DESS OUD METHA SPORT
MORE THAN JUST A GAME
PE and Sport at DESS Oud Metha is built on a belief that will be familiar to any parent who has watched their child discover something they love. Confidence and character are not the byproducts of a good programme but the whole point of it, and everything we do, from the Foundation Stage through to Year 6, is designed with that in mind.
From the moment children join us, movement is an essential part of the learning journey. Habits formed on a field, in a pool or on a court at primary age have a way of staying with a person. We take that seriously, and it shapes everything we do.
We are proud of what our children achieve. DESS Oud Metha is consistently ranked among the top sporting schools in Dubai and our record in local, national and internal competitions across a wide range of sports reflects the commitment of our children, the expertise of our staff and the generous support of our parents.
But results have never been the whole story here. We strongly believe that a child who leaves primary school loving sport, whatever their ability, is as much a success story as any trophy we have ever won.
Our aim is simple. We want all our children to experience the joy of finding a sport they love, feel supported to be the best they can be, and take that feeling with them long after they leave us.
Max Lohe Director of Sport
PE AND SPORT FOR EVERY CHILD
At DESS Oud Metha, sports journeys are very personal. They bring different strengths, interests and levels of confidence, but they are all united by the sense of belonging and pride that comes from wearing the DESS jersey.
When a child pulls it on for the first time, they know the feeling, and so does every parent who has watched from the touchline. As Dubai’s oldest primary school, our sporting history is not something we simply talk about. It lives in every team, every fixture, and all the children who wear red with pride. The programme is built to make sure it
At DESS Oud Metha, our PE curriculum is rooted in evidence-informed practice and designed to inspire a lifelong love of PE and sport. Aligned with the National Curriculum for England,
it promotes happy, healthy lifestyles and is delivered by highly qualified teachers.
Our children experience a rich and varied PE curriculum, with opportunities to take part in gymnastics, parkour, swimming, athletics, health and fitness, rugby, football, futsal, netball, cricket, rounders, Kin-Ball, tennis, badminton, and volleyball. The curriculum is carefully designed to develop children’s physical competence, knowledge and understanding, while also nurturing their confidence, character and social development.
From Foundation Stage through to Year 6, each child has access to a broad, carefully structured PE schedule rooted in wellbeing, designed to encourage a happy, healthy lifestyle, and delivered by experienced specialist staff.
These lessons do not happen automatically. They require people who understand that their role extends well beyond the whiteboard and the whistle. The PE and Sport team at DESS Oud Metha is exceptional by any measure: former international players, seasoned coaches, and experienced educators who between them have competed, coached, and taught at the highest levels. Every child who comes through this programme gets more than instruction. They get guidance from people who have been there, inspiration from people who know what it takes, and coaching from people who are wholeheartedly invested in their progress. That combination, and a PE and school culture in which the way you play is valued higher than whether you win, is what makes the difference.
THE JOURNEY THROUGH PRIMARY SPORT
in confidence through positive physical experiences. As they move into Key Stage 1, they build on these foundations by developing greater control, coordination and an early understanding of games, teamwork and fair play. Through carefully planned activities, children begin to experience the joy of trying, the pride of improving, and the importance of winning and losing with kindness and respect.
In Key Stage 2, children build on the strong foundations developed in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, becoming more confident, capable and reflective learners. They refine their physical skills, deepen their knowledge and understanding, and learn to apply tactics, strategies and decision-making across a wide range of sports and activities. Alongside this, children develop important personal qualities such as resilience, teamwork, leadership and respect.
By Year 3, the landscape shifts. Children begin competing in the Dubai Affiliated School Sport Association (DASSA) leagues for the first time, travelling to away fixtures, experiencing pre-season preparation and learning what it means to represent their school.
Football and netball lead the way in that first competitive term, with children introduced to pitch and court formation, rules, tactics and the responsibility that comes with playing for a team.
Extra-curricular activities that began in Key Stage 1 continue to grow during Key Stage 2, opening a wider range of sports and Development Squads and giving children more time in the coordination and balance, and grow
environments they are beginning to love. Taken together, they are designed to do something simple but important: give children more of what makes them happy, healthier, and more themselves.
We work very closely with parents throughout their time with us, sharing information and offering guidance, because we know that a child’s first experience of competitive sport is a significant moment for the whole family and that we owe much of our success to our investment in partnership with parents.
Throughout Year 4 there is growing focus on the fundamentals. Technique improves, team dynamics develop, and children begin to find the sports that genuinely excite them.
By Years 5 and 6, the level of competition increases significantly. Children take part in larger national and international tournaments, and are asked to perform. This is where the groundwork of the earlier years pays off, not just in results but in how children carry themselves when things are difficult. The British Schools in the Middle East (BSME) competition plays an important role at this stage, providing a broader regional context for the most committed young athletes.
Year 6 brings one more dimension. As children transition through sport and prepare for their final year of primary, they begin to spend time with students at DESS College, easing a transition that can feel daunting and making it feel, instead, like the natural next step in a journey already well underway.
SPORT THAT STAYS WITH YOU
There is a question worth asking about any primary PE and sports programme, and it’s this. What does a child actually
is the vehicle. The destination is a child who leaves our primary school confident in their body, curious about what they might achieve, and genuinely in love with being active.
memories of the best matches, though those matter too. What stays, when
feeling. The feeling of being part of a DESS team. Of improving at something through effort. Of being cheered on by a coach who believed in you before you believed in yourself. Of standing on a pitch or beside a pool and knowing you
At DESS Oud Metha, that feeling is what we are really building. The sport
Three words capture it better than any programme description could: Legacy, Family and Belief.
Legacy reminds us of the standards set by those who came before. Family keeps us rooted in care and connection. Belief moves us forward, inspiring us to challenge assumptions and trust one another to make things better. These anchors are lived daily throughout all aspects of school life.
