George H. Damon, Jr.
Head of School
In addition to being one of the oldest international schools in the world, Istanbul International Community School (ICCS) is among Europe's most noteworthy. Founded in 1911 to educate the children of the Robert College faculty, the school has maintained over a century-long tradition of academic excellence. IICS is an independent, co-educational day school, offering a full IB program from Early Years through Grade 12 for international students (holders of non-Turkish passports).
The school has two divisions: the Primary School (Early Years-Grade 6) and the Secondary School (Grades 7-12). The language of instruction is English. IICS offers impressive facilities, a friendly environment, engaged and enthusiastic students, and an involved parent body.
IICS currently educates 500 students from 62 countries, 5 continents. IICS is a truly international school. This is reflected in the nationalities represented by our staff and students, as well as in our mission-driven goal of instilling a sense of global citizenry in our school community. With so many of the world's nationalities represented on campus, each of us has an exceptional opportunity to develop an understanding of, and appreciation for, the philosophies of people from many different cultures.
We have organised the information available for this school into 6 sections and 40 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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490
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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64
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Most common nationality
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The four largest nationality groups are US, Germany, UK and Korea.
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Ratio of local students to international students
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IICS only admits holders of non-Turkish passports.
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Max. number of students per class
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20
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Average number of students per class
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15
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Native English speaking teachers
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The majority of teachers are native English speakers who are recruited from abroad. The majority of the faculty is from the US, Canada and UK.
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Language support for students not fluent in English
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IICS provides English support classes for children up to Grade 10 and admits students with minimal English proficiency up to Grade 7.
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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IICS offers French (Grades 2-6) and Turkish Culture & Language (EY5 – Grade 6) at the primary level.
In Secondary School, French and Spanish are offered as a second language.
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Use of technology in the classroom
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In the Early Years and in Grade 1, shared iPads are provided for student use under the guidance of teachers, building a foundation in collaboration and sharing. Students in Grade 2 to Grade 5 use shared MacBooks and iPads provided by IICS. This extends into a 1-to-1 MacBook Program in Grade 6-12, and students use these devices throughout the day to complement teacher instruction. A typical classroom consists of an interactive whiteboard, wireless projector and 3.1 stereo system.
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Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)
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Yes, we do provide distance learning when Covid-19 protocols are in place.
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Yes, homework varies depending on grade and time of the year.
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Uniform required
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No uniform is required.
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Waiting list
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If classes are already full then all applying students will be put on a waiting list.
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Entry evaluation for students
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Assessment in secondary is compulsory.
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Brief description of entry evaluation required
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There is no entrance exam for students with grades EY3-Grade 6. If the student is applying for grade 7 and above the student may be invited to the school for testing for English, Math, or foreign language to make sure of the right placement.
ENGLISH
We ask them to do an age-appropriate piece of academic writing. They have a choice of two titles and must write a properly structured formal essay on the topic of their choice for 60 min
If they are already identified as EAL they will also have a speaking and listening assessment with our EAL teacher.
MATHS
The students are given a maths test covering the topics that have been studied in previous years. This is to understand if there are any gaps in their content or skills that we may have to account for when assigning them a maths class.
Both tests are handwritten to give us an understanding of their thought process and their handwriting.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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No deadline, applications are taken all year round.
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Yes.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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99 percent.
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External examinations or assessments available
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IB Diploma
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Results in these examinations
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IB Diploma World average ranges between 29-31. IICS students achieve above World averages. 202-21 IICS students averaged 34 points.
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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IICS does not provide religious classes in its IB curriculum. However, all students are allowed to practice their own beliefs and religions.
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How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion?
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IICS does not discriminate against any religion or person of Faith. All faiths are welcome at IICS.
IICS is an inclusive international school.
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School bus service available
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Yes
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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1) IICS offers EAL classes - English as second language classes to assist with the development of the English languages.
2) Learning support staff provided one on one support for students requiring additional academic assistance.
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Learning support offered
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1) IICS offers EAL classes - English as second language classes to assist with the development of the English languages.
2) Learning support staff provided one on one support for students requiring additional academic assistance.
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Student access to education psychologist
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IICS does have a recommended group of specialists that all students can be provided access to.
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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Istanbul International Community School is an International Baccalaureate School in Istanbul. Founded in 1911 to educate the children of the Robert College faculty, the school has maintained a century-long tradition of academic excellence. IICS is an independent, co-educational day school, offering a full IB program from pre-kindergarten (ages 3) to grade 12 (ages 18) for international students (holders of non-Turkish passports).
Through its challenging curriculum and strong staff-student relationships, IICS provides a caring environment that inspires each student to excel and to be inquisitive, creative, compassionate, balanced, and internationally-minded.
IICS aims to be a top international school—not just in our region, but among the best international schools worldwide. To provide the best education to meet the needs of every learner is the target that directs all our planning and action as an educational institution. Every learner should be empowered.
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Teaching approach of the school
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From early years to graduation IICS provides a balanced up-to-date education program to build future world citizens prepared to face any upcoming life challenge crossing their path. Ready to voice their opinions, open-mindset oriented to evaluate any given task, highly skill-equipped to maneuver through university challenges, and fully focused to find a passion-driven path towards an ultimate envisioned goal.
The three IB programs are challenging to all learners, and we believe in the importance of the IB Learner Profile (inquirers, risk-takers, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, knowledgeable, balanced, reflective).
Healthy relationships and effective communication between all members of the community, especially between students and teachers, are the key to school success.
Learning is personal, as each student is unique in his or her interests, aptitudes, and learning styles. The needs of each individual ought to be met so that each student has opportunities to excel.
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Learning
The curriculum at IICS consists of the International Baccalaureate's three programs and is designed to support a developmental, student-centered, interdisciplinary approach:
• The Primary Years Program (PYP) for pupils aged 3 to 12 focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom and in the world outside.
• The Middle Years Program (MYP) for students aged 12 to 16 provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills through embracing and transcending traditional school subjects.
• The Diploma Program (DP) for students aged 16 to 19 is a demanding two-year curriculum that meets the needs of highly motivated students, and leads to a qualification that is recognized by leading universities around the world.
Marmara Campus
The main, purpose-built Marmara campus (Early Years-Grade 12) is 25 miles west of the city center amid rolling hills, overlooking a large lake. Facilities at the Marmara Campus include a completely automated and newly expanded library with computer stations, a double gymnasium, a multi-purpose sports salon, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, a soccer pitch, spacious playgrounds, three science labs, a design technology lab, a theater, an outside amphitheater, a visual arts building, music rooms, an Early Learning Center for students 3-6 years old and a restaurant with panoramic view all situated on a 130.000 m2 (13 hectare campus).
Hisar Campus
The smaller Hisar Campus (Early Years-Grade 3) is part of the school's original grounds from its inception in 1911. Located in a wooded, historic neighborhood in Rumeli Hisari near the Bosphorus, the Hisar campus is situated in a beautiful, mature garden overlooking the Hisar castle ramparts with a traditional villa surrounded by modern classroom buildings. The cozy setting at Hisar is inviting and comforting for young learners. Facilities at Hisar include a library, a PE and music room, a basketball court rubberized for safety, a climbing wall, and outdoor space for a children at play.
After School
Co-Curricular Activities are an important part of our program at IICS. These activities allow students the opportunity to utilize their talents and motivate different learning styles to help foster the whole child and develop a balanced lifestyle. Over the past years we have noticed a strong correlation between participation in athletics and activities and academic performance. IICS is a member of CEESA (Central and Eastern European Schools Association), which provides the opportunity for IICS students to travel to nearly twenty different schools to participate in athletic, artistic, and academic competitions and conferences. IICS is also a member of TISL which offers the opportunity for our teams to compete with other school in Turkey.
