International School Curriculum in Yokohama: A Parent's Guide to Cambridge
By Naveen Bukhari, Vice Principal
Picture a school open day. A teacher says something about "Stage 4 goals", "Checkpoint" and "IGCSE". The parent next to you nods wisely. You nod too, write it all down, and make a mental note to search for it later, probably at 11 p.m.
Honestly, some of these words were new to our own staff not long ago. YES became a Cambridge International School in September 2026, so we are still at the start of this journey ourselves. I'm the Vice Principal, and I teach English to Grades 1, 4 and 7 every school day. Learning the system has reminded me how confusing it can look from the outside. So here is the guide I wish every parent had: the Cambridge curriculum in plain words, from the first year of primary school to the last year before university.
A quick bit of history (I promise it's short)
In 1858, 370 students in seven English cities sat exams set by the University of Cambridge. By 1864, Cambridge was running exams outside the UK. Today, Cambridge International Education, part of the University of Cambridge, works with schools in 160 countries, and nearly two million learners study with a Cambridge programme each year. Not bad for an idea older than the telephone.
One path, from age 5 to 19
One of the main reasons we chose Cambridge is that it is one continuous path. Each step is designed to lead into the next, so children don't have to change systems as they grow.
Step | Typical age | Japanese school years |
|---|---|---|
Cambridge Primary (Stages 1–6) | 5–11 | Elementary Grades 1–6 (小学1〜6年) |
Cambridge Lower Secondary (Stages 7–9) | 11–14 | Junior high Grades 7–9 (中学1〜3年) |
Cambridge IGCSE | 14–16 | Around high school years 1–2 |
Cambridge International AS & A Level | 16–19 | Around the final years of high school |
A Stage is simply a school year with clear goals. For every subject, Cambridge sets out what children should be able to do by the end of each Stage. As a teacher, I find this helpful already: I know where we are heading, and so can you.
What parents can expect (and what we're seeing so far)
We are only a few weeks in, so I won't pretend to have years of results. But here is what the curriculum is designed to do, and some early signs I'm noticing.
English is something we use, not just study. The goals grow with each Stage. In Grade 1, that can mean children describing their weekend with a few brave new words. In Grade 4, it can mean explaining why a plant on the windowsill grew taller than the one in the cupboard. By Grade 7, students are expected to give an opinion and back it up. Same language, bigger jobs each year.
"Why?" is a welcome word. Cambridge hopes children become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. In practice, that means asking a child to explain how they got an answer, not just give it. In my own lessons, I'm already hearing a few more "because…" sentences than before. (Fair warning: this habit may follow them home. You may be asked "why?" at dinner more often.)
Real questions about the real world. In Global Perspectives, children choose a real issue and look at it from different points of view. A typical question might be: "Why do we throw away so much food, and what could our class do about it?" Children research, talk to each other, disagree politely and present what they found. It is one of the parts I'm most looking forward to seeing grow.
A second pair of eyes. At the end of Stage 6 and Stage 9, schools can use Checkpoint tests in English, Maths and Science. Cambridge marks them, not the school. As a parent, you get an independent view of how your child is doing against an international standard. We plan to begin Checkpoint tests in 2027, and as a teacher I welcome the outside check.
The later years: IGCSE and A Level
"But what happens after junior high?" is a fair question for any parent to ask. Here is the short version.
Cambridge IGCSE (ages 14–16). IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. Cambridge created it and first examined it in 1988. Please note: this is Cambridge's international qualification, not the UK's national GCSE. Students choose from more than 70 subjects, so they can follow what they're good at and what they enjoy.
Cambridge International AS & A Level (ages 16–19). This is usually a two-year course before university. Students pick a few subjects, often three or four, and go deep. Schools can offer more than 55 subjects.
Two things worth knowing:
Flexibility. Students build their own mix of subjects. A future engineer and a future journalist can take very different routes.
Step-by-step qualifications. Each subject is its own qualification, and an AS Level can count as the first half of a full A Level. Cambridge marks all the exams.
Recognised around the world, and in Japan
According to Cambridge, more than 2,670 universities in 99 countries formally recognise Cambridge qualifications, including all UK universities and more than 1,070 in the US.
Closer to home, there was big news in June 2024. Japan's Ministry of Education (MEXT) added the International A Level, which includes Cambridge International A Level, to the qualifications that make a student eligible to apply to Japanese universities. Two details matter:
It applies to a full A Level. AS Level on its own does not count.
Eligibility means your child may apply. Each university still sets its own subjects and grades.
A MEXT document from August 2024 gives examples of universities using Cambridge International A Levels in admissions: International Christian University (ICU), the University of Tokyo's PEAK programme, Tohoku University's FGL programme and Yamanashi Gakuin University's College of International Liberal Arts. Requirements change, so always check the latest admissions guide.
Worth thinking about
I'd rather you choose well than choose us, so here are a few honest points.
A curriculum is a plan, not a promise. Good teaching and enough attention for each child matter just as much.
Japanese needs its own time. Cambridge subjects are taught in English, so ask any school how it keeps Japanese strong.
Think about the next school early. Not every school offers every step, so it helps to know where your child might go after junior high, in Japan or overseas.
Cambridge at YES
YES International School is a Cambridge International School, offering Cambridge Primary and Cambridge Lower Secondary since September 2026. English, Maths, Science and Global Perspectives follow the Cambridge curriculum, and we plan to begin Checkpoint tests in 2027. Students also follow a trilingual curriculum of English, Japanese and Programming, in classes of fewer than 10, across Grades 1–9. The school year starts in April, but we accept students on a rolling basis throughout the year.
If you'd like to see a Cambridge lesson for yourself, and maybe hear a few of those "why?" questions in action, you're welcome to join our School Orientation on Saturday 28 November 2026 (9:00–11:00), book a free trial day, or contact us to arrange a visit. We're near Yokohama Station in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. I'd be glad to say hello.
References
Cambridge International Education. Our history. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/about-us/our-history/
Cambridge International Education. About us (160 countries). https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/about-us/
Cambridge International Education. Why choose us (nearly two million learners a year). https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/
Cambridge International Education. Facts and figures (IGCSE first examined 1988; 2,670+ universities in 99 countries). https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/about-us/facts-and-figures/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge Primary. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-primary/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge Lower Secondary. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-lower-secondary/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge Primary Checkpoint. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-primary/assessment/cambridge-primary-checkpoint/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-lower-secondary/assessment/cambridge-checkpoint/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge IGCSE. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-upper-secondary/cambridge-igcse/
Cambridge International Education. Cambridge International AS & A Levels. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-international-as-and-a-levels/
Cambridge International Education. Recognition in Japan. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/recognition-and-acceptance/country/japan ; Recognition search: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/recognition-search/
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). 大学入学資格について [University entrance eligibility]. https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/shikaku/07111314.htm
MEXT. 国際Aレベル資格の大学入試における活用について [Use of International A Level in university admissions] (Aug 2024). https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20240801-mxt_daigakuc02-000037448_39.pdf
Cambridge International Education. The Cambridge learner attributes. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/parents-and-students/learning-with-lasting-impact/cambridge-learner-attributes/
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