Cities / Istanbul / Gokkusagi Schools
Gokkusagi Schools
A multi campus Turkish private group founded in 1997, running IB PYP and Cambridge IGCSE/A Level routes alongside the IB Diploma. Around 2,000 plus students across Atasehir, Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, and Beylikduzu campuses.
In brief
A multi-campus Turkish private group founded in 1997, running IB PYP and Cambridge IGCSE/A Level routes alongside the IB Diploma. Around 2,000-plus students across Atasehir, Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, and Beylikduzu campuses.
Gokkusagi is a Turkish-led network with multiple Istanbul campuses, branded as a "World School" with an academic identity built around 21st-century skills and character development. Curriculum mixes the Turkish MEB programme with Cambridge International qualifications and the IB Diploma. Fees sit roughly TRY 677,000 to TRY 1,354,000 depending on level and campus.
Families praise the academic standards, the diversity, and the quality of facilities. Concerns surface around fee transparency and inconsistent communication, with reports of large fee variations between students at the same grade and a sense that some teaching staff lack drive. Best fit for Turkish and dual-national families wanting Cambridge or IB exit routes from a Turkish-operated school close to home rather than a fully expat international community.
Reviews
- Founded 1997, multi-campus group across Istanbul (Bahcelievler, Bahcesehir, Atasehir, Beylikduzu) running both the IB Primary Years and Diploma programmes alongside Cambridge primary, IGCSE and A-Level.
- A small four-review pool averages 3.6; voice is polarised. One reviewer calls it "definitely a gem in the field of education" with strong facilities and dedicated faculty.
- A sharply critical reviewer alleges "deceptively inflated" grades, mostly empty workbooks, fee variation between $5,000 and $12,000 for the same grade, and teachers using phones during lessons; the same reviewer claims water-cooler tests returned pathogenic bacteria.
- Parent voice is thinner; one parent found the Bahcesehir campus "quite satisfactory and affordable." There is no broader parent signal; the keyword returns Turkish-language LGBT discussion (gokkusagi means rainbow).
Positives
- Cambridge and IB credentials. First Cambridge International School approved by the Turkish Ministry of Education at primary and lower-secondary level in 2014; authorised IB World School.
Considerations
- Polarised parent voice. Same directory pool contains reviewers calling the school excellent and reviewers alleging serious quality and integrity concerns.
- Allegations of grade inflation. One detailed review flags inflated grades, empty workbooks and teachers on phones in class.
- Fee variation. Same review flags wide fee variation between families ($5,000-$12,000) for the same grade.
Leadership
Abdulkadir Gayretli
For a quarter of a century, Gokkusagi Schools have been committed to education, deeply recognizing its pivotal role in shaping the transformation of individuals, societies, and the world. We bear the awareness that genuine progress can only be achieved through education.
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2024 average 44 points
- A* / A at A Level 2024 52%