Yes. All our English teachers are native English speakers.

Yes. Children who are new to Japanese join our JSL (Japanese as a second language) classes, so families moving to Japan can settle in with confidence. Children don't need to speak English to join: around 30% of our students start with little or no English. Level-based ESL classes are included in tuition, including private ESL lessons. After-school ESL is also available on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Alongside English and Japanese, every student learns Programming from Grade 1. We treat it as a third language, which makes our education trilingual: English, Japanese and Programming.

Fewer than 10 students, with lessons grouped by level.

Fewer than 10. Lessons are grouped by level, so groups are often smaller.

Yes. When a student needs extra help, experienced support staff work alongside the class teacher. With fewer than 10 students per class, every child gets close attention.

Programming is a core subject from Grade 1. Every student has a school tablet (iPad in Grades 1–2, Android from Grade 3). Every classroom has a computer and projector, and the whole school has internet access. Students also take digital graphic design and robotics, and learn tools such as Scratch Jr. and Blender on laptops.

Yes. The school keeps an active Zoom account and every student has their own login. We taught online during the Covid pandemic, and we still use Zoom for school announcements and for online lessons when a child can't attend in person.

No. YES is a non-religious school. We welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds, and we value learning about different beliefs.

Not applicable: no religion is practised at school. Families are welcome to talk to us about any needs related to their faith.

YES is a Cambridge International School (since September 2026), teaching Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary in English, Maths, Science and Global Perspectives. Cambridge Checkpoint assessments are planned from 2027. Students also take TOEFL Primary (Step 1 and 2) and TOEFL Junior, plus Japanese kanji and maths proficiency tests twice a year to track their progress. After Grade 9, the Cambridge pathway leads on to IGCSE and A Levels.

We became a Cambridge International School in September 2026, and Cambridge Checkpoint is planned for 2027, so there are no Cambridge results yet. On TOEFL Junior, our Grade 4–6 students averaged CEFR B1, and by Grade 6 most students reach B1–B2. Most students pass the kanji and maths proficiency tests for their grade.

Yes, but we keep it light. Younger children get very little homework, and the amount grows gradually through the upper grades.

Homework is kept minimal. It is usually set weekly rather than daily, and some weeks there is none. If parents ask, teachers can provide extra practice material to help a child catch up in a particular subject.

Recent graduates have gone on to well-regarded Japanese schools such as Hiroo Gakuen and Tamagawa Gakuen, and to schools abroad in Canada, the USA and New Zealand.

Yes. Our teachers include staff experienced in supporting children with special educational needs, and small classes of fewer than 10 make individual support possible.

We work with LITALICO, a specialist organisation that provides learning support for children with special needs, and our own teachers give individual support too. Small, level-based classes let each child learn at the right pace.

Because lessons are grouped by level, able students can move ahead rather than wait. Gifted students may also receive personalised or private lessons with challenging, stimulating content, and some learn directly with our Principal, Kaoru Takeuchi, a science writer with a Ph.D. in physics from McGill University.

Yes, a school psychologist is available when needed.

Yes. Applicants spend a four-day entrance evaluation at school, joining lessons like a regular student. It includes behavioural observation, a parent interview and a level check in each subject. It is not a pass-or-fail academic exam: we look at how each child settles in and which level groups suit them. Children don't need to speak English to apply. Teachers and the Principal then meet, and families usually hear the result within a few days.

A four-day evaluation in which the child attends school as a regular student: behavioural observation, a parent interview and a level check in each subject. We teach in level-based groups, so the level check tells us where your child will learn best. Before applying, families can book a free one-day trial (Age 5 to Grade 9) or come to a school orientation.

No. There is no waiting list, and spaces are open in all grades.

There is no fixed deadline. Our official testing period is November and December, but because admission is rolling, we offer testing year-round. The school year starts in April.

Yes. The school year starts in April, but we accept students on a rolling basis throughout the year, which suits families moving to Japan mid-year.

School starts at 8:45.

Grade 1 finishes at 15:15, and Grades 2–9 finish at 16:15.

Yes. Our after-school programme lets children stay later and join activities such as table tennis, robotics, coding, English for beginners, arts and crafts, capoeira and more. Activities are pay as you go.

There is no school bus. The school is an 8-minute walk from Yokohama Station East Exit, and teachers walk students between Yokohama Station and the school at the start and end of the day (pick-up and drop-off service).

Most children bring lunch from home. A nutritionally balanced bento, prepared by a nutritionist, is also available for an extra fee.

Children can bring their own lunch from home, so families can easily provide for vegetarian, halal, kosher, allergy-friendly or other special diets.

No, there's no uniform.

Instead of clubs, we offer after-school activities (pay as you go), such as table tennis, robotics, coding, English for beginners, arts and crafts, capoeira and more. Students also take TanQ Art, a special class led by visiting teacher Mr Momo.

PE is part of the timetable, both indoors and outdoors. Indoor PE focuses on mat work, core strength and flexibility. Outdoor PE includes barefoot training on grass and team sports such as rugby and basketball, which build cooperation. We also go hiking about twice a year in local areas such as Kamakura and the Miura Peninsula.

No. We don't have competitive teams; sport focuses on fitness, teamwork and enjoyment.

A library, a dance studio, and computers and tablets for students. Every classroom has a computer and projector.

Indoor PE takes place in our dance studio. Outdoor PE is at Rinko Park, by the sea in Minato Mirai, about 15 minutes' walk from school.

YES International School is a Cambridge International School for Grades 1 to 9, an 8-minute walk from Yokohama Station. Children learn trilingually, in English, Japanese and Programming, following Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary (English, Maths, Science and Global Perspectives) alongside Japanese. Classes have fewer than 10 students and lessons are grouped by level, so every child gets close attention. Families new to Japan are supported by JSL (Japanese as a second language) classes. Children don't need to speak English to join: ESL is included in tuition, and around 30% of our students start with little or no English. Led by Principal Kaoru Takeuchi, a science writer with a Ph.D. in physics from McGill University, YES has been preparing children for life in the age of AI since 2016. Rolling admission throughout the year, with a free one-day trial for Age 5 to Grade 9.

YES is a Cambridge International School teaching Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary (English, Maths, Science and Global Perspectives), alongside Japanese and Programming. We see Programming as a language in its own right, so our students learn trilingually: English, Japanese and Programming, building logic, creativity, expression and communication.

Lessons are taught in English and Japanese and grouped by level rather than by age alone. With fewer than 10 students per class, teachers can stretch confident learners and support those who are still building their skills. Children new to English get ESL support (included in tuition), and children new to Japanese have JSL classes.

Since our founding in 2016 under Principal Kaoru Takeuchi, our aim has been to give children practical, real-world skills for the age of AI, balancing intellectual strength, physical fitness and character. Art follows the Cambridge approach, and students also enjoy TanQ Art, a special class led by visiting teacher Mr Momo.