After receiving permission in February 1980, Doha College opened in September of that year in a 10-room villa on Salwa Road. In those seven months, Principal Sheila Porter led a team of parents and staff to raise funds, refurbish the villa, make desks and blackboards, order books and so much more. It opened with 85 pupils, 8 full-time and 10 part-time staff. By the end of the second year, the College doubled its number of pupils and continued to flourish.

HRH Princess Diana made sure to visit Doha College during the tour of the Middle East she undertook with Prince Charles in November 1986. Here she is in one of the classrooms, chatting to awestruck students.

Sheikh Jassim bin Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Thani carries out the ceremonial groundbreaking of “Doha Independent School” - the Primary arm of Doha College - which would later fully merge with its parent school.

HRH Princess Anne carries out the ceremonial concrete pouring at the Al Waab construction site on 16 February 1988, in the presence of Qatari and British dignitaries.

An aerial view of the nearly completed Al Waab campus shows how far the school had come in just eight years from inception. Al bustan Street and the surrounding compounds had not yet been built.

His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, now the Emir of Qatar, joins Doha College for the first two years of his secondary education. Mrs Freeth and Mr Coles had the honour of being his form tutors.

Doha College opens its swimming pool, which would go on to nurture and train many great swimmers. One of them is Nada Arakji, who made history by becoming the first Qatari female to represent the country in the London 2012 Olympics Games.

Doha College becomes one of the first schools in the Middle East to feature on the internet, launching its website and opening the way for communicating with parents via email. Its first URL was htpp://Qatar.net.qa/dohacoll.

Doha Independent School (Primary) and Doha College (Secondary) merge on 1 September 2004. This allowes the College to become a centre of excellence for students, throughout their school life.

A new dimension is added to an already outstanding school – its 6th Form block that housed impressive facilities including an auditorium and an IT room with over 30 computers at the time.

Doha College supports Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The students made a very persuasive case, proving the suitability of Qatar to host this world-class event. Imagine their elation when Qatar was announced as the host!

In its 30th year of existence, Doha College renewed its logo to one representing the turning of pages. The curving lines are also a reference to water, dunes and the sails of Qatari dhows.

A beacon of Doha College’s commitment to community initiatives, the now-traditional Doha College 5K and 10K Race had its first edition in November 2011.

HRH Prince Charles meets with excited Doha College students at the British Embassy. He is deeply committed to championing environmental and sustainable causes, an issue close to the hearts of our students.

The West Bay campus opens in September and offers a much-loved learning space to seven generations of primary students, until June 2020. It featured a learning garden and hosted many community events.

HRH Princess Sophie, Countess of Wessex, visits Doha College in October and meets with many students. She is the global ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, a self-development programme of high emphasis at our school.

Doha College becomes the first school in Qatar to be awarded an Eco-Schools Green Flag from the Foundation for Environmental Education. The school's Eco Committee officially hoisted the Green Flag to mark the occasion in a ceremony.

In a historic moment, Doha College breaks ground at the new Al Wajba construction site, heralding a new age for international British education in Qatar. Given its size and quality, its completion in just two years is remarkable.

Doha College receives the highly prestigious distinction of being the first ever to be awarded the status of HPL World Class Award School. The HPL approach allows Doha College to lift the lid on learning and its philosophy is woven into the fabric of the school.

To mark its 40^th anniversary and the move to the new campus, Doha College rejuvenates its identity. The sails in the logo represent a transformative journey, while the gold represents excellence and the sandy tones of our host country.

A historic milestone Doha College moves into its new home, the state-of-the art 90,000 sqm campus, fit for the forward-looking students and staff of today. And you are now the newest contributors to its success story. Welcome aboard.