Moving to an International School: A Practical Guide for Parents
By Naveen Bukhari, Vice Principal
Every year, families ask us the same question: "Is an international school right for my child, and how do we make the move?" Some feel their child needs more English. Some want smaller classes. Some sense that the current school is simply not the right fit. Whatever the reason, the decision is easier when you know what to look for. This guide sets out practical advice for any family considering a move, with examples of how we do things at YES International School in Yokohama.
1. Start with your child, then the timing
Before comparing schools, write down what you want to change: language, class size, learning style, or your child's wellbeing. This list will help you judge every school you visit.
Timing matters too. Many schools in Japan work around an April start, but some international schools accept students during the year. If your child is struggling now, ask each school whether a mid-year start is possible. A mid-year start can also be gentler: your child joins a class that has already settled, with routines in place.
At YES: the school year starts in April, but we accept students on a rolling basis throughout the year. We welcome students from Grade 1 to Grade 9, depending on space in each grade.
2. What to look for on a visit
A brochure tells you what a school wants to say; a visit shows you how it works. When you visit, try to see real lessons and notice:
Class size: how many children are in each class, and does the teacher have time for each one?
How children speak up: are they asking questions, discussing and presenting, or mostly listening?
The atmosphere: do the children seem relaxed and engaged?
Ask whether your child can spend a day in class before you apply. It is a good way for them to tell you how they feel.
At YES: classes have fewer than 10 students, so teachers know each child well and notice quickly when something is hard. After your visit, you can choose an optional one-day trial before applying, so your child can see what the school is like.
3. Ask about curriculum and accreditation
"International school" can mean many different things. Ask each school:
Which curriculum do you follow, and from which organisation?
Is the school accredited or authorised, and by whom?
How is progress measured, and how often will I receive reports?
At YES: we are a Cambridge International School, following the Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary curricula, alongside Japanese and Programming. Parents receive a report card at the end of each of the three trimesters. Students also take TOEFL tests, and most move up to TOEFL Junior by Grade 4, depending on the student. Students in Grades 4–6 take TOEFL Junior twice a year; in 2025, their average section scores were 270, 258 and 253, against national averages of 235, 238 and 236.
4. Language support: English, and Japanese for non-Japanese speakers
A worry we often hear from Japanese parents is, "My child's English isn't good enough." At many schools, children starting with little English can join with support. Ask how that support works: in class, in small groups, or individually, and whether it is included in tuition or charged separately, as this varies.
In the first weeks, many children understand far more than they can say. Speaking usually follows listening, so be patient with silence at the start. At home, you don't need to switch to English. A strong first language supports a second one.
At YES: ESL and JSL support (mostly in pair lessons, sometimes 1-to-1) is included in tuition.
5. Keeping Japanese strong, and 就学 (school enrolment) procedures
Some parents fear their child will lose Japanese. Ask how many Japanese lessons there are each week, what they are based on, and how children whose first language is not Japanese are supported. If your child may return to the Japanese system, ask how the school helps with high-school choices and entrance exams.
There are also practical points to check with your current school and your city office: how your child will leave their current school, what records you can bring, and how the move affects compulsory-education procedures. These depend on your situation, so ask the school you are considering and your local board of education directly.
At YES: every student has Japanese on the timetable. Japanese lessons are based on the Japanese national (Kokugo) curriculum, customised for our students and taught through project-based learning. Children whose first language is not Japanese are taught separately from the regular Japanese class, following our JSL (Japanese as a Second Language) curriculum, which is designed by a Japanese government-certified Registered Japanese Language Teacher. Japanese culture is part of school life too, with calligraphy from Grade 1 and a monthly ikebana class. We also help with high-school search and entrance exam preparation.
6. How admissions usually work
Admissions differ from school to school, but most include a visit, an application and some form of assessment. Ask what the assessment involves, what it is used for, and how soon you will hear back.
At YES: there are six steps:
Contact us to arrange a visit or come to an orientation.
Visit the school and talk with us about your child's needs.
Optional one-day trial: if you like, your child can join us for a trial day before you apply.
Apply for the entrance assessment.
Your child takes the entrance assessment, a level check of their current abilities that we use to decide class placement.
We email you the result within a few days.
The assessment shows us your child's current English and Japanese levels, and whether they have any special needs or would benefit from individualised support, so we can place them well from day one.
7. Everyday practicalities
Daily life matters as much as the curriculum. Check the commute, after-school care and pick-up options, and where children eat and play.
At YES: we are a small school, an 8-minute walk from Yokohama Station. After-school care runs until 17:30, and pick-up and drop-off between Yokohama Station and the school are available; please contact the school for details. We don't have a playground of our own: lunch and outdoor P.E. happen at nearby parks, so children walk out with their teachers during the day. Some families love the city setting and the time outside; others prefer a large campus. It is better to know this before you visit than after.
8. Settling in and staying in touch
Talk about the change early, and visit together if you can.
Expect tiredness. Listening in a second language is hard work; early nights help.
Celebrate small things: a new friend, their first sentence in English, a presentation.
Stay in touch with the teacher, and ask how you can check in between reports.
At YES: with fewer than 10 students in a class, small concerns can be dealt with quickly.
Come and see for yourself
A good way to judge whether a move is right is to see a school for yourself and ask your own questions. Our next School Orientation is on Saturday 28 November 2026, 9:00–11:00, at our school near Yokohama Station. Principal Kaoru Takeuchi will introduce the school, you will see our lessons on video, and there is a Q&A session for parents, including questions about transfers. If you can't make that date, you are welcome to visit at another time by arrangement.
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