At KPIS, we strive to spark curiosity in children that leads to a lifelong love of learning. We model and foster the attitude of loving to learn ― we are ALL still learning at KPIS ― the teachers, the children and the parents. We believe that when children develop the skills and competencies for learning to learn in their early years, they will become motivated to remain lifelong learners who also perform well academically in the future.

When children learn and play outdoors during their early childhood years, they develop skills such as confidence, independence, creativity, increased attention and focus, perseverance and resilience. These skills play a crucial role in later academic learning.

According to current research on Early Childhood Development, children learn best when they feel safe and are in trusting, reliable relationships. At KPIS, we highly value the relationships we build with children and their families.

We are committed to maintaining these relationships over time. We know that the best teachers for young children are teachers who are knowledgeable and highly trained early childhood professionals who care deeply about the children and their families and who are attuned to the needs of individual students.

Young children learn best when their curiosity is triggered and when they try to figure things out for themselves. This happens most often through play.

Play in nature is embedded into nearly all aspects of the curriculum at KPIS. According to the researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Play is central to how children learn: the way they make sense of their world; the way they form and explore friendships; the way they shape and test hypotheses about their intellectual, social, emotional, and physical environments,” and the three essential indicators of play are choice, wonder and delight.

Our teachers recognize that children need autonomy in making choices throughout their school day, that they need to be interested and invested in what they are doing with a sense of wonder, and that they need to enjoy the activities and find them delightful to participate in.

We strive to provide long blocks of uninterrupted play time for children to maximize their engagement and learning, and much of our school days are spent outdoors. Our location next to Komazawa Olympic Park offers us the opportunity to spend quality time outdoors for extended periods of time in natural settings on a daily basis. We are also fortunate to have a private grass yard and a wooden deck (outdoor classroom) on our campus with direct access to a number of classrooms.

Park activities typically include climbing, running, digging, collecting small natural items such as leaves, acorns and sticks, catching insects, dramatic pretend play scenarios and also throwing, catching, kicking and otherwise playing with balls among other options.

When we give children the time and opportunity to learn outdoors, we broaden their experience base and expose them to the wider world. Learning and playing outdoors helps children develop confidence and independence as well as helping them to build their stamina and develop strength and endurance.

We believe that by spending time in nature, the children will learn to appreciate being outside, will develop a strong connection to nature and will gain a greater understanding of the importance of the natural world and our human responsibility to care for it.

There is no question that age-appropriate activities are best for children. As children develop, they move from concrete to symbolic understanding. Early childhood experiences should be all about concrete, authentic experiences within the context of caring, loving and trusting relationships in a safe environment with predictable, consistent routines and boundaries.

When children are pushed to accomplish tasks that their minds and bodies are not yet ready for, they tend to miss out on learning the skills that they should be learning at that age such as the social skills that are largely learned through play. These skills include negotiating, problem-solving, listening, taking turns, patience and consideration of others, and gaining these skills is highly prioritized at KPIS.

We structure our routines to be clear, consistent and age-appropriate, slowly adjusting them over time as the children develop the ability to sustain their attention to listen and engage in group activities for longer periods of time at their own pace.

As children grow and their interests develop, we gradually introduce age-appropriate skills, tools and concepts. Children are given the opportunity to practice their skills over time. It is a marvelous thing to see children develop confidence as readers, writers, thinkers, scientists, mathematicians and engineers!

When children graduate from KPIS, we know they have will have acquired the both the interpersonal and academic skills needed in order to be successful in their future academic endeavors.

Language is best learned through communication in genuine conversations, meaningful storytelling and reading books aloud. Children’s vocabulary develops when we talk with them about the things, actions, feelings and ideas that are relevant to them within their surroundings.

Reading and writing are skills to be enjoyed and acquired as a means to communicate with others in an expressive way and to share the delight of books and stories.

Numeracy must be acquired through hands-on experiences before children can competently transfer their knowledge to symbolic representation with pencils on paper. Young children may be able to repeat facts and information based on repetitive practice and rote memorization, but without first gaining real world experiences, they miss out on deeper understanding and learning.

At KPIS, we intentionally plan experiences that give the children an opportunity to actively engage with objects, ideas and concepts in order to learn mathematical concepts in deep and meaningful ways.

Monday – Friday
8:45 a.m. – 2:20 p.m.
After School Care is available until 6:30 p.m

Term 1: August – December
Term 2: January – March
Term 3: April – July

• Year 1 - Acorn (18 months - 2 yrs old): 5 days per week
• Year 2 - Walnut (2 - 3 yrs old): 5 days per week
• Year 3 - Maple (3 - 4 yrs old): 5 days per week
• Year 4 - Pine (4 - 5 yrs old): 5 days per week
• Year 5 - Oak (5 - 6 yrs old): 5 days per week

Every term, our students gain first-hand experience working in the school garden by digging soil, planting seeds, and observing how herbs, vegetables and fruits grow. These meaningful experiences develop early science skills of observation, investigation and prediction. They also promote greater love and appreciation of the soil and its importance to life on our planet. We hope that KPIS students will always remember the wonder of gardening and that they will become lifelong protectors of the natural environment.

We employ specialists to work with our students on their aesthetic abilities and physical development. The specialists design a curriculum that allows students to express their ideas and imagination through music, movement and pottery making. KPIS offers the following special subjects:

• Library: We are proud to have a cozy library space filled with countless books of all genres. Our librarian visits once a week to read to classes, help students and parents check out books and maintain the library space. Our librarian helps us foster a love of reading throughout the school community.
• Music: Our Music teacher introduces students to the concepts of rhythm, beat, melody and harmony. Students sing or dance to songs played on the piano or keyboard. Musical instruments such as xylophones, castanets, maracas, drums, tambourines and triangles are often part of the lesson. Music classes are scheduled on a weekly basis.
• Pottery: Our Pottery teacher visits our school twice per month. Students can explore the properties of various kinds of potter's clay while developing fine motor skills and creative expression through a medium that is quite different from ordinary playdough. Often, students' creations incorporate natural materials and are sometimes fired in a kiln in order to be shared and appreciated at home.
• Sports: Physical activities are organized and facilitated by an experienced PE teacher who is an expert in the development of students' gross motor skills, balance, coordination and strength. Through team games and other sports activities, students learn the satisfaction of teamwork and the joy of physical exercise.

Having developed important life skills and a strong educational foundation during their time at KPIS, graduates have been accepted by the following schools to continue their learning and growth:

• The American School in Japan
• Aoba-Japan International School
• Aoyama Gakuin
• The British School in Tokyo
• Canadian International School
• Gakushuin
• International School of the Sacred Heart
• Meguro Seibi Gakuen
• Nishimachi International School
• Sei Dominico Gakuen
• Seisen International School
• Showa Women’s University Fuzoku Showa Elementary School
• St. Mary's International School
• St. Maur International School
• Tamagawa Gakuen
• Tokyo Jogakkan
• Wako Elementary School
• Yokohama Futaba
• Yokohama International School

Our facility is ecologically friendly and built with hygienic materials similar to those found in hospitals. Our teachers and staff pay close attention to cleanliness and encourage students to practice healthy habits of personal hygiene.

• Students wash their hands with anti-bacterial soap upon arrival and at regular intervals throughout the day such as before eating anything and after returning from outdoor activities.
• Students dry their hands with paper towels after washing their hands.
• Classrooms are kept clean throughout the day.
• Classroom toys are sterilized at least once per week.
• Toilets and sinks are cleaned 4 times per day.

Safety is one of our main priorities, and the following measures are in place to ensure every student’s security at all times:

• SECOM safeguards our entire facility, including doors and windows.
• 5 security cameras survey our school’s exterior.
• Classrooms are equipped with the following: child-safety door, fire extinguisher, security alarm and smoke detector.
• Child-safety doors in restrooms prevent finger injuries.
• Cushioned flooring in classrooms helps prevent injuries if students fall or trip.
• Facility's earthquake-resistance architecture meets Japanese government standards.
• Students practice one earthquake or one fire drill every month.
• A complete list of emergency exit routes and an emergency exit map of the school are clearly posted in each classroom.
• Emergency food and water are on hand.
• Majority of our facility's windows are shatter-proof.

• Teachers keep a watchful eye on the students at all times.
• Teachers are equipped with first aid kits and smartphones.
• Each student wears a personal Apple AirTag.
• Fluorescent-colored vests and caps are worn by the students for easy identification.
• Students who are 2 years old or younger are taken to and from the park in a baby cart.
• Earthquake and emergency drills are conducted regularly during outdoor activities.
• KPIS is two minutes away by car from the emergency center at Tokyo Medical Center.

Please contact the school for information.

KPIS offers bus service both in the mornings and afternoons. Our school bus is custom-made, and it has two emergency exits as well as seatbelts that are specially designed for children. Every child who rides on the bus has his or her own seatbelt. A bus attendant is always present to help students during pick-up and drop-off times and in cases of emergency.

Our school bus travels through Setagaya, Meguro, Ota and Shibuya wards of Tokyo. If you live in one of these areas, it may be possible to create a bus stop near your home. Please contact the school for details on bus stop locations as well as pick-up and drop-off times.

Early Drop-off Service is available from 8:15 a.m. at a rate of 1,320 yen for 30 minutes. Please email the administration to request Early Drop-off Service at least two school days in advance.

After School Care (ASC) is offered to all students from Year 1 to Year 5, and this service is available only on regular school days. During ASC, children are cared for by our experienced and nurturing staff as they explore and learn both indoors and outdoors.

Parents may choose either 4 or 5 days per week between two different time frames depending on their needs. Time Frame #1 is 2:40 - 5:00 pm, and Time Frame #2 is 2:40 - 6:30 pm. Whether it be 4 or 5 days per week, all of the days must be in the same time frame. Spot care on a case-by-case basis also is available for both time frames.