Over the last number of months, our Alumni task force has been focused on reconnecting and connecting with many of those that have ‘gone before’. Through this enthralling process, recollections of DESS circa 1960’s, fond memories and anecdotes of days gone by have come to the fore. What is apparent, is that the DESS legacy and experience has left positive and marked imprints on the lives of so many over the last 58 years.

Trips down memory lane have opened up new paths to connect and the recreation of one of our very first DESS classroom photos, with the help of RAF Red Arrows has initiated contact with some of the original pupils from 1963.

These initial efforts have enabled a small group of Sixth Form students at DESC, with a teacher in support, to begin to collectively piece together the history of DESS, as an enrichment project.

Concurrent with discovering our history, the importance of honouring our rich past in the celebration year that will surround DESS’ 60th birthday becomes profound. 

The wheels have been set in motion to gather ideas and put some initial plans in place to celebrate this significant milestone, with input from existing and former pupils, parents, staff and trustees. Some exciting initiatives that are in the early planning stages include a large scale event at a to-be-decided date and location in Dubai, the production of a 60th Anniversary book, philanthropy initiatives and a student led production, to name but a few.