Doha English Speaking School

Finding a school place in Doha can be a daunting experience – we are very well aware of the stresses involved and our Registrar will do her utmost to assist you to make the experience as smooth as possible.

Please contact our Registrar by phone +974 4459 2750 or e-mail admissions and she will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Our admissions process takes place throughout the academic year, however there may be waiting lists for some year groups. If the waiting list of a particular year group becomes too long we will close it for a short period of time until the size of the waiting list reduces. If the year group you require is currently listed as 'CLOSED' please sign up to the mailing list to be notified as soon as it reopens.

All children from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 2 are required to attend an age appropriate assessment here at DESS. For children in Years 3 to 7 external assessments can often be arranged if necessary.

DESS operates all admissions under our Assessment Charter and in accordance with our admissions policies.

• FS1 Admissions Policy.
• FS2 - Year 7 Admissions Policy.

As per our admissions policy, priority placement is available for:

• Corporate Sponsored places - please contact your HR department to enquire whether a Corporate agreement exists with DESS.
• Children demonstrating excellence in academics, music and sports - this is determined by the school when reviewing supporting school reports and assessment.

Important Information

• All children must be in possession of a valid Qatari Residency Permit before starting school in Qatar.
• If transferring from a school outside of Qatar, there is a Ministry of Education requirement to have your child's most recent school report attested.
• Applications for children transferring from a school overseas or at a non British curriculum school within Qatar cannot be registered for the current academic year after 31st January.
• Applications for children transferring from a British curriculum school within Qatar can only be accepted up to 28th February.
• Applications will be reviewed and assessments will be carried out at the school’s discretion.
• Our waitlists are automatically rolled over on an annual basis.

Admissions Procedure

Moving your child to a new school and country is stressful enough, so we have tried to make our application process as simple as possible.

Step 1 - Familiarise yourself with the process

We have gathered all pertinent information relating to our admissions process in one area. Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the Admissions Information as it should answer many of the questions you may have.

Step 2 - Compile necessary documents

Before starting the online application process, please ensure that you have compiled the following information and documents in digital format.

To make your own copy of the document templates linked to below, please click on the link to open the file then select "File" then "Download" from the menu in the newly opened browser tab.

• Most recent School Report.
• FS1 Parental Questionnaire - FS 1 pupils only.
• DESS Progress Report - Years 1 to 6 only.
• Sponsor's passport.
• Sponsor's Qatar Residence Permit.
• Child's passport.
• Child's Qatar Residence Permit (if available).
• Company Family Sponsorship Letter - If QRP's are unavailable.
• Passport size photo of child.
• Child's Immunisation Records.
• Pupil Health Record - upon completing this online form a pdf file will be emailed to you for uploading during the application process.

Step 3 - Submit online application

Proceed to our Application Form and select the relevant academic year and applicable year group as per the birthday date ranges outlined. Please note that you will require the above information in order to submit the online application form, so please ensure you have gathered all this before you start.

Please note, Qatari nationals, Platinum Corporate Sponsored families and British diplomats should contact the school Registrar if they wish to apply for a year group with a currently closed waiting list.