Education Policy
Learning Activities
Students build foundational academic skills through independent study. They gain knowledge systematically through a comprehensive curriculum from junior to senior high school.
Self-Governance Activities
Students take the lead in the management of their everyday school lives. At the student body assembly and at the various committee meetings, students learn the true meaning of “autonomy.” The idea of autonomy is required because of the school’s emphasis on freedom of thought and expression, demonstrated through discussions across different grades.
Curriculum
Classes
Japanese
The school nurtures students’ sensibility and expressive skills. For literary works, students read through an entire book. During speech presentations, they reflect on and talk about themselves. Kabuki appreciation classes and Noh performances are held every year, and advance lectures by leading experts in these fields further enrich the students' art experiences.
Mathematics
The school offers small-group classes at all grade levels, and incorporates more advanced content as well as many exercises. Teachers flexibly respond to individual learning situations and develop students’ computational skills, a mathematical way of looking at things, as well as logical-thinking abilities.
Science
The school emphasizes the importance of learning by observing, touching, and experiencing real objects, and conducts experiments and observations almost every class using the natural assets on the school campus as teaching materials. The school observatory is equipped with a large reflecting telescope for observing the magnificent starry sky.
Distinctive Education
STEAM Education
ICT Education: Students use ICT in all aspects of school life. They develop their research skills and communication skills by gathering information, making presentations, and sharing ideas in each class as well as in committees, clubs, and on field trips.
Science: Experiments and observations are conducted more than 40 times a year, emphasizing contact with real objects.
Art: Students depict the rich nature of the Nishi-Ikuta campus.
Global Education
The school is committed to the development of girls' education in Asian countries by taking advantage of its more than 120 years of educational achievements in women's education. The school has a long history of supporting girls’ education in Afghanistan, and has sent school bags to the country. Every year, the school invites people involved in international affairs as lecturers to deepen students’ international understanding through a wide range of themes.
Career Education
The school invites alumni who are active in various fields, such as researchers, lawyers, physicians, and announcers, to hold a career class for the 3rd grade students, thus encouraging them to think about occupations and the meaning of “work.”
Field Trips
We believe that classrooms are not the only place to learn. Students can learn and experience a variety of things outside of school.
1st Grade: Overnight Experience in a School Dormitory in Karuizawa
During the summer vacation, 1st grade students spend three days and two nights at the Sansen dormitory in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. Students learn the history of the school, discuss and determine their roles during the stay, learn the importance of cooperation, and deepen their friendship.
2nd Grade: Field Trip to the Tohoku Region
This is a traditional event that has continued for 50 years.Students learn about the culture and nature they have studied in class by actually going to the Tohoku region.
3rd Grade: Selective Field Trip
This is a field trip with three days and two nights, comprising of five courses based on the themes of “international understanding,” “people and culture,” “peace,” and “the environment.” Students select a course based on their own interests and, after prior study of the topic, develop a deeper understanding of the topic with authentic objects and experiences.
Inquiry-Based Learning
Students learn the foundations of writing skills required in society; the ways of formulating issues, research methods, and logical thinking. At the culmination of their studies, 3rd grade students decide on their own theme and conduct a long-term research project for one year.
Self-Governance Activities
School is a small society. Students discuss together and enhance school life through their own initiatives.
Club Activities
Club activities are also very vibrant at the school, and all students belong to clubs. They enjoy working hard every day to prepare for competitions or two present their achievements at the Jugatsusai school festival. Students can learn a wide variety of things through club activities, such as cooperation and leadership.
Annual Events
- April: Admission ceremony, founding anniversary (20th), general student assembly, welcome party for new students, fellowship party
- May: Sports day, PTA general meeting, home-school meeting, midterm exams
- June: Reading week/reading session, Kabuki appreciation class (2nd grade), anniversary of the birth of Jinzo Naruse (23rd)
- July: Final exams, overnight excursion to Sansen dormitory, TOEFL Junior®, TOEFL Primary®
- August: Faculty of Science summer school (Mejiro campus)
- September: Selective field trip (3rd grade), field trip to the Tohoku region, JWU faculty members class (Mejiro campus) (3rd grade), welcome seniors (1st grade)
- October: Jugatsusai school festival, midterm exams
- November: Reading week/reading session
- December: Final exams, concert, skating class (1st and 2nd grades), skiing class (3rd grade)
- January: Self-governance election (2nd grade), Jinzo Naruse farewell lecture memorial day (29th), Japan Kanji Proficiency Test, Eiken
- February: Noh appreciation (3rd grade), career class, international understanding class, long-term research presentation, final exams
- March: Anniversary of Jinzo Naruse’s passing (4th), ball game, general student assembly, graduation ceremony, spring intensive English program
Facts
BasicData
Founding year, quota, number of students enrolled, number of full-time teachers and staff, address, site/building area, admission requirements (girls only), annual tuition fee
Facilities
The school campus is located in a quiet environment, surrounded by a vast forest with beautiful seasonal changes.
In the school building and grounds surrounded by lush green nature, students can encounter new and exciting discoveries every day through, study, art, sports, self-governance activities and school events. The school supports a memorable school life for each and every student, where they can fully enjoy their youth.
