At DESS, we believe the best primary school curriculums don’t just teach - they inspire. They empower children to connect with the world around them, nurture curiosity and build resilience.
The Invent, Explore, Inspire (IEI) curriculum is our bespoke approach to delivering the British National Curriculum, tailored to reflect our forward-thinking ethos. It’s a programme designed to spark creativity, foster critical thinking and develop principled, purpose-driven individuals ready to shape a better world.
What is a Curriculum?
For many of us, the word might conjure images of textbooks and rote learning. But we believe it’s so much more. Our curriculum gently integrates academic, social and pastoral elements, providing children with a dynamic, well-rounded education.
While we remain grounded in the objectives of the British National Curriculum, our bespoke IEI framework gives us the flexibility to adapt these objectives to suit the needs of our learners. This ensures that every topic we teach is not just relevant, but irresistible.
Being in Dubai adds another exciting dimension. Children here benefit from a rich cultural offer, including Arabic, Moral and Social Studies, alongside specialist lessons in subjects such as music and physical education. These opportunities enrich our curriculum but also require creativity and efficiency in how we use our time.
What Makes IEI Unique?
We’ve adopted an interleaved approach, blending multiple subjects into themes or topics. This method maximises time while deepening understanding. Interleaving allows children to connect knowledge across disciplines, creating a richer and more critical understanding of the world.
Our IEI curriculum is authentically child-led, starting with what our children already know and, more importantly, what excites them. Through a pre-assessment process called Possible Lines of Development (PLOD), teachers explore children’s curiosities and use these to guide their planning. By incorporating children’s interests, we create learning experiences that are both meaningful and memorable.
Real-World Learning: Year 3’s Green Finger Revolution
The topic ‘Green Finger Revolution’ perfectly illustrates the power of the IEI approach. This sustainability focused project challenges children to design their own sustainable gardens and pitch their ideas to experts. The ultimate goal? To bring their vision to life in their very own DESS Primary Oud Metha Sustainability Garden.
Here’s how subjects integrate within this topic:
- Science: Children investigate the anatomy of plants and conduct experiments to grow sustainable vegetables in the UAE’s climate.
- Design Technology and STEM: Students design recipes using their home-grown produce and pitch them to the school’s head chef. They also explore composting solutions for food waste.
- Moral Education: Lessons on food shortages and the role of charity help children understand global inequalities and how communities can support those in need.
- Social Studies: Through visits to places like the Emirates Bio Farm, students explore the UAE’s approach to sustainable farming.
- Literacy: From crafting advertising campaigns to writing formal letters, students use a variety of text types to communicate their ideas.
- Computing: Children create stop-motion animations to illustrate the life cycle of plants, merging creativity with technology.
Guiding Themes Across Terms
Each term the IEI curriculum revolves around a core theme, encouraging children to think critically and creatively:
- Term 1 – Invent: Solving real-world problems through innovation.
- Term 2 – Explore: Hands-on inquiry into the world around us, with a focus on geography and discovery.
- Term 3 – Inspire: Tackling social issues and becoming change-makers for a better tomorrow.
Outcomes that Go Beyond Academics
For DESS children, academic excellence is just the starting point. Our IEI curriculum develops values, behaviours and a strong moral conscience in every child. It’s about shaping individuals who are not only capable of succeeding but who are committed to making a difference.
Year 6 – Abigail – Invent
“Let’s face it, the world won’t survive with our growing population, so we need to create something that helps us to become more sustainable – we learnt that the weight of energy on this world is incredible! We had to combine lots of Mathematical thinking with research (we couldn’t help but keep researching in our spare time), and then we put this into reality by building our city – it was difficult! But, working collaboratively helped, and that’s what I loved most.”
Year 3 – Agnes – Explore
“After my explorer day, I realised I loved tent building and doing a scavenger hunt – we had to find water! We also learnt that if we were stranded in the desert, we would need a mirror so airplanes could see us! We got to be an archeologist digging in the sand to look for gems. We found actual gems and crystals! I’m now even having an explorers’ birthday party.”
Year 3 – Farah – Inspire
“There is always so much to do which makes it so exciting. Crafting, I just love crafting, and I can do this through the Art that’s linked to our IEI. I have been encouraging my family to use fewer plastic bags and I have to say, it’s going good so far.”
