For Bahaar Srivastava and Oliver Griffin, the prospect of moving from Oud Metha into Year 6 at Academic City next September, understandably holds many mixed emotions.
Excited, curious, eager and raring to go, they also clearly feel a sense of apprehension as they prepare to say goodbye to a place they’ve come to know and love since Foundation Stage.
Bahaar, a self-proclaimed bookworm, is particularly excited about the new library. “I practically live in our amazing library here at Oud Metha and can’t wait to see if the new school’s library is the same as the pictures of it that we’ve seen on the posters,” she laughed. “It’s going to have to be incredible if it’s going to compete with my favourite spot at Oud Metha!”
Bahaar is also looking forward to the super cool classrooms and the new netball courts and is happy that her close friend Emily will be joining her at the new school. She adds: “It’ll be a fun way to explore together, though we might need a map to find our way around at first!”
For Bahaar’s family, the new campus brings another benefit. Her older sister Dhun is already at DESS College. “It’ll be nice to know she’ll be close by, and will also be much nearer to our home in Sports City for drop-off and pick-up, which I think Mum is secretly very pleased about.”
For Oliver, who lives in Meydan South, it was the plans and visualisations of the amazing new football pitches that first caught his eye. “They look fantastic in the pictures. We’ll all feel like proper players,” he said. Younger sister Imogen, currently in Year 2 at Oud Metha, will also be making the move to Academic City next year. “It’ll be nice to still have my little sister with me - even though I’ll probably have to keep an eye on her as usual!”
While he’s eager to explore the new campus, Oliver admits he’s a bit sad too. “It’s weird that I’m excited but also a bit upset that not all my friends and teachers will be moving with us. But that’s okay. In a way it’ll be like being at two schools at the same time – me at one and my friends at another. And anyway, there’s so much new stuff to check out - it’ll probably take us ages to find our way around!”
For students like Bahaar and Oliver, the shift to DESS Primary Academic City is more than just a new school location; it’s a monumental change that brings a wave of emotions. And it’s this kind of feedback from the children themselves that’s guiding how we communicate key messages about transition to families, children and staff.
It’s important to acknowledge both the excitement and the inevitable apprehension that comes with moving from a familiar campus to a brand-new one. In many cases, children leaving DESS Primary Oud Metha are leaving behind classrooms, friendships, and routines they’ve known for years. Pausing to capture and acknowledge these feelings helps us better understand what our children need - whether it’s a familiar face, reassurance about keeping in touch with friends, or the anticipation of exploring the new school’s state-of-the-art facilities.
By listening to the voices of children like Bahaar and Oliver, we’re reminded that the change we’re implementing isn’t only about logistics or facilities - it’s about preserving the culture and connections that make DESS such a special community.
