DESS PRIMARY OUD METHA FOUNDATION STAGE
WHERE LIFELONG LEARNING BEGINS
Welcome to Foundation Stage at DESS Primary Oud Metha, where your child’s journey towards a lifetime of learning takes root.
With over 60 years of heritage, DESS Primary Oud Metha is Dubai’s oldest British school, blending rich tradition with innovative teaching practices. At DESS Primary Oud Metha, we are more than just a start to school – as a family you have the chance to join nurturing communities where your child’s curiosity, wellbeing and independence are championed.
Our approach goes beyond the classroom, forged through a close partnership with families to meet each child’s academic and emotional needs.
In the Foundation Stage, your child will learn and grow with us in an environment built on trust and respect. Our thoughtfully designed spaces, filled with natural materials and openended resources, create an engaging space where children are free to explore, take risks and experience the joy of discovery.
Our passionate and expert staff guide each child through this critical stage of development, building a firm base for future success.
A place in our Foundation Stage (FS) secures entry to the primary school years that follow and eventually to DESS College, one of Dubai’s most sought-after secondary schools. With consistently outstanding KHDA and BSO inspection ratings since 2012, this guaranteed pathway offers a valuable opportunity for your child’s academic journey.
As a not-for-profit organisation, DESS reinvests every dirham directly into the enhancement of our schools, ensuring your child benefits from the very best in education.
We invite you to discover how DESS Primary Oud Metha will offer an exceptional start to your child’s education, combining decades of educational expertise with the warmth and energy of a thriving community.
TEACHERS YOU CAN TRUST
Our Foundation Stage teachers and Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are as exceptional as the children they nurture. Drawn from leading schools around the world with the majority holding a UK teaching and/or Early Years childcare qualification, they bring a wealth of international expertise and a shared passion for the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.
Dedicated to their vocation, our teachers engage with each child on a personal level, guiding their individual learning journey with a careful balance of challenge and encouragement. They create an environment where every child can thrive, be curious and take confident, independent steps towards their future.
With a genuine interest in each child’s development, our highly experienced teaching team reflect daily on how to extend learning opportunities and ensure that every moment spent in Foundation Stage at DESS is filled with awe and wonder whilst laying the groundwork for a lasting learning appetite.
Our Foundation Stage teams are also supported by specialist teachers and coaches for dance, music, Arabic, PE and swimming. This ensure that children’s learning experiences are rich and varied and they are skillfully guided by experts in their field.
OUR CURRICULUM
At DESS Primary Oud Metha, our curriculum is the bedrock of our educational philosophy. From the very start in Foundation Stage, we proudly follow the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, and deliver it in a way that inspires curiosity, fosters creativity and ignites a lifelong love of learning.
In Foundation Stage, our approach is rooted in continuous provision, allowing children to explore, play and learn at their own pace in environments that encourage independence and creativity. Through structured play and immersive learning experiences, we ensure that early learning is both challenging and relevant, sparking a sense of awe and wonder in every child.
Our curriculum is grounded in three prime areas of learning: communication and language, physical
development and personal, social and emotional development. This means that our children learn to recognise feelings, develop a sense of self and others, become physically engaged through their senses and movements, and learn to understand and communicate compassionately with others. As well as this, our children acquire the foundations of early reading and writing, develop numerical fluency and pattern recognition skills, and explore the natural world in which they live.
At DESS Primary Oud Metha, we actively encourage children to explore their own interests, take risks, make mistakes and embrace challenges. It is with this philosophy that we build the foundations not only for academic success, but the skills and confidence necessary for your child to flourish in school and the world outside of it.
WELLBEING
Our commitment to wellbeing is the beating heart of all of our schools. It defines who we are and underpins all that we do.
From the very first steps in Foundation Stage 1 (FS1), we nurture the emotional, social and physical wellbeing of every child, ensuring they feel supported, valued and understood as they embark on their school journey.
For our youngest learners, wellbeing is deeply intertwined with creating a sense of security and trust. We recognise that entering school for the first time can be a big adjustment and our teachers take a gentle, nurturing approach to help children settle into their new environment. Through carefully designed routines, calm spaces, daily mindfulness and compassionate guidance, we foster resilience, helping each child navigate their emotions and
build confidence in their abilities. As children grow and progress through Foundation Stage 2 (FS2), their wellbeing continues to be pivotal to their life at school.
At both stages, our dedicated Wellbeing Team works alongside teachers to equip children with the tools they need to understand their own emotions and form positive relationships with others. Through activities that encourage self-awareness and emotional literacy, we empower children to recognise and express their feelings, developing vital skills that will serve them throughout their school years and beyond.
By cultivating a culture of wellbeing from the very start, we give children the best possible foundation for a healthy, balanced and fulfilling school experience.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At DESS, our approach goes beyond traditional teaching. We believe in creating a dynamic learning environment where children are encouraged to ask questions, be curious, explore ideas and engage critically with the world around them.
For our youngest learners in FS1, this begins with structured and free flow play designed to ignite curiosity whilst laying the groundwork for essential skills. Through play, children gain the confidence to take risks, experiment and embrace the joy of discovery in a safe and nurturing setting.
Our teachers and Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) work closely with each child, fostering their natural curiosity and guiding them through developmentally appropriate challenges. By combining a deep understanding of the British EYFS curriculum with innovative teaching methods, our educators cultivate an atmosphere where every child can flourish.
In Foundation Stage 2 (FS2), this philosophy evolves. Whilst maintaining an emphasis on learning through play, more focused activities sharpen their mathematical, literacy, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our staff model high-level vocabulary and guide children through thoughtprovoking questions and enquiries that deepen their understanding and continue to ignite their love of learning.
Driving our philosophy is the belief that learning is a shared journey. Our educators form meaningful connections with every child, ensuring they feel seen, heard and valued. By fostering positive relationships and creating a supportive environment, we empower each child to believe in their potential and take their first steps towards a bright future.
OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
We believe that the learning environment is as vital to a child’s development as the curriculum itself and so, our Foundation Stage spaces are carefully designed to promote not just safety and comfort, but also curiosity and creativity.
Our classrooms and outdoor areas are neutral, clutter-free and welcoming, creating an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration through play. The use of natural materials and thoughtfully organised resources allows children to engage with their surroundings independently, fostering resilience and self-confidence. We encourage children to take risks, make mistakes and learn through experience, with the environment acting as a supportive backdrop to their developmental journey.
Each area is filled with open-ended materials that inspire imagination and challenge young minds, sparking moments of awe and wonder as children discover new ideas. The environment is languagerich, providing abundant opportunities for communication and social interaction. We ensure that our spaces are flexible, allowing children to move freely between different zones and adapt their learning based on their interests.
At DESS Primary Oud Metha, we view the environment as an extension of our teaching philosophy. It’s more than just a place to learnit’s a place to grow, experiment and develop the confidence to tackle new challenges. Through every carefully considered design element, we aim to create a world where children feel empowered to explore their potential and flourish in their own time and way.
MONITORING PROGRESS, CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT
At DESS Primary Oud Metha, we understand that every child’s journey through Foundation Stage is unique. Our approach to monitoring progress and attainment is designed to capture each child’s development in a holistic and supportive way, ensuring that parents stay closely connected to their child’s learning journey.
Throughout FS1 and FS2, we use informal assessment methods to monitor progress, allowing teachers to track individual milestones as children grow and thrive. This includes ongoing observational assessments during structured play and learning activities, as well as regular check-ins to ensure that every child is on track to meet their developmental goals. These insights allow our educators to tailor their approach to each child, offering support or challenge where needed.
PARENTS IN PARTNERSHIP
We believe that education is a partnership - one that extends beyond the classroom and includes the entire family. From the very start of your child’s Foundation Stage journey, you become part of the wider DESS family, a close-knit community that has thrived for over 60 years.
In Foundation Stage, we work together with parents and caregivers to create an environment that supports the development of the whole child. Research shows that when families are actively involved in their child’s education, children benefit academically, socially and emotionally. That is
why we make it a priority to foster strong, open communication between home and school. Our open-door policy ensures that parents always feel welcome, whether through virtual engagement or in-person opportunities.
Becoming part of the DESS family means more than just being involved in school events - it’s about creating lasting connections. From regular family activities and whole-school events to parentteacher meetings and celebrations, we ensure that families are fully integrated into the life of the school.
INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY
Inclusion and diversity are woven into the fabric of our school community. We believe that every child deserves an environment where they feel valued, understood and supported, regardless of their background, abilities or life experiences.
In Foundation Stage, inclusion means recognising that each child brings something unique to the classroom, and it’s our responsibility to meet them wherever they are. This starts with creating spaces where every child feels a sense of belonging, ensuring that irrespective of their starting point,
they can thrive. Our approach to diversity and inclusion isn’t just about equality - where everyone gets the same resources - but about equity, where each child receives the individual support or resources needed for them to succeed. By introducing the values of inclusion and diversity from the very beginning, we prepare our children to not only succeed academically but to grow into compassionate, empathetic individuals. In our Foundation Stage, children learn to respect differences, collaborate with peers from all walks of life and understand fairness.
START YOUR JOURNEY WITH ADMISSIONS
Start Your DESS Primary Oud Metha Journey: Simple Steps to Apply
We are delighted that you are considering applying for a place at DESS Primary Oud Metha and appreciate that you have a lot to consider.
Our Admissions Team will be happy to guide you through our process and answer any questions.
Our DESS Admissions Office is located at DESS College, Academic City, Security Gate 2, Parent Services Reception.
To contact the Team, please email admissions@dessc.sch.ae or call +971 (0) 4 360 4866.
When it’s time to apply, please ensure you have soft copies of the following documents for each child, ready to upload in PDF format within the application/s:
• Birth Certificate
• Passport Copy
• Recent Passport Style Photograph
• Most recent End of Year Academic Report
• Most recent Term/Mid-Year Academic Report
• A CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months (if available). Please note, CAT 4 results are only required for Primary School applications, if available. If your child has not completed a CAT 4 assessment within the last 12 months, they may be required to attend a Taster Session (for local applicants).
• Emirates Identity Card (if available)
• UAE Visa (if available)
• Reports from outside agencies (Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychologist, etc., if applicable)
• If you are applying from overseas, a reference request may be required from a member of staff from your current school.
