The British School in Tokyo - Azabudai Hills

Situated at the very heart of this dynamic, stimulating city, the BST community is warm and friendly and offers the highest standards of pastoral care. Having developed its reputation for high quality holistic education over more than a quarter of a century, today’s school has more than 1000 students aged 3-18, representing over 65 different nationalities.

This is an inclusive school, but academic standards are high. The English National Curriculum provides the basis for smooth progression and easy transition between the Primary and Secondary sectors, and examination results have been outstanding in recent years. Our experienced teachers, largely recruited from the UK, are consummate professionals who are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that all students are offered the opportunity to fulfil their potential both in and beyond the classroom. The result is that, whether they are returning to continue their education in their home country, moving on to another international school or seeking places at top universities around the world, BST students are invariably well-equipped to take the next step in their education.

The British School in Tokyo was set up as a charitable trust in 1988 by a group of parents who wished their children to have a British style education in Tokyo. The School was opened in 1989 on a site in Shibuya, central Tokyo, located next to, and leased from, a well-respected Japanese private school, Shibuya Kyoiku Gakuen. In the early years of the School, the children were from ages 5 to 10 and the majority were British, in contrast to the situation today where the school provides education from age 3 to 18 and has over 50 nationalities, of whom over a third are neither British nor Japanese.

To provide an outstanding British education in English to the international community of Tokyo.

To care for our students, and to educate them in accordance with clearly stated values; to bring out the best in every one of them; and to help them to take the next step in their lives with confidence, conviction and consideration for others.

The British School in Tokyo will be a leader in the provision of a first-class, values-driven international education, based on the best of the English National Curriculum. We will have a reputation for excellence, with an emphasis on outstanding teaching, academic achievement, service to others, teamwork and leadership.

We are passionate about excellent teaching in every classroom. We recruit teachers only after watching them teach in their existing schools all over the world. Our teachers are innovative professionals at the cutting edge of best educational practice who provide a stimulating environment in the classroom that actively engages students and makes learning enjoyable and memorable. To maintain this level of excellence, teachers and teaching assistants take part in professional development and training throughout the year. Our teachers make a difference, in every lesson. As a result, we believe that at all levels students will get into their first choice of school, college or university when leaving us.

BST students have again produced outstanding results in the Sixth Form and at all the key stages in earlier years. Tests are taken in the Primary School at the end of Year 2 (age 6-7) and Year 6 (age 10-11). In the Secondary School, IGCSE exams are taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16) and Sixth Form students aged 16,17 and 18 take AS exams (Year 12) and A levels (Year 13).

The British School in Tokyo offers a limited number of bursaries which are intended to assist eligible families who are unable to afford the full fees. At present, the number of bursaries is limited to approximately 7% of the total student roll. This ratio may be varied in the future depending on the financial circumstances of both potential applicants and the School.

To be considered for a bursary the student and the student’s family must fulfil the School’s normal admissions requirements and also meet the following additional criteria:

There must be a demonstrable benefit to the student in receiving a British Education (as opposed to other systems of education available in Tokyo).

There must be a verifiable inability of the family to pay the full amount of the fees; the family will be asked to provide financial information sufficient to allow a detailed assessment to be made by the School; this is likely to include, but not be limited to, annual tax returns and correspondence from employers; a visit to the family home may be required; any bursary granted will be subject to reassessment of family means each year and may be varied, depending on family circumstances. Priority will be given to families in which the main earner is employed full-time in the Education Sector or in a not for profit organisation such as a charity.

BST makes extensive use of the rich historical, natural and cultural experiences available in Japan.Our children from Nursery upwards study the Japanese language. We maximise children’s real use of the language within the local community, taking advantage of speaking and listening opportunities right on our doorstep. For example, our Year 3 children interview people in the local area in Japanese about their hobbies, drawing on what they have learnt in the classroom about describing their own hobbies.

The British School in Tokyo is a non-profit institution and tuition fees alone do not cover the cost of educating each student. Gifts to BST allow us to continue offering the many academic, sports and cultural programs that have contributed to our “Excellent” grading by the independent Schools Inspectorate.

In recent years corporate and individual contributions have helped us to expand the school, refurbish and upgrade facilities at both campuses, and introduce a number of bursaries for eligible families who are not able to afford the full tuition fees. In order to continue expanding these programmes, and guarantee our continued success, we depend on the generosity of our school community!

The British School in Tokyo - Showa Campus

• Address: 1-7-57 Taishido,Showa Women's University,5th BuildingSetagaya-ku, Tokyo
• Phone no: +81 3-3411-4211