IB PYP World School with Inquiry-based Curriculum Providing World Standard Childcare and Global Education
Through "childcare" and "global education" from early childhood, CGK International School nurtures the physical and mental growth of children to provide them with infinite future possibilities. As an IB PYP World School, we offer a high-quality inquiry-based learning curriculum and aim to develop future lifelong learners.
What we nurture in these early childhood years are not only "cognitive skills," which are directly manifested as learning outcomes, but also "non-cognitive skills," such as communication and emotional maturity, which are important throughout the future. As an integrated school that continues through high school, we also focus on social-emotional learning, emphasizing appropriate timing and approach rather than short-term results.
We arouse children's interest and curiosity in new worlds and nurture them to have a truly global perspective.
Fulfilling Childcare & Education Program
At CGK, children are cared for full time from 8:30am to 5:00pm (8:00am to 7:00pm if extended care is included). There are no shorter hours or less than 5 day-a-week courses. (Only 2 year olds can choose from 2-5 days per week.)
While providing attentive care as a preschool, we offer a full curriculum along with a variety of programs, which are of the highest standard in both quantity and quality.
CGK has introduced the IB program, which is highly acclaimed around the world, and as an IB PYP World School, we implement an inquiry-based learning curriculum. One of CGK's founding missions has been to help our children develop a spirit of inquiry, and being an IB PYP World School is very important to us.
Through the IB transdisciplinary program, children naturally connect and understand the basic knowledge and concepts of multiple subjects without being aware of the boundaries of the subjects. IB is an ideal form of education in which children actively and vigorously enjoy inquiring and learning, rather than the old image of learning in which students sit in chairs and mechanically work on assigned tasks. Because it is student-centered, children naturally deepen their learning as if they were playing.
All of our Japanese teachers are qualified nursery teachers (hoikushi). Appropriate support by highly professional nursery teachers who are familiar with the growth of children in early childhood is very important not only for childcare but also for the quality of education, and we also collaborate with parents appropriately. As a preschool in Japan, we flexibly incorporate the best aspects of both Japan and other countries to provide childcare and education that emphasizes the development of non-cognitive skills based on a foundation that emphasizes children's wellbeing.
During daily Japanese language classes, children learn what they would learn in a Japanese preschool or kindergarten, such as cooperation, consideration, discipline, manners, etiquette, songs, crafts, musical instruments, and offer seasonal events, in cooperation with non-Japanese classes. With Japanese language time, IB inquiry-based learning is also approached in both English and Japanese to deepen inquiry and understanding.
We have adopted the Singapore Maths curriculum, widely recognized as the best math curriculum in the world. Students who learned Singapore math regularly test the highest in international assessments such as the PISA test.
Our grade aligned math skills take into account the standards of multiple countries, including Japan, and are designed to ensure our students will be well prepared for any academic challenges regardless of where they may continue their learning after CGK.
We collaborate with an Italian restaurant and farmers to create food education programs. On a daily basis, we not only teach the importance of food and good manners, but also offer a variety of hands-on experiences.
In the farming experience, we not only enjoy harvesting, but also provide special experiences with an awareness of the aim of each one, such as weed pulling, plowing, planting, cooking with the harvest, and cooking lessons by professional chefs and renting out a restaurant to experience a course meal. Using the example of food distribution from producer to consumer, we are working to deepen understanding of food from diverse perspectives. In a series of activities, we actively incorporate the SDGs into our food education, not only from the perspective of our daily lives, but also from the larger perspective of global issues related to food.
Our P.E. and swimming classes are taught by professional instructors. The P.E. classes are based on the inquiry-based learning of the IB program, rather than just physical exercise and physical fitness.
We also offer year-round private swimming instruction in a heated indoor facility. Through 42 lessons starting at Age 3 class, students will learn the fundamentals of swimming.
Through a variety of events, both large and small, both inside and outside the school, students learn and experience many things that lead to a diverse spirit of inquiry.
These experiences are made possible with the cooperation of the local community (partners) and CGK student's families. We actively incorporates field trips as part of the children's inquiry-based learning, welcoming guest teachers and visiting various locations by school bus to further enhance the education provided to the children.
We offer optional classes after 4:30pm on weekdays to further nurture our children's individuality, abilities, and interests.
Programming and dance are offered in English, and Pygmalion and Ronri Engine are offered in Japanese. Pygmalion uses a math approach, while Ronri Engine uses a Japanese (Kokugo) approach to foster logical thinking. The Ronri Engine helps children attending international schools to further strengthen their Japanese language skills.
We offer a variety of programs to encourage children to become independent, lifelong learners. In addition to educational activities conducted under a student-centered policy on a daily basis, we offer programs such as hiking, international exchange events, Machinaka Ryugaku, overseas tours and short-term study abroad programs for parents and children so that children can gradually step up and become independent according to their level.
We place particular emphasis on our study abroad programs, and while we offer a variety of programs abroad, we strongly recommend going abroad because it gives children the opportunity to experience a new world. Exposure to different values and ways of thinking allows room to think and grow. Many of these programs can be participated in from preschool age.
Unlicensed Nursery School
(Since opening, we have received a Certificate of Compliance according to the "Guidelines for Non-licensed Daycare Facilities" (認可外保育施設指導監督基準 under Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) seven years in a row without any written or verbal censure on any point. In the annual on-site inspection, a wide range of checks are carried out, from facility safety standards, disaster prevention, fire prevention, and evacuation drills, health and hygiene management, to the assignment of qualified personnel, guidance plans, childcare records, etc.)
2 year olds: Approx. 36, 3 year olds: Approx. 24, 4 year olds: Approx. 48, 5 year olds: Approx. 24 *Ages as of April 1st *Please note that the number of the capacity is subject to change.
School Days
Monday to Friday
School Hours
8:00-19:00 (Regular school hours 8:30-17:00)
School Holidays
Saturdays, Sundays, National holidays, Golden Week (Approx. 1 week), Summer holidays (Approx. 1 week), Winter holidays (Approx. 1 week), Spring holidays (Approx. 1 week)
Access
<Bashamichi Campus (Age 2 and Age 3 classes)>
3-minute walk from Bashamichi Station (馬車道駅) on the Minatomirai Line (directly to/from the Tōyoko Line and Fukutoshin Line)
4-minute walk from Sakuragicho Station (桜木町駅) on the JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line
5-minute walk from Kannai Station (関内駅) on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line
<Kannai Campus (Age 4 and Age 5 classes)>
4-minute walk from Bashamichi Station (馬車道駅) on the Minatomirai Line (directly to/from the Tōyoko Line and Fukutoshin Line)
5-minute walk from Nihon-ōdōri Station (日本大通り駅) on the Minatomirai Line (directly to/from the Tōyoko Line and Fukutoshin Line)
5-minute walk from Kannai Station (関内駅) on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line
7-minute walk from Kannai Station (関内駅) on the JR Keihin-Tōhoku Line
Other
Uniform, school lunch, bus transportation
Bashamichi Campus (Age 2 and Age 3 classes) Layout
Today, Elementary School students enjoyed their winter party.🥳✨ We all danced together and watched a movie with popcorn!
At the end of the party, we opened presents from Santa! 🎁 We received many thoughtful gifts and we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you.
Students were very lively while dancing and had fun at the photoshoot with the Sky class (5-years-old).They will be new to Grade 1 in spring!
We look forward to seeing your smiles again in term 3!🍀
✨ We held our Student Led Conferences (SLC) on December 8th.
Families signed up to come to school for a 45 minute window where each student could share their classroom and activities with them. SLCs are conducted in the language of the family so that children can freely share their joys, triumphs, and learning.
SLCs are an important part of students taking ownership of their learning journey. It allows them and their families to reflect on what the student has done well, how they`ve grown, and areas that can still be improved.
Each classroom is set up according to the choices of the students, so no two classrooms look alike on SLC day. Students can share their physical and/or digital portfolios, art, or workbooks. 📚🕺🎨
They can show their parents center activities or games they play in class. Some students even share songs and dances that they have learned. It was so nice to see how many family members came to learn about their child`s education.
We were so proud of how our students, from our youngest to our oldest, communicated with their families! Families left happy but often wanting even more time!✨
12月8日に生徒主導面談（SLC: Student Led Conferences）を開催しました。 生徒自身がご家族に自分の教室や活動を紹介する形式で、各家庭45分間の枠を用意しました。 家庭の公用語で進行するため、子どもたちは自分の喜びや成功、学びを自由に共有することができます。
🥳Sports Day 2024🌈 Preschool🎈This year’s Sports Day was held at the Yokohama Budokan✨ It was a new venue with ample space for maximising activity times and decreasing wait times. Combined with an IB approach, we were able to break the mould of a typical Sports Day to do things like; hold multiple games at once, and mix three different age groups to allow everyone to play simultaneously. This meant that our event could bring everyone together like only a sporting event can.
Elementary School🌻This year’s Sports Day was different in many ways, compared to last year. We doubled the amount of students, changed venues, and added more student chosen games, among other things. Fortunately the good things were kept: the teamwork, strategies, attitude and physical display the students showed were amazing. We’re moving towards a Sports day dedicated entirely to the kids, chosen by and for them, maybe soon even planned and conducted by them too!✨
*(日本語は英語の後で) On November 16th (Saturday), a joint Professional Development (PD) session for Preschool and Elementary School was held📖 This PD session was optional, and 16 participants from Preschool and 7 from Elementary School attended. Ms. Darby, the IB PYP Coordinator at CGK, facilitated the session, which focused on “Assessment” and “Inquiry.✏️
“Assessment” means “evaluation.” However, in the context of children, assessment is not primarily about evaluating; it is a reflection and record of the children’s current growth in order to understand their progress and provide further support. It’s primary purpose is to allow us to tailor learning to meet the needs of our students and for them to reflect on their growth.
One moment that stood out was when a teacher was asked about the purpose of conducting assessments for children. One teacher answered, “It’s really fun to see how far they’ve come at the end of the school year,” which was very memorable😊
Check out the stories/hightlights for more details!✨
11月16日(土)に、プリスクールと初等部の合同でPD(Professional Development / 専門的能力を高めるトレーニング)が行われました📖 この日のPDは希望者参加型でしたが、プリスクールから16名、初等部から7名が参加し、CGKの国際バカロレアIB PYPコーディネーターであるMs. Darbyがファシリテーターを務め、“Assessment”と“inquiry”についての研修が行われました✏️
“Assessment”とは直訳すると「評価」ですが、子供たちに対するAssessmentは、単なる「評価」ではなく、子供たちの現在の成長を把握し、さらなるサポートをするための振り返りと記録です。 子どもたちのAssessmentを行う理由について先生が問いかけられた際、1人の先生が“It’s really fun to see how far they’ve come at the end of the school year. (1年を終えた時に、子供たちがどれだけ成長したかを見るのは本当に楽しい)“と答えたことが、とても印象的でした😊
(日本語は英語の後で)【Open School for CGK Elementary/Middle School】 🕘Sunday, December 15th 9:00AM(JP) / 11:15AM(EN) / 2:45PM(JP)
*The last group session on weekend in 2024. Individual sessions remain available on weekdays.
For students who are eligible for enrolment in April 2025 are invited to attend the Elementary School Orientation on the end of February. To ensure a smooth enrolment process, we recommend that prospective students attend our open school in January😊
Whether or not you have a definite intention to enrol, please feel free to participate. This invitation extends to those who have attended in the past or those targeting enrolment from the 2025 academic year onwards!
Children are welcome to join on the day👫 It’s also a good opportunity to learn about IB.
CGK’s Winter School program is designed exclusively for elementary school students😊
We accept your application on Insta Stories(Highlights)❄️
The CGK Afterschool Winter School program conducts classes where students can flex their creativity and have fun in a relaxed and supportive environment whilst pursuing their goal in ways they decide is most interesting to them. We value the children’s independence and provide ample opportunities for them to move their bodies, work on crafts, research, present their work, debate their ideas, share their opinions, and actively try new things😄！
This year’s Winter School will be held for 3 days, for 2 days we`re going to Tondemi and Asobimare, where you can learn and have fun with your friends while exercising to your heart`s content, On the other day, we`re going to have a Christmas party with Christmas costume, making Christmas cards, playing games, etc. from preparation😆
There are no restrictions on the amount of days that can be applied for so please feel free to apply for any days you are interested in! We look forward to seeing you!
*Required to have experience of English learning. *We assume that students have a basic level of conversational English. If you have any questions or uncertainties, please consult with us in advance.
(日本語は英語の後で) We are excited to announce that CGK School Festival 2024 will be held at CGK International School again this year🎉
🎡🎊Sunday, October 27th, 2024, 10:00-14:30🎃👑 Open to Everyone!
Building on the success of last year’s festival, this year’s event will be even bigger, spanning across five floors of our Kannai campus😄Each floor will offer a variety of exciting games, face painting, exhibitions, music, and performances, providing a full day of entertainment for everyone🎪
This event will not only be fun but also provide a meaningful opportunity to reflect on CGK’s history and look forward to its future😌 We will share more details about the event in the coming weeks⭐️ We encourage you to make a reservation in advance, as this will ensure a smoother check-in process on the day and allow you to enjoy the festival without worrying about entry restrictions, even if the venue becomes crowded. RSVP link is on highlight stories!
We look forward to spending a wonderful day with you at CGK School Festival 2024😊!
The poster creation for this year’s CGK School Festival 2024 was primarily led by students from the 4th and 5th grade elementary classes✨
Check out the last year’s school festival video on Reel🎵
今年もCGKインターナショナルスクールにて『CGK School Festival 2024』を開催いたします🎉
(日本語は英語の後で) We are excited to announce that CGK School Festival 2024 will be held at CGK International School again this year🎉
🎡🎊Sunday, October 27th, 2024, 10:00-14:30🎃👑 Open to Everyone!
Building on the success of last year’s festival, this year’s event will be even bigger, spanning across five floors of our Kannai campus😄Each floor will offer a variety of exciting games, face painting, exhibitions, music, and performances, providing a full day of entertainment for everyone🎪
This event will not only be fun but also provide a meaningful opportunity to reflect on CGK`s history and look forward to its future😌 We will share more details about the event in the coming weeks⭐️ We encourage you to make a reservation in advance, as this will ensure a smoother check-in process on the day and allow you to enjoy the festival without worrying about entry restrictions, even if the venue becomes crowded. RSVP link is on highlight stories!
We look forward to spending a wonderful day with you at CGK School Festival 2024😊!
The poster creation for this year`s CGK School Festival 2024 was primarily led by students from the 4th and 5th grade elementary classes✨
Check out the last year’s school festival video on Reel🎵
今年もCGKインターナショナルスクールにて『CGK School Festival 2024』を開催いたします🎉
(日本語は英語の後で) Yesterday’s snack for the Ocean class (2 year olds) was scones from “iro”, a scone specialty store located near Tobe Station😊 When “iro” contacted us, they mentioned that they want the children to enjoy their shop’s delicious scones, so this time we decided on offering the scones to Ocean class students✨ We sat up the scones on a tower tray and the children chose two of their favorite scones from the scone tower to eat for snack, and two more to take home as souvenirs!
This video summarizes the experience of our grade 2 student who participated in a short-term solo study abroad program in Vancouver, Canada, from July 14 to July 28, 2024. The children featured in the video stayed in university dormitories during their summer break, attending a summer camp held on the university campus.
This video summarizes the experience of our grade 2 student who participated in a short-term solo study abroad program in Vancouver, Canada, from July 14 to July 28, 2024. The children featured in the video stayed in university dormitories during their summer break, attending a summer camp held on the university campus.
This video summarizes the experience of our grade 2 student who participated in a short-term solo study abroad program in Vancouver, Canada, from July 14 to July 28, 2024. The children featured in the video stayed in university dormitories during their summer break, attending a summer camp held on the university campus.
This video summarizes the experience of our grade 2 student who participated in a short-term solo study abroad program in Vancouver, Canada, from July 14 to July 28, 2024. The children featured in the video stayed in university dormitories during their summer break, attending a summer camp held on the university campus.
This video summarizes the experience of our grade 2 student who participated in a short-term solo study abroad program in Vancouver, Canada, from July 14 to July 28, 2024. The children featured in the video stayed in university dormitories during their summer break, attending a summer camp held on the university campus.
