ENKA Schools Istanbul

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is integrated into ENKA Istanbul's safeguarding and counseling framework. The Child Protection Program includes SEL opportunities, with school counselors identifying areas where students need support, organizing group work, and informing families, while classroom teachers implement planned SEL activities within the program. Preschool and primary guidance goals focus on self-awareness, self-confidence, emotional recognition and regulation, respectful relationships, and social skills, supporting healthy social and emotional development across divisions. The high school guidance program also centers on life skills and student-advisory activities that promote positive social and emotional growth.

Special Education Services are provided by the Counseling Department, offering in-classroom support and individual sessions for students who learn in different ways. The department prepares and implements Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which are written plans for students at risk of not meeting grade-level expectations. An IEP committee, led by the Counseling Department, includes all teachers of the student and organizes IEP meetings with parents. The program ensures goals are set and necessary supports are provided to students needing specialized education services.

ENKA Istanbul operates as a bilingual Turkish-English school. In Pre-School, the program is bilingual Turkish and English for the three-year-old group, with English playing an important role and the aim of fostering curiosity about a second language and expression in two languages. The four-year-old group also uses a Turkish-English bilingual programme, with goals to develop listening and speaking skills and preparation for elementary school in both languages. In the five-year-old group, English remains central, and the curriculum aims to prepare students for the transition to primary school with proficiency in both English and Turkish.

Mental wellbeing is supported through a developmental, preventive counseling approach across the school. Preschool guidance focuses on social and emotional development, self-awareness, and readiness for primary school; primary school counseling emphasizes personal and intellectual development and positive learning experiences. Middle and High School Counseling centers on self-awareness, study skills, decision-making, problem solving, and effective communication, with an advisory system to support ongoing wellbeing. The department also offers parent education seminars and resources to promote healthy development and home–school collaboration.

Safeguarding is addressed by ENKA Istanbul's Child Protection Program, which aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ITFCP, Turkish laws, and national education regulations. The Child Protection Team comprises the deputy head, school principals, and psychology staff, with designated Child Protection Officers for each division; staff receive annual child protection training, and third-party providers are included in training. The school maintains clear procedures for reporting concerns, documentation, and response, including a confidential record system and escalation pathways. The policy undergoes regular reviews and involves parental engagement and ongoing guidance on safeguarding, online safety, and related topics.