From The News DESSC - Issue 5

INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE

It is often said that periods of change are swiftly followed by opportunity, and it is fair to say that change has been an integral part of all our lives in recent years. As an education community, the ways in which we teach, learn, and interact with each other have seen significant changes. Beyond that, the global impact on the ways in which we work, travel, and socialise have forever changed the world which we live in. As a College, we have seen our community rise above these challenges, prove their resilience and emerge even stronger. So, as we move forward, where do the opportunities lie? I am privileged to write this feature as the recently appointed Head of Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) at the College, a new and dynamic opportunity which I look forward to moulding into a onestop shop for careers, coaching and general guidance for our students, staff, and parents.

What does the role involve?

At our DESC Open Day earlier this term I listened to Mr Vizzard discuss the core values and ethos of the College. I am proud to say that the speech sounded just as it did the day that I was interviewed for my job at DESC in April 2018. Despite a turbulent few years since then, our mission remains the same, to support every student’s wellbeing and individual needs during their journey to becoming well-rounded human beings. My role aims to make this journey smoother by linking together the support mechanisms available to our students such as form tutors, House teams, nursing staff and student advisors. I personally believe that the best way to achieve this is through using effective coaching to equip students with the skills they need to flourish independently in life beyond DESC.

As the world of work continues to evolve, the same question remains: what can we do to prepare our students for such an uncertain future? I believe the continued development of core transferable skills such as adaptability, problemsolving and innovative thinking are key to preparing our students. A skills-focused approach coupled with the effective support of both students and parents at key transition stages will underpin the vision of DESCareers as we navigate a rapidly changing society. DESCareers strives to provide students with opportunities to discuss their future dreams and aspirations, providing pertinent information early in their journey – not a tick box interaction at the end of their time with us.

The final component of this multidimensional role involves the foundations of what makes it possible for us to lead such a rewarding life here in the UAE: the Emirati people. Having worked at an Emirati school for two years before joining DESC, I feel a strong personal connection to the rich heritage and sense of pride that Emirati students bring to their education. Working alongside Assistant Headteacher Mr El Taher and Deputy Headteacher Mrs Ford, we aim to make the transition to life beyond the College as seamless as possible. I also hope to highlight the diverse career portfolio of our Emirati parents across the College. Moving forward, DESCareers will shine the spotlight on the success stories that walk among us in our diverse community. Together we can inspire our students to dream big!

How will we achieve these goals?

As I reflect on the success of the initiatives which have already been put in place this term, I consider how we can continue to drive our aspirations forward. I strongly believe that placing our community at the centre of everything we do is the only answer. The utilisation of our parental body and wider connections to lead and inspire our students is both sustainable and practical. We all believe in rubberstamping DESC as a world class institution, and what better way to achieve this than by leading the way ourselves by providing home-grown exceptional experiences.

Why is this happening?

The DESCoaching programme was introduced in September, with approximately 50 students allocated a coach for weekly sessions on topics such as homework organisation, study skills for assessments or discussions around friendships and social skills. Following its success, the DESCoaching programme has expanded to include a strand specifically aimed at Year 11 academic coaching. There are now 93 students on the coaching programme assigned to approximately 60 staff members.

‘Careers Conversations’ have taken place across Year 9 and Year 11 throughout the first half term. During these, students have completed careers assessments that have been followed by a conversation with their form tutor to discuss how this might inform their decisions for GCSE and Sixth Form subject choices. Additionally, Year 11 students have attended a presentation on future-proof employability skills during a recent GROW lesson to further strengthen their decision making. Both Year 9 and Year 11 students will have careers-focused GROW lessons over the coming weeks, to support them as they approach key transition phases in their journey as DESC students.

By the end of the year, all students from Years 7-11 will have engaged in a Careers Conversation. Students are encouraged to reflect on this through engagement with the Character and Careers Conversation Journal. Moving forward, we hope that students can build on this journal annually with the goal of accumulating a bank of reflections which map out their journey from Year 7 through to Year 11. Similarly, all year groups will engage in career lessons during GROW, providing them with the opportunity to discover and engage with aspirational career pathways.

During October, I had the pleasure of organising and hosting our first Emirati student information session for Years 11, 12 and 13 students. During this session Mr. Flynn, our Academic Enrichment Coordinator addressed the students on the many super-curricular opportunities available at DESC and Mr El Taher discussed the EmSAT exams and academic scholarships available for our Emirati students. We have also welcomed a representative from NYU Abu Dhabi to talk to the students about exciting opportunities that they can apply for in the coming months.

Taking all the above into consideration, I feel privileged that my role provides me with the ability to work with such talented students and bring together the skillset of our staff and parents. With DESCareers and DESCoaching, combined with the plethora of other support networks we have at the College, I truly believe that every student will leave DESC with a clear sense of purpose and the skills to make their dreams become reality.

Article by Laura Reidy, Head of IAG & Teacher of Science, DESC