The original JESS school in Jumeirah was founded in 1975 and celebrated its 40th birthday in 2005. The school was founded as a result of demand for institutions tailored to suit the needs of British families. At the time, the only other available school was the Dubai English Speaking School, which was over-subscribed. First opened in an apartment near the Dubai Clock Tower, JESS only had 17 pupils in 2 classes. In 1976, due to the influx of students, the school relocated to the villa of the school's headteacher, Miss Blue. In 1977, His HighnessSheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum granted the school land in the Jumeirah district of Dubai, which is where the school is located.
JESS Arabian Ranches
In 2000s, the Emirates experienced an influx of expats, and as a result, the demand education grew, leading to the opening of JESS Arabian Ranches in 2005. It was the first school in Dubai to be built as a part of a significant planned housing development. JESS Arabian Ranches opened in September 2005 with 573 pupils - a primary school, with Years 7 and 8 offered in secondary. A sixth form was opened in 2009, offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, due to the increasing demand for the program in Dubai. After 2009, the school started offering all years, from KG1 to Year 13.
Campus
Both of the campuses have a main building, surrounded by other school facilities, with both of the school's campuses containing swimming pools, a PE hall, netball courts and multi-purpose sports fields. The Arabian Ranches site also contains a music center, a lecture theater and an auditorium. The sixth form building is separate from the main building in the Arabian Ranches campus, and contains a common room, a study hall, a dining area and a locker room.
Curriculum
Jumeirah English Speaking School incorporates the National Curriculum of England and the IB Diploma Programme in its courses. Elementary students will start with the National Curriculum of England, with the secondary school students moving in to study the GCSE course. Following the completion of the course, students then study either the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or the IB Courses Programme in Years 12 and 13. The IBDP programme is very different to the Courses programme. During IBDP, students have to study 6 subjects, 3 taken at Standard Level and 3 taken at the Higher Level. As well as that, students have to complete the "DP Core" consisting ofTheory of Knowledge, Community and Service and the Extended Essay. During the Courses programme, students can study 5 or 6 subjects, all of which may be taken at standard level. Community and Service is also mandatory. BTEC Extended level 3 courses in Art, Business and Sport were introduced in 2017, as an alternative to the IB.
Extracurricular activities
General extracurricular activities
The extracurricular activities offered change each term, based on decisions made by staff. Some of the extracurricular activities as of December 2016 are Pottery, School Productions, JESS newsletter, skiing, rock-climbing, instrumental lessons, golf, drama club, photography, Sudoku club, book club, film club, choir, art club, the history society, yoga, dance club, cooking club, trampoline club, gymnastics, and Aikido.
