DUBAI COLLEGE Alumni A tradition of quality in education

Current News As ever Dubai College has sprung to life from its moth-balled state during the summer holidays and the two month break seems like a lifetime ago. It is easy to miss quite how much goes on at the College on a daily basis including the 130 extra-curricular clubs on offer as well as the two overseas trips to Spain and Italy which have already been and gone. Whilst the GCSE and A Level results were announced six weeks ago, we can now confirm that

Newsletter

according to The Times we would be ranked 12th out of all UK coeducational independent schools and 3rd out of all coeducational state schools on the basis of our GCSE results (% A/A*). For A Level we would be ranked 22nd out of all UK coeducational independent schools and 5th out of all state schools (% A/A*). Considering the fact that there are around 500 coeducational independent senior schools in the UK and around 4,000 state schools this is an outstanding achievement by all the staff, pupils and parents at DC. On exam performance alone

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we are the leading academic school in the UAE and one of the leading coeducational schools in the world. As we know, however, there is more to life and education than exam results which is why we are continuing to work on our 108 lessons in life – a series of skills and topics from mindfulness through healthy eating to careers advice – the first batch of which will be delivered during Enrichment Day One in October. Michael Lambert Headmaster

DC building developments, new Science extension

DC building developments, resurfaced Sports Hall

DC building developments, branding on the DC building developments, new swimming new Netball/Tennis courts pool shading and starting blocks

Communication Channels

We have recently entered the world of ‘Social Media’ and now have the following channels: Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Flickr

Year Group Representatives We would like volunteers to act as year group representatives to help organise and promote social and networking events both in Dubai and UK If you are interested in becoming a rep for your year group, please contact debra. [email protected]

Past Students It was almost like being in a ‘storyville’ of some sort and we were the only ones who could see what was actually wrong? Was it not obvious to any one that this was just a dupe? Our parents all seemed happy enough. The companies that our parents worked for and who paid the fees, seemed content, so what was going on? They had taken us away from what we all knew, to this house with plastic chairs and tables, in a sand pit, thinking it was a great move and the best decision for us, their children!

Dubai College’s First Head Girl Angie Day If any of your parents told you that you were going to live in a country that wasn’t quite a 'place' yet, but the jobs and opportunities were going to be endless in prospects and futures; however, you would all benefit eventually. I suppose you would trust that this statement, from your usually reliable parents, was trustworthy. However, despite the many sacrifices you may all make as a family; whether you were 'seasoned' expats or not, it would have been the greatest of shocks to find out that it was you, the child, aged somewhere between 11 and 15, that was really going to make the biggest sacrifice of all. All of us had attended, in many countries around the world, established and recognisable schools. From acceptable to outstanding standards and offering good solid O and A Level curricular. Whether we had attended an international school or a highly regarded boarding school, we all had an understanding of, that 'something different'. This was obtained from the very different expat lives we lived, and we all knew the standards our parents expected from us. And most of us had paths and goals we were also beginning to forge from our own experiences and some might say privileged educations. So, you really cannot imagine the utter horror and fear we all had when arriving to a villa at the edge of the Safa Park housing compound! Not only that, but it was apparent that our supposedly intelligent parents had some how been deluded into thinking it was a school in the first place!

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We were in trouble. They had leave from all sense of reason. We were lost. Until we heard the man, calling himself, our Headmaster, address us, at what was referred to as, our first assembly. To this day, I can confidently say, he was one of the most inspiring people I have ever heard. Passionate and full of conviction, colourful in his language, and overwhelmingly excited to see the birth of his dream. His school. If any of you have seen the film Bruce Almighty, it was almost like that, the school was the Ark and we were the animals. And, like in the film, Mr Charlton, his wife, a hand full of young teachers, a case full of blue prints, a piece of donated sand up the road in Jebel Ali, and, of course a fist full of dollars from our benefactors; we all set about establishing a place that my heart bursts with pride, when I say, Dubai College. This then became our dream, our mission and our hope too. Do you know, whilst sitting in a converted bedroom to a class room, sharing books, a small chalk board and a bewildered teacher, I think our class of older students (5th form age); attained good pass results in English Language, Literature, Geography and Maths at O Levels standards in that first year. We were a working progress! We had to sit the exams in the British Embassy, at the exact same time as the British students, so that we could not cheat! The papers were couriered out to the Embassy and a few of the exams were sat in the evening, due to the time. Maybe that still happens now, but I am sure you stay at school! I could now go on to tell you many

adventures and tales of how we all began to ready and shape ourselves, not only in the practical ways of becoming a school and being included in much of the infrastructure of the buildings, but the helping shape the heart and soul. Getting excited in beginning Houses for Sports competitions, clubs and societies, but also developing our ethos, our moral behaviours, Prefect structures, expected behaviours and, developing a School Pride. For which I am so incredibly humbled when I see and read about you all now. Thank you, students of Dubai College. Thank you, for continuing to be a school to be reckoned with, within this world today. From that ‘place, which wasn’t really a place’, to the school that stands alone as, Dubai College. This was our dream. With my Best wishes to you in your achievements and lives. You have the best of starts, Angie McCarthy (nee Day) (Centre of the photograph)

An Amazing Result! Pia Bahri (leaver of 1990) with her son Rahman. Congratulations go to Rahman Bahri who recently sat his Maths GCSE at Dubai College and gained an A*. A fantastic achievement in itself, but he is only age 11, taking the exam 5 years early. He’s obviously inherited some very good genes. Pia should be extremely proud.

10 years ago – 2005

Examination Results A level A & B grades 83% - putting us in 75th position of the top independent schools and 12th in State schools GCSE A*/A grades 62.6% Outstanding performances: Jonathan Leeuwenburgh, Sanam Khanchandani, Aisha Aslam, Marta Kijowska and Daniel Fernandes. What are you up to now?

New Teaching Staff 2005

Noteable events in September 2005 Roadworks! – the underpass was being built outside DC Ramadan

Year 7 2005

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20 years ago – 1995

Teaching Staff Year 7 1995

Ancillary Staff

Examination Results A level A to C grades 67% (national average 48%) GCSE grades A to C grades 91% (national average 53%) Noteable events in 1995 IT – Another multi-media computer network was added to the facilities giving one computer to fewer than 10 pupils! Students from the school were invited to interview Vanessa Mae, the famous British violinist following a concert at Emirates International School.

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30 years ago – 1985

Teaching Staff – in September 1985

And at the end of the year…………………

1st Form (Year 7)

Examination results A level – 9 Sixth Formers passed 18 subjects achieving a pass rate of 86% O level – 68 Fifth formers passed 298 subjects achieving a pass rate of 68%. A notable achievement from Ranjeev Jethwani who gained 8 grade A passes.

Notable events in 1985 Michael Wylie, formerly staff inspector for the UK Department of Education and Science visits Dubai College for its first inspection. In Mr Wylie’s view the College was ‘a well found soundly administered and flourishing institution with above average teaching, solid work and creditable results which compare well with schools of the same sort in the

United Kingdom.’ The range of extracurricular activities available and the rapport between staff and pupils were specifically referred to as laudable features of the life of the school. The Design & Technology Centre was opened by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Education.

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Where are you now? We’d love to hear from you - get in touch with us via Facebook, LinkedIn or email [email protected]

1985 Leavers – Joanne Gill Michael Jones Saadia Mahmud Louise Charles Masood Khan Michael Jones Ola Pettersson Louise Charles Saadia Mahmud Ranjeev Jethwani Christopher Thorpe Umer Ahmad Richard Pearson Gordon Burrough Yasmine Mingay Nicholas Trudgett Rachel Brooks Ra'ad Suleiman

1995 Leavers – Erum Aftab Amour Ally Hassan Kirsty Bain Joby Barnard Michael Barnett Vishal Bhatia Matthew Birch Nicole Blair Stephen Campolucci Bianca Cappelluto Melissa Clark Marcus Collie Delia Covezzi Saara Daair Sarah Dacre Sam Davies Carolyn Davy Lucy Dawes Michelle Duquenoy Sahar Fikree Parul Mehra Laila Motiwalla Nadia Muna Sarah Nicholl Neil O’Donnell Pedro Pereira Faisal Rafi Manuela Re De Paolini Rishi Rupchand Henri Sara-aho Shahryar Sheibani Imran Siddiqui Lucinda Smith

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Maria Telfer Nathan Tibbitts Azfar Ud-Deen Karen Udberg Kate Warburton David Wernery Joakim Franzen Antony Griffin Gina Griffin Raad Haider Clare Harman Sean Hart Hajra Haq Alex Hepher Ben Hewson Anni Innamaa Rajab Jaffer Eva Jensen Rachel Jowett Ajlina Karamehic Ruth Kemp David Kerr Osman Khawar Anuradha Kumar Christian Longstaff Nathan Macapagal

2005 Leavers – Greshe Abraham Sophie Akielan Meera Al Marri Reem Al-Hilou Naveen Ali Marc Anderson Rachel Ashman Zhineh Askarpour Shoubhik Bandopadhyay Lisa Barker Lusheen Beaumont Richa Bhatnagar James Burke Lewis Burns Khadija Caffoor Amy Chandler Laura Collins Jennifer Collinson Amanda Crabbe Christopher Creegan Janice Cunningham Natalie Daghestani Ashley Davies Zain de Belder Pip Derrick Zoe Dinnadge Mark Donald Kirsty Doyle Lauren Evans Nicolas Fletcher Tom Ford Jean-Michel Gauthier Frederica Gerber Janine Gimber

Alex Gomez Mufadhal Goulamhoussen Natasha Hammoun Mariam Haugnaess Sunita Hensch Sophie Hurdiss Jamie Jack Tom Jones Charlotte Judge Raffi Kalloglian Sami Khalaf Kunal Khanna Tanja Lahey Iraaj Majumdar Sotiris Mandalios Katie Mann Danielle Matthews Richard Maxwell-Penny Gemma McDonald Katriona McLaughlin Khurrum Mian Edward Moore Natasha Mukhi Kush Nijhawan Eamon O’Connor Giselle Onanian Ali Osman Anisha Panjabi Amy Parekh Jakub Piasecki Fosca Poltronieri Sean Power Kathleen Rademan David Raynor Raiph Romans Alex Rowell Sailil Saigal Michael Sailsbury Kevin Saunders Ravneet Sembi Tania Shaikh Blair Sheard Harriet Sheehan Logan Shemer Viraj Shrivastva Alti Siddiqui Lucy Smith Connor Spencer Amy Sutcliffe Jean-MichelTattarakis Carley Taylor-Jackson Rikki Topp Drew Turner Nishant Verma Rigardt Vermeulen Avinash Vora Michael Wilson Lucy Wolfenden William Wood

Calendar of Events Date

Event

Details

Venue

Monday, 12th October 7pm – 9pm

FDC Quiz Night

DC Community

DC Auditorium

Thursday, 22nd October 2pm – 4pm

Open Day

DC Community/Prospective Parents

Dubai College

Saturday, 14th November

Y7 Entrance Assessment (application deadline 31st October)

Prospective Students

Dubai College

Wednesday, 18th November 7pm

A night at the Opera

DC Community

Music Centre

Saturday, 28th November

DC Rugby 7s

DC Community

DC Field

Saturday, 28th November

London Reunion

Alumni / Staff

Tbc London

Tuesday, 8th December 7pm

Music & Mince Pies

DC Community

DC Auditorium

Wednesday, 10th December

DC Golf Afternoon

DC Community

Jebel Ali Golf Resort

Thursday, 17th December Social venue tbc

Past versus Present and whole school celebration followed by an evening Social

Alumni / Staff / Students

Dubai College Sports Field

Friday, 18th to Sunday, 20th December

Pantomime

External Company open to Dubai Community

DC Auditorium

Tuesday, 19th January 6.45pm – 8.30pm

Y11 Careers Evening

Alumni / Students

DC ‘B’ Block

Saturday, 23rd January 6.30pm – 9.30pm

Networking / Social Event / City Alumni (all welcome) Drinks London

London, UK

Tuesday, 26th January to Thursday, 28th January

School Production ‘Odyssey’

DC Community

DC Auditorium

Wednesday, 3rd February 7pm

Y13 Business Focused Dinner

Y13 / Alumni / Friends of the Fairmont Hotel, Palm School Jumeirah (tbc)

Wednesday, 10th February 7pm

Jazz Evening

DC Community

Music Centre

Friday, 18th March

FDC Social

DC Community

Tbc

Monday, 6th & Tuesday, 7th June 5pm to 8pm

Art & DT Exhibition

DC Community

DC Auditorium

June 2016

Work Shadowing

Alumni / Friends of the School / Students

Outside Businesses

April / June 2016 tbc

Summer Social

Alumni / Staff

Dubai & UK

Date to be confirmed

Family Day & Music, Charity, Love

DC Community

DC ‘C’ Block Courtyard

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