How great that each international school is unique!
In this overview of an international school, by Tokyo Families, we would like to highlight Makuhari International School.
“Being the newest addition to the international schools in the community, TF asked its principal Paul Rogers to explain what MIS offers to children.
1. What is the Makuhari International School?
Makuhari International School is the only recognised international school in Chiba prefecture. We are a new international school, having opened in April, 2009. We educate Japanese children who have returned to Japan from overseas or dual-nationality, and foreign children already residing here.
2. What qualities make MIS unique?
We are unique because we are the only Article One international school in the whole of Japan. As such, we have unique benefits as an international school. We are also the newest such school operating in Japan at this time. As such, we have no history to fall back on but make our own history as time goes on.
3. What is the curriculum like?
At Makuhari International School, our curriculum is Japan-based. This means we teach the same subjects and at least the same amounts of time for each. In actual fact, we teach longer hours than in most Japanese schools and certainly in English and maths. We add on to this Japanese curriculum base, content and objectives from other curricula, mainly that of the UK. This makes our program of study not only extremely full but also suitable for children going into a Japanese school system after leaving us or back to another international school.
4. How does the school’s ‘Article One’ status affect it?
Financially, we can offer lower tuition fees than many other international schools because of tax benefits that Article One schools have. Educationally, children who leave MIS at the end of Grade 6 have legally completed their elementary education and cannot be refused access to taking any entrance tests to Japanese junior high schools.
5. Are there any extra-curricular activities or clubs?
We offer at present over 20 after-school clubs (as well as after school care) ranging from such clubs as chess, frisbee club, homework, rugby, art and yoga club.
6. What facilities are available to students?
At MIS, we not only have excellently resourced classrooms (with the most up to date technology such as interactive SmartBoards) but also specialist rooms. We have a large media centre (including a library, museum and ICT study area), art room, science lab, music room, media areas for all elementary grades, a multipurpose hall, ESL class and cookery room.
7. What kind of children comprise the student body?
At MIS, at present, around 60% of our children are Japanese returnee children, the other 40% are either dual nationality or foreign children.
8. What nationalities are the teaching staff?
We have teachers representing the following countries: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and Japan.
9. Are there services offered to students and parents?
We offer ESOL (English for Speakers of other Languages) as a support for those children whose English needs assistance.
10. What opportunities can MIS provide?
MIS offers an excellent rounded educational experience for all children in our care. This experience is based around the Mission Statement at our school – ‘all children are unique and special’. Our class teachers are at the core of this process and we believe that we have employed the very best teachers we can. Ultimately it is our aim for all children to make as much progress educationally, socially, physically and emotionally as is possible during their time at our school.”
Currently there are 20 international schools listed in Tokyo on International School Community. Some schools that have some comments and information submitted on them are:
• American School in Japan (19 Comments)
• Canadian International School (Tokyo) (9 Comments)
• International School of the Sacred Heart (5 Comments)
• Nishimachi International School (7 Comments)
• Makuhari International School (7 Comments)
