Kobe, Japan – April 23, 2026 –
North London Collegiate School Kobe (NLCS Kobe), a premier British international school, and Kinder Kids International School (Kinder Kids), Japan’s leading preschool network, are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a strategic educational partnership.
Under this agreement, NLCS Kobe and the three Kinder Kids brands within Hyogo Prefecture (Kinder Kids, Adventure, and Academy) have officially recognized each other as Preferred Partners. This collaboration aims to deliver a seamless global education from early childhood through to university entrance. By fostering faculty exchange and deep curriculum alignment, the two institutions will provide families with a clear and ambitious academic pathway, elevating the quality of international education in Japan.
A New Vision for Lifelong Global Education
While the demand for preschool education in Japan continues to grow, many families face a “pathway gap” after graduation. To address this, NLCS Kobe—part of a global family of schools including the UK’s “Independent School of the Year”—and Kinder Kids, the nation’s largest provider of English-language early childhood education, have joined forces.
This partnership directly connects the proactive learning habits and English proficiency nurtured at Kinder Kids to the rigorous academic curriculum of NLCS Kobe. By offering a continuous educational roadmap from age 2 to 18, the partnership seeks to develop the next generation of global leaders who are deeply rooted in Japanese culture yet ready to excel on the world stage. From Kobe, we aim to establish a world-class educational model that enhances the overall educational landscape in Japan.
Joint Campus Visits: Confirming Educational Synergy
To mark the signing of the MOU, representatives from both schools conducted reciprocal campus visits. Ms. Kimiko Nakayama, President of Kinder Kids, and her team visited NLCS Kobe to tour its state-of-the-art facilities, including the library designed to inspire a lifelong passion for scholarship.
Similarly, Mr. Matthew Williams, Founding Principal of NLCS Kobe, visited Kinder Kids’ Nishinomiya campus to observe their early years’ educational environment firsthand. These visits reaffirmed the strong synergy between the foundational skills cultivated at Kinder Kids and the advanced academic environment offered by NLCS Kobe, marking a significant first step toward a unified educational pathway.
Message from Matthew Williams, Founding Principal of NLCS Kobe
“NLCS Kobe is delighted to partner with Kinder Kids, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration in a more formal capacity. Since our opening, I have been consistently impressed by the high academic standards and exceptional English proficiency of the students joining us from Kinder Kids. I believe this partnership will provide families in Hyogo with a much clearer pathway to an NLCS Kobe education. Personally, I am thrilled to work with the Kinder Kids team and look forward to the immense value this partnership will bring to our community.”
Message from Kimiko Nakayama, President of Kinder Kids International School
“It is a great honor to announce the formal partnership between Kinder Kids International School and NLCS Kobe. NLCS Kobe is an outstanding partner that will elevate the learning we have carefully nurtured in our children to an even higher level. I am proud that our graduates will have the opportunity to grow within the world-class environment that NLCS provides. This collaboration offers families in the Hyogo area a clear and prestigious choice for international education. We look forward to working closely with the NLCS Kobe team to provide even greater educational value to our students and their families.”