Koç School

Koç School, full name VEHBİ KOÇ FOUNDATION KOÇ PRIVATE PRIMARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, a private school founded by the Vehbi Koç Foundation (VKV). It is located on the Eski Ankara Road, in Tuzla, Istanbul’s Tepeören neighborhood. It is composed of Koç High School, established in 1988, and Koç Primary School, which was opened in 1998 in order to adapt to the K12 mandatory education system from kindergarten to high school. The 4+4+4 regulation introduced in 2012 stipulated that education must include kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school. With a multicultural teaching staff, innovative educational methods and an integrated bilingual education program from kindergarten to 12th grade, the Koç School has a global vision, which aims to “raise well-rounded, confident individuals who are respectful of difference, who can think independently and creatively, are sensitive to social issues and the environment and possess the qualities to be good citizens”.

History

Koç Private School, the foundations of which were laid on the 60th anniversary of the Koç Group in 1986, began by teaching 224 students at pre-high school and pre-middle school levels in the 1988-89 academic year. John C. Chalfant, who was made director of the project in 1987, was also appointed director of the school that same year and continued in this role until the high school produced its first graduates in 1992. Atakan Demirseren, who was an educational consultant during the foundation of the school, served as chief deputy director from 1988 to 1998. From 1992 to 1996, Gerald Shields was director of the school, which had now reached an intake of 753 students. In 1994, the International Baccalaureate was introduced in Turkey for the first time at Koç Private High School. In 1995, the school produced its first batch of graduates, who had joined at middle school level. During the tenure of John R. Chandler, who became the school’s third director in 1996, the eight-year compulsory education system was introduced, precipitating the establishment of Koç Private Primary School in 1998. Chandler’s title changed and he became the school’s first general director that same year. In 2005, when J. Anthony Paulus began serving as the school’s second general director, a 12th grade was added to the High School, taking the school’s total attendees up to 2,000. In 2012, during the time of the school’s third general director, Robert Lennox (2008-13), the 4+4+4 national compulsory education system was introduced. The school could continue within the K12 system by splitting into three entities: primary, middle and high school. Koray Özsaraç took over from Lennox in 2013, becoming the Koç School’s fourth general director. In 2016, it was renamed as the Koç School. After the departure of Özsaraç in 2018, Prof. Murat Günel was appointed as director.

Semahat Arsel:

““Individuals who can work anywhere in the world, but never forget where they came from..."”

Semahat Arsel: “Individuals who can work anywhere in the world, but never forget where they came from...”

My sister, Suna Kıraç, worked extremely hard on the foundation of this school and was deeply committed to this project. She was the one who made it successful. Suna worked very closely with my father because someone in the family was needed to keep track of matters such as acquiring the necessary permissions and forging ties with the teachers. Suna thought that education was so important, a civilizing force in people’s lives. My father also wanted to ensure that everyone received an education, whether they were rich or poor. This made him a wonderful person in my eyes. My father attached as much importance to Turkey as he did to his own work. He tried to solve the country’s problems. Education was one of these. When he realized that our fellow citizens were not receiving a proper education, he began providing scholarships. He later realized that the scholarships were not enough. We established Koç Private High School because he wanted to found his own school. The core aim was to create students who embraced Turkish traditions and customs, and subsequently Turkish culture, and whose education earned them a place as citizens of the world. In other words, we wanted to raise individuals who could work anywhere in the world, but would never forget where they came from.

İzzeddin Çalışlar (ed.), VKV Koç Özel İlköğretim Okulu ve Lisesi 1988-2008, VKV Koç Private and High School, Istanbul, 2008, pp. 19-23

Suna Kıraç:

“Suna Kıraç: “Our belief in education...””

My sister, Suna Kıraç, worked extremely hard on the foundation of this school and was deeply committed to this project. She was the one who made it successful. Suna worked very closely with my father because someone in the family was needed to keep track of matters such as acquiring the necessary permissions and forging ties with the teachers. Suna thought that education was so important, a civilizing force in people’s lives. My father also wanted to ensure that everyone received an education, whether they were rich or poor. This made him a wonderful person in my eyes. My father attached as much importance to Turkey as he did to his own work. He tried to solve the country’s problems. Education was one of these. When he realized that our fellow citizens were not receiving a proper education, he began providing scholarships. He later realized that the scholarships were not enough. We established Koç Private High School because he wanted to found his own school. The core aim was to create students who embraced Turkish traditions and customs, and subsequently Turkish culture, and whose education earned them a place as citizens of the world. In other words, we wanted to raise individuals who could work anywhere in the world, but would never forget where they came from.
İzzeddin Çalışlar (ed.), VKV Koç Özel İlköğretim Okulu ve Lisesi 1988-2008, VKV Koç Private and High School, Istanbul, 2008, pp. 19-23

Suna Kıraç: “Our belief in education...”

Throughout his career, my father, Vehbi Koç, believed that the most valuable part of any organization was well-educated staff and maintained that good staff only arose from good education. It was for this reason that our first significant social facility was established in a place where it could contribute to education and in 1951, Maltepe Koç Student Dormitory was established for Ankara University students. In the speech he gave at the dormitory’s opening ceremony in April 15, 1951, Vehbi Koç said: “I believe that any endeavor that helps to better nurture the young people in whose hands Atatürk entrusted the country and Republic is the greatest form of benevolence in the revolution we are living through. This facility arose from that belief.” Nearly 40 years have passed since that day. During this time, along with our father, our belief in education has persisted, growing ever stronger, and we have continued in our efforts to develop numerous educational facilities for Turkey. Our belief in education guided us to found the Vehbi Koç Foundation Koç Private High School project in Kurtköy, Pendik. This project introduced an important innovation: assuming responsibility for the running of the facility... When founding the school, we used the most contemporary education possible as our model. We adopted English-language education at this Turkish private school, though naturally classes on Turkish language and culture are taught in Turkish.

Çalışlar, VKV Koç Özel İlköğretim Okulu ve Lisesi 1988-2008, p. 25

Education

The Koç School curriculum provides a comprehensive, consistent education from kindergarten through to the 12th grade. The school’s student-centered curriculum allows for active learning in a multicultural environment, as well as placing emphasis on training students to respond to the needs of the age with interdisciplinary studies, projects and research supported by the use of information technologies. This program aims to develop fundamental knowledge and skills at all levels, familiarize students with cultural and conceptual perspectives, inform and raise student awareness of matters affecting the world and the influence of these on Turkey, lead problem-solving and conflict resolution processes using positive approaches, develop creativity and awareness, and teach students about the importance of being responsible citizens by means of internal and external activities.

Koray Özsaraç:

““Nothing is as it used to be...””

Koray Özsaraç: “Nothing is as it used to be...”

Nothing is as it used to be, and the kids are quite aware of this fact. Production and consumption models have evolved at an incredible pace and created an environment of deep uncertainty for us educators… The first thing that we do at The Koç School is to accept this environment of uncertainty. Take a look at the prevalent school model: there are boxes that consist of classrooms on the one hand, and classes and recesses on the other, with the assumption that learning takes place inside these spatial and temporal boxes. But when you look at the nature of learning, this is obviously wrong. The things we truly learn, we learn differently. What differentiates us is that we try to break with this idea of learning, and this is something our students connect to. We don’t limit our expectations of our students to exams and essays, but want to ensure that learning connects to the real world.
We need to be a school for teachers also. We need to engage them in further study, training and projects to help expand horizons and liberate thinking. Let me give you an example. Recently, some teachers asked for a classroom which did not locate the teacher at the head of the class. So, we found a special paint that turns the walls into a writing surface and painted the whole class room. Now, teachers and students are free to write anywhere they like. The teacher is no longer at the center of the class and there is no hierarchy. Some may find this totally unacceptable, and of course this doesn’t make them bad teachers. We try to give our teachers as much freedom as possible. They enjoy full autonomy as long as they can justify their methods and be held accountable. In fact, we regard autonomy and accountability as the two most important principles to govern all employees and students. We are already seeing some positive results. Recently, for instance, some students and teachers resolved an issue involving classroom allocation among themselves without consulting anyone else. We, as the school administration, were not informed and did not need to be. I cannot say that everything in the school functions like this, but I can say that everyone at school takes these values into consideration. Just like in every community and in each change process, there will always be some front runners, while some will prefer to wait and see, and some will perhaps never want to change.

“Conversation with Koray Özsaraç, General Director of Koç School”, VKV 2015 Activity Report, pp. 81-87

Every year, Koç School accepts 40 female and 40 male students into its kindergarten according to a lottery drawn before a notary. These numbers vary from year to year, and students are accepted to the 3rd and 5th grade according to available places. Students who complete their eight years of elementary education can continue on to the High School, which also accepts students following assessment and evaluation exams. English-language education begins in kindergarten and gradually becomes more intensive. Teaching at the school is bilingual; social science classes are taught primarily in Turkish, science classes are taught primarily in English. From 6th grade onwards, students begin learning a second foreign language of their choice (German, French or Spanish) and they continue with it at high school. The aim is for graduates to be able to effectively use their second foreign language.

The school has been a leading institution, reforming education in Turkey, since it was founded. Koç High School, where the IB program was implemented in Turkey for the first time in 1996, also ran the implementation process in other schools in the country. It developed a multidisciplinary social studies program to include history, geography and sociology, ensuring that the program could be delivered in Turkish. Turkey’s first national and international university advice offices were also established at Koç School.

International Baccalaureate: IB:

“International Baccalaureate: IB”

The IB program aims to provide an education of sufficient quality and standards to be accepted by universities worldwide. Students who complete the IB program receive a diploma which ensures they can access university at an international level. The program makes a point of helping students to develop critical thinking and encourages personal development and social integration, linking the knowledge that students have developed at school with their skills in the outside world. Its aims include instilling students with common principles and values, encouraging awareness of societies and cultures, and enriching the Ministry of Education’s program of education with international standards.

Club-based and extra-curricular pursuits, which aim to encourage students to complement their progress with social activities relating to their interests and abilities, are an important part of the educational practice at Koç School. These take place during and outside lesson times at elementary school, after school at middle school, and in accordance with students’ timetables at high school. Extra-curricular activities include archeology, astronomy, the European Youth Parliament, biology, drama, philosophy, photography, Model UN, model planes, nanotechnology, origami, psychology and chess, in addition to team sports such as basketball, table tennis, volleyball and swimming, etc. At middle and high school level, extracurricular activities can be initiated and managed by students. Following an introduction to the activities at the beginning of the academic year, students can choose to participate in existing activities or begin others if they wish. Events such as the Suna Kıraç Inter-School Short Story Competition, Sevgi Gönül Art Night, Vehbi Koç Memorial Day, Model UN Development Program (MUNDP) Conference, Atakan Demirseren Mathematics Competition, Koç Mathematics Week, Careers Day, Ramfest Jr, Portfolio Presentation Day, and the Talent Show have become time-honored traditions. In 2017, the story and essay writing competition organized by the Koç Middle School Turkish Department was renamed the Mustafa V. Koç Story and Essay Writing Competition in memory of the late Mustafa V. Koç.

Student magazines:

“Student magazines ”

Student magazines

BOYUT – High school literary magazine. A magazine distributed to and prepared by students, comprising essays and writings on literary matters.

EDGE JR – MATH – Co-edited by the middle school’s mathematics, science, IT and arts departments. An English-language magazine compiled by students on mathematics studies. The magazine is distributed to middle school students.

EPIC AUTHORS – Middle School English-language magazine. A magazine featuring essays, writings and other work in English. It is distributed to middle school students.

ERA – History magazine, first published in 2014. Comprises writing, essays, reportage and miscellanea written by students in relation to history.

FELSEFE – High school philosophy magazine. Magazine distributed to students, featuring essays and writings on philosophical issues produced by students.

KOÇİ – Koçi, first published in 2014, is a magazine distributed to elementary school students, which shows the work of elementary school students in both Turkish and English.

LUMINOUS PANDEMONIUM (LP) - English-language magazine produced by pre-high school students, distributed to preparatory year students.

PLUTO – High school science magazine. English-language magazine featuring students’ scientific studies.

TOHUM – Middle school literary magazine comprising student essays and writings, and distributed to students.

Koç School:

“Some of the Koç School’s traditional activities”

Some of the Koç School’s traditional activities

Vehbi Koç Memorial Day
Model United Nations Development Program Conference (MUNDP)
Careers Day
Koç Mathematics Week
Suna Kıraç Inter-School Short Story Competition
Mustafa Koç Story and Essay Writing Competition
Sevgi Gönül Art Night
Atakan Demirseren Mathematics Competition
Portfolio Presentation Day
Ramfest Jr
Talent Show

Koç Okulu employs over 300 teachers, one in five of whom are foreign. The school provides teachers with constant support in developing their teaching skills. Throughout the year, teachers participate in a number of in-house training programs, seminars, symposiums and conferences both inside and outside of the school, and share the best examples from their experiences with their colleagues. The school also supports teachers in continuing their academic development by improving their language skills, and pursuing educational attainments such as master’s degrees and doctorates.

The campus

Koç School has a world-class campus, offering students a living space in the heart of nature. The campus covers an area of nearly 650,000 square meters, 620,000 of which is open-air. Seventeen percent of the grounds are landscaped. As well as the high, middle and elementary school buildings on campus, there is also a science building, with a separate branch of the sciences (physics, chemistry and biology) on each floor, dormitories, lodgings for the director and students, a social area for residents, a covered semi-Olympic sized swimming pool (also a covered teaching pool and open-air swimming pool) and open-air sports areas. The buildings cover an area of approximately 30,000 square meters, and have a total usage area of 54,000 square meters. There is an athletics track with an artificial turf football field in the center, which is the largest track belonging to any school or university.

In addition to the classrooms, the school buildings also contain laboratories, career training and ceramics studios, events rooms, art and music rooms, a covered sports center with adjustable stands which can host two basketball matches at once, a conference hall seating approximately 1,100 people, three separate medical rooms with full-time doctors and nurses (the high school medical room is open 24/7 and an ambulance is available for emergencies), a dining hall serving onsite home-cooked meals, a cafeteria (Sevgi Gönül Student Center) and numerous libraries. The middle school and the elementary school have their own individual libraries, in addition to the Suna Kıraç Library and the Atatürk Library which contain over 60,000 books. In 2017, Koç School set up a renewable energy plant using solar energy and began producing its own electricity.

Social opportunities

Today, Koç School has over 2,000 students, with almost half attending the primary and middle schools and half attending the high school; one in five of the high school students (approximately 120 students) are boarders. A large proportion of these students board at the school for seven days a week and the rest for five days—these include students from numerous different Turkish provinces.

VKV scholarships are granted to high-achieving students from across Turkey, providing them with the opportunity to study at the school. Approximately 40% of Koç School students receive scholarships of various proportions. Nearly 20% of those given scholarships receive 100% off of their fees.

Aiming to give students a solid cultural ground, the school corridors feature exhibitions of works from prestigious museums such as the Sadberk Hanım Museum, the Istanbul Rahmi M. Koç Museum and Pera Museum. In addition, exhibitions of the students’ own works are a different educational mechanism, enabling students to see concrete examples of what they are studying, establishing links between concrete and abstract terms and stimulating creative thought.

Koç School was one of the first establishments in Turkey to introduce The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (The International Youth Award until 2013), which aims to support personal development. At the time of writing, over 200 Koç School students have received awards on the program, which is composed of four sections: public service, adventure and discovery, skills development and physical development.

A large proportion of Koç School graduates continue their higher education abroad. In 2017, approximately 60% of graduates went abroad, while 51% of those choosing to continue their studies in Turkey took up scholarship places at foundation universities. Koç School, which is a member of the European Council of International Schools and the National Association for College Admission Counseling, features on the Guide to Excellence, compiled by Cambridge University Student Union to promote the best schools worldwide.