Yokohama Christian School serves the international and local communities of Yokohama. Our students are: international, bicultural, and local. Some of our students are Christian, while others are not.

The Elementary division uses American Classical Christian materials. The classical approach to education is an integrated approach to all subjects, with a focus on student capabilities at different stages of development. For the Preschool division, we use the Weekday Early Education (WEE) Learn curriculum developed by the CDEA out of Jacksonville, Florida.

Students in the preschool ages have no language requirement before becoming a student at YCS. Elementary aged students should be within one year of grade level in English language skills.  YCS is willing to work with students and families in order to prepare students for grade level study. Please do not hesitate to ask. 

We realize that all parents may not be fluent in English – that is ok! For communicating with YCS teachers and staff, it is best if one parent speaks English. For important meetings, such as orientations and parent-teacher conferences, YCS is happy to arrange for English-to-Japanese translation so that vital information is understood by all parties. If you need language support for another language, please feel free to bring your own translator.

Once you have determined the days your preschool-aged child attends there will be no change of days until the following school year. Yes, you may add days as your child adjusts to school, if there is space available.

The following will be used as a basis for selecting children to attend the school: age, class size, English language proficiency, siblings enrolled at the school; and English language support at home by a parent or guardian.

Unlike in Japanese schooling, YCS views low student-teacher ratios to be the best way for students to learn. Many of our students come to YCS as English language learners, which means that quality of language input is essential to their success.

Smaller class sizes also helps YCS provide the caring and nurturing environment that we view to be the trademark of our school. Our size allows staff and teachers to work in close collaboration with parents to provide the best educational environment for each child.

Yes. Yokohama Christian School admits students of any race, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities accorded or made available to YCS students. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of our educational policies and procedures in our school-administered programs.

Grades at YCS start at Preschool up to Elementary. Preschool consists of two classes: Seeds (20 months to 2+ years), and Sprouts, (3+ to 5+ years). Elementary is from Kindergarten to Grade 5. Classes are generally divided into Lower Elementary (K-G2) and Upper Elementary (G3-G5). However, depending on the number of students, class divisions may be different.

Yes. Uniforms provide a sense of belonging and cohesion within a student body and help streamline the morning routine at home since students don’t have to wonder what to wear in the morning. Our uniform policies are slightly different for our Preschool and Elementary divisions.

Preschool

1. Preschool uniforms consist of the green t-shirt with the large YCS logo and school hoodies in cold months.
2. Dark-colored bottoms are encouraged but not mandatory.

Elementary

1. Elementary students will be required to wear a Kelly-green polo and navy bottoms (slacks or skirts).  Girls that choose to wear skirts/skorts will be asked to wear knee socks in navy or white.
2. Navy bottoms:
   – Girls may choose to wear skorts or scooters (skirts with connected shorts)
   – Trousers must be navy blue and any pockets should be regular pockets (ie. no cargo pockets)
   – In warmer months, navy shorts can be worn. They should be about knee length without cargo pockets.
3. Dark-colored bottoms are encouraged but not mandatory.

Homework is one of the ways that students practice the skills that they learn during the school day. Preschool students are never assigned homework. The following table gives a good approximation of homework expectations for each grade. 

GRADE APPROXIMATE HOMEWORK​ (​average per night) 

Kindergarten     10 minutes 

1st     15 minutes

2nd     30 minutes

3-5th     45 minutes

Reading is an activity that is highly encouraged at YCS and does not factor into the above homework time. It is assumed that students will spend time with books in addition to their assigned homework.

YCS has a strong Enrichment Program as well as After School Clubs available for its students. The Enrichment Program includes: Music, PE, Library, Japanese, Art, and Computer. Preschool and Elementary students all participate in the Enrichment Program at age-appropriate levels.

YCS also has several After School Clubs to cater to students’ interests. They are primarily for Elementary students. A full list of clubs for the school year will be posted at the beginning of the year. Please refer to this page for more information.

Not at this time. Many of our families live in the Yamate-cho and Honmoku areas and have access to good public transportation. 

Yes, students aged 3 and above are able to order bento from Cezars Kitchen, which is the meal service at Saint Maur International School.

Preschool
We believe children learn best in a loving, supportive environment in which boundaries are clearly understood. As much as possible, children experience the n​atural consequences ​of their behavior, helping them to become responsible for their own actions.

K-5
The kind and amount of discipline will be determined by the teachers, and if necessary, the School Head. The discipline will be administered in the light of the student’s problem and attitude. All discipline will be based on biblical principles, e.g. restitution, apologies (​public and private)​, swift/painful punishment, restoration of fellowship, no lingering attitudes, etc. The vast majority of discipline problems will be dealt with at the classroom level. Love and forgiveness will be an integral part of the discipline of a student.