CGK International School

CGK is the only integrated international school in Yokohama with April enrollment. More than 230 students from 2 years old to elementary school attend the school, which plans to open a middle school in 2025 and a high school in 2028.

As an International Baccalaureate IB PYP World School, our world-class curriculum and progressive, future-oriented approach to education foster independent, lifelong learners, while we, the school, continue to move forward with our students.

Our dedicated teachers are committed to implementing the transdisciplinary learning practices of the IB PYP. With a wide range of cultural backgrounds, our foreign teachers share their rich life experiences and multicultural perspectives with the students, fostering mindsets and skills that allow them to explore the world with new perspectives.

All of our Japanese teachers are qualified nursery teachers (hoikushi). They are bilingual or trilingual English-speaking professionals, experienced with educational perspectives in the acquisition of English as a foreign language and in providing high-quality childcare. Using their expertise in childcare and education, they provide education and care that emphasizes the development of non-cognitive skills, such as communication and emotional maturity.

The programs from the International Baccalaureate build toward a deeper understanding of subjects and concepts. The IB has 4 programs, the Primary Years Programme (PYP) from 3 years-old through 5th grade, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) from 6th grade through 9th grade, and the Diploma Programme (DP) and the Career-related Programme (CP) for the last two years prior to graduation. (Due to the flexibility of the IB programme, the ages provided are examples only.)

At CGK, we do not decide the specific educational direction children will follow. Children's happiness can take many forms and here at CGK, we'll be close by to support them on their pathway, up until graduation.

After graduation, what kind of future will the children be able to create for themselves? In pursuit of a happy future, there are areas of life where simply cramming information or language education won't really help. Teachers are in a position to support children as individuals, not to impose their own values on them, but to help them think, observe, learn, and grow into independent, life-long learners. By cultivating these abilities and mindsets, we believe they will keep challenging the future, bright-eyed and full of life, even after graduation.

Exposure to overseas countries is, of course, just one way to explore the unknown. We want children to acquire knowledge, experience and imagination as early as possible, and to feel that the unknown can quickly become friendly and familiar.

Universally sought, happiness also comes in countless forms. So, it goes without saying that we should provide them with as many options as possible to attain their own happiness.

At CGK, our mission is to "Maximize your opportunities for happiness in an increasingly global world" and to continue our commitment to "Provide quality education to global kids."

We continue to work towards this ideal because we believe that education has great power to bring about peace and happiness. In this increasingly globalized age, we aim to contribute to creating a better and more peaceful world by developing young talent into internationally-minded individuals.

When interacting with other people, children need “critical thinking skills,” or the ability to think for themselves, before "self-expression," that is, learning to use language skills, either in English or Japanese. Language is the tool to finally communicate the opinions created this way, but without the interest and motivation that stems from a "spirit of inquiry," which precedes deep thinking, deep thinking will not happen.

Here at CGK, we value the strength and spirit of these three qualities. We understand that teachers themselves must be aware of the flow from "spirit of inquiry" to "critical thinking skills" and, finally, "self-expression." By reflecting this understanding in our daily teaching activities and using our curriculum as a foundation, we will cultivate truly global kids.