DESS Doha Alumni

What a brilliant evening with our UK alumni. It was a real pleasure catching up with former students and staff, hearing their stories, and celebrating both the rich history of our school and the exciting plans ahead.

Friday night was a reminder of the character, community and connection that truly define the DESS family, no matter where in the world our people go. This is only the start as we continue to grow our global alumni network.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us. We’re looking forward to creating even more opportunities for our alumni to connect, collaborate and thrive.

Doha English Speaking School

It was wonderful to welcome our Year 6 parents to school yesterday for the Year 7 Information Morning.

Parents were able to hear all about the curriculum overview for Years 7 & 8 and got to see our students in action as they toured the senior school facilities.

Not only did they hear about our fantastic academic results, which are well above the UK national average, but they also heard from our former students, who recently visited us after making the transition to their new schools this September.

It was inspiring to hear how their experience at DESS laid such a positive foundation for the next chapter in their educational journey.

You can watch the full video on our website: https://www.dess.org/alumni

🇬🇧 Calling all UK-based DESS Alumni! 🎓

We’re excited to announce the first-ever UK DESS Alumni Gathering - A special evening to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate our shared DESS memories.

📍 Location: Hammersmith, London
🗓 Date: Thursday, 5th December
⏰ Time: From 5:30 PM

Former students and staff are warmly invited to join us for this milestone event!

👉 Register here to receive full details and secure your spot: https://forms.gle/NMu34tmGu1AyG4Uw8

Let’s bring the DESS spirit to London! We can’t wait to see you there! 🇬🇧✨

Exciting News for DESS Alumni in the UK! 🇬🇧

Following the amazing success of our recent alumni gathering in Doha, we’re thrilled to announce a DESS Alumni Event in Central London on 5th December! 🗓️✨

📍 Venue TBC — but rest assured, it will be conveniently located near public transport for easy access.

We’d love to reconnect and catch up with our wonderful alumni community. If you'd like to join us, please register your interest via the Google Form below 👇
📩 Once you're registered, we’ll keep you updated with all the details closer to the time.

Let’s make it another unforgettable evening!

Doha English Speaking School

🔗https://tinyurl.com/5dhcaetb

We were delighted to welcome back 11 members of our 2018 Year 6 cohort this morning for a special trip down memory lane.

As they prepare to leave Qatar and begin exciting new chapters at some of the UK’s top universities — studying Law, Medicine, Economics, and Chemical Engineering — it was a joy to see them reconnect with their former teachers and relive their DESS days.

It came as no surprise that this impressive group remains as polite, respectful, and grounded as ever, truly reflecting the DESS values of Respect, Perseverance, Kindness, and Responsibility that they embraced during their time with us.

We wish them every success in the future and look forward to welcoming them back again soon. ❤️✨ Doha English Speaking School

What a fantastic evening we had last night reconnecting with DESS Alumni!

The beautiful setting of The Library at the Waldorf Astoria in Lusail provided the perfect backdrop for the very first official event of the DESS Alumni Association.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us – it was truly special to see old friends reunited and new connections made, all sparked by the shared joy of fond memories from happy days at DESS.

We’ve already received some lovely messages from attendees who thoroughly enjoyed the evening – and we couldn’t agree more!

We’re excited for what’s to come… keep an eye out for details of our next event, set to take place in the UK this summer.

🎓 DESS Alumni – Just a few days to go! 🎓
Our Alumni Gathering is happening next week – have you registered yet?

📅 Date: 1st June 2025
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Venue: Waldorf Astoria, Lusail

Join us for an evening of reconnection, memories, and networking with fellow alumni. It’s the first event of its kind — and we don’t want you to miss it!

📝 Register now: https://tinyurl.com/5n8u56c7
🗓️ RSVP deadline: 28th May 2025

We’re so excited to see you there! 🤝🎉

DESS Alumni Gathering - 1st June 2025
📅 When: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Where: Waldorf Astoria, Lusail

Reconnect with old friends, celebrate DESS memories, and network with fellow alumni at our first-ever Alumni Gathering!

📝 Register now to attend!
Click here to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/5n8u56c7
🗓️ RSVP by 28th May 2025

We can't wait to see you there! 🤝🎓

DESS Alumni Gathering - 1st June 2025
📅 When: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Where: Waldorf Astoria, Lusail

Reconnect with old friends, celebrate DESS memories, and network with fellow alumni at our first-ever Alumni Gathering!

📝 Register now to attend!
Click here to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/5n8u56c7
🗓️ RSVP by 28th May 2025

We can't wait to see you there! 🤝🎓

Thank you to JB Savage for this wonderful Alumni Story and photos. JB is the son of our founding Headteacher Mr. George Savage who spent 16 years at DESS from 1979 - 1995.
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I have countless cherished memories of the school, having spent the majority of my childhood living on its grounds. When the school first opened, my family resided in the school villa near the bottom red gates. Just in front of our villa was the sand football pitch—an arena of endless excitement where I spent many break times playing football with classmates. Even during holidays, the pitch remained a gathering place where my friends and I would immerse ourselves in games, laughter, and competition. From the age of nine through to eighteen, much of my free time was devoted to sports at the school, an experience that undoubtedly shaped my future in athletics. This passion carried me through my years at boarding school, where I played for various teams, and later into club sports in the UK.
One of my most vivid memories is of jumping over the villa wall during break times to retrieve a football when we couldn’t find one quickly enough—an act of sheer impatience and enthusiasm that perfectly captured the energy of our school days. But it wasn’t just sports that captivated me; I also had a deep love for art and crafts. Even now, I still have some of my clay work from Year 2, treasured reminders of my early creativity.

Initially, I pursued a degree in Architecture, drawn to the discipline’s blend of design and structure. However, it wasn’t long before I realised that teaching was my true calling. Growing up as the son of a Headmaster, with a mother who taught music, it soon became clear that education was in my blood. My first real taste of teaching came during the summers when I worked at a camp, instructing children in sports. That experience solidified my decision to transition into education, leading me to pursue a B.Ed in Design and Technology.

Today, I am proud to serve as the Head of Secondary School in Jordan. After spending 18 years teaching in the UAE, I am now happily settled in Jordan with my wife and two children, continuing my journey in education—a path that, in many ways, was set in motion by my formative years at DESS.

British Embassy, Qatar

🌟Alumni Story: Alex Willats Returns to DESS! 🌟

We’re excited to welcome Alex Willats, a proud DESS alumnus, back to DESS! Upon returning to Qatar this year, Alex and his family gave their son Henry the choice of several schools. Without hesitation, Henry chose DESS, saying it felt like visiting family.

Alex fondly reflected on his own time at DESS, which began after moving from Nigeria, where his father worked as a Construction Director. He recalls the excitement of Queen Elizabeth II visiting in 1979 to open the campus, even though he was in trouble for writing on the sports hall wall! Despite that, Alex managed to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty and never forgot the experience.

Throughout his time at DESS, Alex immersed himself in every sports team, club, and Cub Scouts, cherishing the school’s strong community spirit, a tradition that continues today. DESS was also the heart of the small expat community, where most of his lifelong friends were classmates.

After DESS, Alex attended Dulwich College in London and later earned a BA (Hons) in Hotel Management from South Bank University. He began his career at The Churchill Hotel in London and worked his way up to hosting celebrities, sports stars, Royals, and Heads of State. His 30-year career saw him in management roles for some of the world’s most renowned hotels, including The Lowry, Claridge’s London, Shangri-La at The Shard, and The Ritz London, where he once again hosted Queen Elizabeth for her private 80th birthday party.

Alex’s career also took him across the Middle East and Asia, managing luxury hotels in Bahrain, Bangkok, Manila, Dubai, New Delhi, Beijing, and Shanghai. He’s now returned to Qatar to take up the role of General Manager of the Waldorf Astoria Lusail, where he’s leading the way at this stunning luxury property.

Today, Alex is grateful to reconnect with the DESS family. Watching Henry join the swim team in the same pool he once trained in has been a full-circle moment. He credits DESS with shaping not only his own success but also providing a warm and nurturing environment for his family.

Welcome back, Alex and family—we’re so happy to have you with us again!

Do you have a DESS story that you would like to share? Please get in touch : [email protected]

Sports Day: 1983 vs. Today 🏃‍♂️🎉

There’s something truly special about watching today’s students revel in the same simple joys that generations before them cherished. The thrill of the race, the cheers from the sidelines, and the unforgettable moments of teamwork and triumph—some things never change.

Do you remember your Sports Day at DESS? Share your memories with us! 📸✨

🌍 It's time to reconnect!

We’re thrilled to announce two special DESS Alumni Network events this year—one in Qatar and one in the UK, and we’d love for you to join us! Whether you’re in Qatar or the UK, it’s the perfect chance to reconnect with the DESS community and share memories.

DESS has a special place in all our hearts, and we can’t wait to hear your stories. 💙 Tell us about the fond memories you created, the lasting friendships you built, and the impact DESS has had on your life. It’s all about celebrating how our incredible school shaped who we are today! 🙌

🔹 Why should you join?
• Catch up with old friends and meet new faces 🤝
• Share your journey and hear from others 🎤
• Enjoy networking and career opportunities 🌐
• Relive the magic of DESS and make new memories ✨

We look forward to reconnecting with you and celebrating our shared history. Please register your interest: https://forms.gle/vLX22c4JWFyTqd758