FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

In accordance with our school’s scholarship policy, students are assessed in reference to their achievement levels. We do not hold a scholarship test for newly-enrolled students.

In accordance with our school’s mission and vision, candidate students are assessed and evaluated holistically. You can find detailed information about our admission procedures for all levels on the admissions page.

Interview appointments and results are sent to the candidate parents via e-mail by our Planning and Admissions Office three days after the meeting.

The Ministry of Education curriculum is applied; therefore our language of instruction is Turkish.

Işıkkent Early Learning Centre, Primary School, Middle School and High School have been accredited by the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organisation).

IB World Schools believe that a high quality international education that encourages students to inquire and think is very important for their development. Schools which are authorised by the IBO can apply one of the academic programmes they offer: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme.

Işıkkent applies the Ministry of Education Curriculum as a framework for the outcomes and teaching approaches in addition to the IB-PYP, IB-MYP and IB-DP programmes.

Our 2nd foreign language education starts in Grade 5 and continues until the HS graduation. Students choose Spanish or French starting to Grade 5 and continue to learn the same language until the end of Grade 8. They have the right to change their second foreign language as of HS Prep Class.

In each classroom, there is one Turkish and one English teacher at the same time. These two teachers communicate with students in both languages by using a bilingual collaborative teaching approach. This approach is similar to the one used in families in which there are mothers and fathers speaking different languages. With this method, instead of learning a new foreign language as a structured lesson, students internalise the language by experiencing it. In this way, they expand their vocabulary and learn to express themselves naturally in a different language. BCT teachers use various texts in both languages to help students enrich their experiences and establish connections with the real world. The BCT approach is used throughout our ELC and Primary School.

All of our graduates are placed in universities. Please visit www.isikkent.k12.tr/en-US/graduates85 for details about annual student placements.

ELC classrooms are designed in accordance with the age ranges indicated in the Preschool Education and Primary Education Regulations of the Ministry of Education. With regard to those regulations, male-female student ratio, students’ readiness levels, numbers of foreign students etc. are taken into consideration while designing the classrooms homogeneously.

The following criteria is considered whilst allocating classrooms:

• Having an equal number of students in each grade level.
• Having a balanced male-female student ratio in the classroom.
• Social and emotional development levels of students (in line with the guidance and counselling department reports)
• The academic readiness of students (in line with the observations of the homeroom teachers)
• Having a similar academic level between the classrooms.

Classrooms in Işıkkent Middle School are mixed each year according to the grade level. The goal of this application is to change the learning environment for students each year, help them get to know one another, and have different friendships.

• The classrooms should be academically homogeneous. It is important for students in a classroom to have similar GPAs.
• Another criterion is having a balanced male-female student ratio in the classroom.
• We also pay attention to the individual differences of students. We find the most suitable classroom for them where they can feel socially, emotionally and academically confident.

Classroom allocation is carried out meticulously at the end of each academic year by the school principal, vice principal, psychological counsellor, guidance teacher and the branch teachers.

In High School, the classrooms are arranged each year according to the academic level, and behaviour and interaction patterns of the students while considering the male-female student ratio and the elective courses.

In accordance with the Ministry of Education regulations, the maximum class size in preschool cannot exceed 20 students while in primary school, middle school and high school, the class size should be limited to 24 students.

Students wear uniforms starting from Grade 5.

Children who have self-care skills, who do not use diapers and who are between 36 and 66 months of age as of September can be enrolled in the nursery class in the same academic year.

Our school has a department that regularly communicates and collaborates with different universities however we are not in contract with a specific university.

We organize various training sessions based on the needs of our parents and engage our parents in the learning process.

We hold “parent meetings” and “student-led conferences” in each semester.

We also share the teacher meeting hours with our parents at the beginning of each semester.

Furthermore, we organize “Seminars Towards Tomorrow”, a series of meetings where we welcome experts from various fields four times a year to train our parents on diverse topics. Also, we deliver a four-session “Parent Effectiveness Training” in each semester.

The school fees are announced in May in line with the decision of the Board of Directors. No discount can be granted except for the sibling discount.

A 10.3% discount is granted for the 2nd sibling. A 20% discount is granted for the 3rd sibling.

Işıkkent employs 108 full time teaching staff. 20% of the teachers have a master’s degree or higher. 10% of teachers are native English speakers. The average teaching experience of our teachers is 16,7 years. The teacher-student ratio is 1 to 7.