Home > Japan > Tokyo > The British School in Tokyo
British
Ages 3 to 18

The British School in Tokyo Verified badge.pink.sm

Is this school a perfect match for you?

Tell us your preferences and we’ll calculate your compatibility.

  • Based on 10 different criteria including price and location
  • Fees personalised to your childrens’ ages
CityTokyo
CurriculumBritish
Leaving qualificationsIGCSE and A-Levels
Language of instructionEnglish
Age RangeAges 3 to 18
Social Media:

Do you know The British School in Tokyo?

How would you rate it?

Quick summary of key school information

Leaving qualifications IGCSE and A-Levels
Language of instruction English
Native English teachers
Extra languages (other than English)
Class sizes Average 22 students / class
Maximum 22 students / class
Extracurricular activities
School bus
School's webpage:
Yearly fees: from: ¥2,810,000
to: ¥2,920,000
This school has more than one campus in Tokyo:
Showa Campus: Ages 12 to 18

Address: Showa Women’s University 5th Bldg. 1-7-57 Taishido Setagaya-ku Tokyo 154-8533 Japan

Azabudai Hills Campus: Ages 3 to 12

Address: 1-3-3 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0041, Japan

Is this school a perfect match for you?

Tell us your preferences and we’ll calculate your compatibility.

  • Based on 10 different criteria including price and location
  • Fees personalised to your childrens’ ages

All the details about this school in their own words

We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 40 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
Number of students

1300

Number of nationalities represented in the school

60+

Most common nationality

British, Japanese, American, Australian, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Singaporean etc.

Native English speaking teachers

Yes, all teachers are native English speakers and teach in English.
Also, all teachers have a recognised teaching qualification, either a UK one, such as a B.Ed. or PGCE, or a qualification from their home country that allows them to work in a state school.

Language support for students not fluent in English

No. We expect all students to be able to demonstrate reasonable age-appropriate fluency in both speaking and writing in English.

Additional language classes offered by the school

In addition to Japanese which is compulsory for all students, we also offer French and Spanish courses.

Max. number of students per class

22

Average number of students per class

22

Does the school employ teaching assistants?

In Primary School, each class has one teacher and one teaching assitant.

Use of technology in the classroom

The school provides iPads and laptops for Primary students to use in classroom lessons. Also, our students start 'ICT - coding' course from Year 2 ( six years old).
In Secondary school, we have a 'bring-your-own device' policy.
Both Primary School and Secondary School students have regular classes on Computing and Technology. The School provides 'Digital Technology Studio' for students to focus on these topics. VR headsets and 3D printers are also available.

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)

Yes we are equipped, for instance, Google Classrooms, Seesaw etc. We have already used them when classes went online for Covid closure.

Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?

No

External examinations or assessments available

(i)GCSEs, A Level (the last A Level cohort will be running from 2024-2026).
BST is currently a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for students in Years 12 and 13.

Results in these examinations

Please refer to our website: https://www.bst.ac.jp/uniquely-bst/academic-results-university-destinations

Do teachers assign homework to their students?

Yes

Approximate hours of homework given

The homework varies depending on each year group. The homework for younger children is minimal and increases as the children get older.

Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation

95%

Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs

We have two SEN(Special Education Needs) Coordinators.

Learning support offered

The British School in Tokyo has limited resources to cater for students whose learning needs can only be met with significant support outside of the mainstream classroom, or additional adult support within the class. It is in the interests of all concerned, but particularly those of the students, that once they are admitted to the school they are able to thrive within our high achieving environment. If, in exceptional circumstances, the School agrees to accept a student requiring significant
support, parents may be asked to pay for additional costs incurred.

The school supports gifted, able and talented students

We have The Challenge Programme at BST.
Challenge Plus learners are identified as those possessing abilities significantly beyond what may be expected for their age in any domain: academic, artistic, social, sporting, entrepreneurial or technical, and with a focus on abilities, rather than necessarily performance. Students identified as Challenge Plus are recorded centrally on the school’s data management system in a tiered way, depending on how much their abilities and performance diverge from their ‘neurotypical’ age group peers.
The report is reviewed and updated every year by the Deputy Head Teacher responsible for Challenge in June and updated after review in late September (when new benchmarking data is available).

Student access to education psychologist

Yes, we have two in-house school counsellors.
Primary students are able to see the counsellor with permission from their parents. In the Secondary school students are able to see the counsellor without their parents being informed although if there is significant concern of a safeguarding nature, our Designated Safeguarding Lead or counsellor may approach the parents.

Entry evaluation for students

As an academically non-selective school, we do not have an entrance examination; however, students whose first language is not English will be asked to complete an English test and an oral assessment, either in person or online.
We also ask students to provide previous academic reports and references.

Brief description of entry evaluation required

Age appropriate Language, Literacy and Maths skills may be assessed for those with EAL (English as an additional language) needs, or for children with an educational background outside the British system.

Waiting list

No.

Deadline for registration (new academic year)

Admissions for the next academic year starts from mid-November.

Students can join after academic year begins

Yes

School start time

8.35am for Primary School and 8:15am for Secondary School

School finish time

Around 3.30pm for Primary School and 3:45pm for Secondary School

Supervised care before/after school

After-school and before-school clubs only.

School bus service available

We provide bus service between our two campuses, Showa Women's University to Azabudai Hills, with one stop at Shibuya.

School provided lunches

No, however, students can order from approved external lunch providers. Year 7 to 13 students also have access to the on-campus cafeteria at our Showa Campus.

Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)

No.

Uniform required

Yes.

Extracurricular activities or clubs offered

We have 160+ clubs across the school which are categorized in four streams: Music, Sports, Language, and Extracurricular Clubs.
We encourage students to make balanced choices when choosing clubs. And for Extracurricular Clubs, they can choose from 3 themes - Be Creative, Be Innovative and Be Globally Minded.
For a club list, please see our website: https://www.bst.ac.jp/school-life/clubs-activities

Sports activities included

Swimming, Volleyball, Athletics, Football, Triathlon, Running, Hockey, Basketball, Teeball, Cricket, Rugby etc.
For detailed information, please check our website: https://www.bst.ac.jp/school-life/music-sport-art-drama/sport

Sports teams or sport competitions available for students

Yes, our students compete in various sport games.
Please see our website for details: https://www.bst.ac.jp/school-life/music-sport-art-drama/sport

Facilities at the school

Science labs, drama classroom, libraries, halls/theaters (one for 670+ people, and another one for 2,100+ people), fish pond, open space, canteen/cafeteria, music rooms, individual music practice rooms, generous musical instruments, iMacs for music editing, iPads for each Primary student, desktops for computer science classes, Japanese culturally decorated rooms for Japanese classes, art/design studios, shared space for Primary students, and special Study Centre for Sixth Form students (Year 12-13, age 17-18).

Our new Primary School campus opened in August 2023.
For detailed information of facilities, please check this page: https://www.bst.ac.jp/uniquely-bst/central-tokyo-campuses/azabudai-campus

Our Secondary School is located in Showa Women's University.
For detailed information of facilities, please see this page: https://www.bst.ac.jp/uniquely-bst/central-tokyo-campuses/showa-campus

Sports facilities at the school

Indoor gymnasiums (basketball, volleyball, games, etc), indoor swimming pool, outdoor sports fields, outdoor athletics track, football/rugby field.

Qualities and characteristics best defining the school

Opened by British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher in 1989, BST is now the biggest British international school in Japan. We look to nurture each student’s unique potential and strive to help them create a strong sense of self, built around purpose and passion. No matter where they go, whether returning to continue their education in their home country, or seeking places at top universities around the world, we are confident that BST students are invariably well-equipped to take the next step.

Teaching approach of the school

The indoor and outdoor learning environment at The British School in Tokyo is a place of inspiration. Within these spaces, the school's educational approach enables students to think critically, be creative, develop interests and pursue passions.

Do you know The British School in Tokyo?

How would you rate it?

Contact the admissions team at The British School in Tokyo