA season!

Careers News (28.11.19)

Pride in the DESCareers Hub by Ms. Vitoratos

It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome our new DESCareers Interns to you all.  With a strong team of 18 students from Years 9 to Year 13, I am looking forward to a year of growth and development for our service that will definitely enhance the experiences that we can offer our service users.  With job roles from Data Entry to Journalists, DESCareers is an in-house opportunity for students across the College to gain work experience and see how their work efforts will make a difference amongst their peers and their community.  I now pass the baton on to Elisa and Maiesha who have written this month’s DESCareers newsletter. 

Careers in the News…. Food for Thought

Reflecting upon our first term of the school year, now almost coming to a close, it is clear to see that DESCareers has started anew. With global modernisation, careers can be seen constantly changing around us and this adaptability can be seen distinctly through the development of our service. As teenagers here at DESC try to figure out what’s headed in their future, DESCareers is constantly restyling to the needs of the students and aims to enhance and connect to the community with the exciting changes that continue to develop in the world of work. This month we are sharing the views about the future of careers and aspirations which teenagers hope to achieve. When asked upon what hopes they have for future careers, many state factors such as stability and average pay or good company culture. However, upon reading an article that was published this year in the Daily Times, where researchers claim that more “artistic and creative” jobs are wanted by this new generation. It seems as though the era of working the “normal office hours’ have gone away and the new 9-5 working hours have changed to working at home. It is becoming a world renewed and here at DESCareers we adapt to the changes and offer our community the awareness of the best of both working world concepts.

Although it is not ‘new’ news, this article shed some perspective and became some very interesting food for thought as it inspired us to target the younger years and their career options. It allowed us to gain an insight on what they believe is their future as well as guiding them with freedom and creativity to dream big, as in a previous newsletter it came to our attention by Mary Curnock Cook, previous Head of UCAS that “young people are being given an unnecessary stress and pressure for them to find a job too soon”. Of course, however here at DESCareers we offer the students opportunities to meet different spotlight speakers weekly and, during their sessions, the students are discovering careers via the online research route which allows them to envision different aspects of different jobs, whilst giving them a broad selection of careers to choose from. As a team, we are very open to those students who are confused about such work matters and we welcome many to approach and understand more about the world of ‘job hunting’ and ‘staying ahead of the game’.  The DESC student experience is always at the center of what we offer at DESCareers, and we believe that our students deserve a stress-free career discovery experience where they are being prepared for the world of work and the skills, habits and job-hunting techniques that will ensure that they stand out in a competitive future job market. 

Upcoming Projects:

With the new DESCareers team now a group of 18 DESC students filling positions such as  Senior Prefects, Prefects, Careers Crew and Assistant Careers Crew, new ideas are flowing from every direction to make every DESCareers experience through the perspective of every intern leaves our service users experiences that are memorable and special with the main aim of helping them look forward to the life-changing choices they will have to make in their lives. This student inclusion brings a unique point of view of what we need to supply from a students perspective. Ideas such as more involvement and co-ordination between the DESCareers team and the younger students in our community as well as trying to suit and fit the Spotlight Speakers to student career aspirations by making the talks more interesting and highly beneficial for our users. Additionally, our goal is to have visibility across DESC when we are on-duty with the fabulous newly designed DESCareers work T-Shirts created by our very own DESCareers Assistant Crew member Nathan Abell! DESCareers is a service for students and co-created by students because we want to put out the message that the this new work era is in the hands of the young and that they must thrive and persevere to achieve their goals just as our tag line states….Our Future, Our Choice!

Career Opportunities This Month:

It has been buzzing in the Careers Hub this month with 10 professionals visiting DESCareers! Some of the experiences like Spotlight Speaker Workshop by Yasmin Yousri offering us a Sixth Form workshop on selecting clothes for a work environment and interview while sharing some top inside trade secrets on what CEO’s like to see when hiring people, preparing students with real-life tips which can be applicable for their own personal ventures. Furthermore, we had Niche Modeling Agency explaining what it is like to work in such a current and ever-changing industry, and the realities and benefits of this industry in modern day, highlighting the different career paths this can lead to. Olivia Manner came to DESCareers and talked about her business ‘Hello Chef’.  She discussed things like; working closely with not only individuals wishing to be food professionals or suppliers, but with her husband and non-Hello Chef support staff.  It was clear that the driving force behind all things Hello Chef is the love of great tasting food! Elyas Suleman came to talk to Business, Computer Science and Economics students about being a co-founder for the ever-growing company ‘Whizz.ae’ and the rush in which they have to meet the growing market’s needs and wants. Distinctly, Ms. V was sure to think outside the box when she invited Dee Popat from James Berry Associates to come and inform students about the realities of immigration laws in the United Kingdom.  She was able to help students understand the law differences between a student visa and an employment visa which was resourceful for non-UK passport holders who wish to work in the United Kingdom after they graduate from university.  As this is going to press, the British Royal Airforce will be offering students a combined Spotlight about some of the careers pathways that may lead us towards a career in the RAF. Clearly, our DESCareers opportunities intend to have a broad appeal, with Spotlight Speakers spread across several industries, ensuring that there is something suited to everyone.