When it opens its doors in 2025, North London Collegiate School Kobe will offer outstanding opportunities academically, pastorally and beyond the curriculum, guiding students to follow their passions and develop a global perspective, whilst maintaining strong links to both our heritage in the UK and the traditions and culture of Japan.
The school will be selective, providing students with an academically ambitious education that aims to challenge and stretch each individual in order for them to find their passions and aspire to make a difference in the wider world.
From the day we open in Kobe, we will offer your children an exceptional education, outstanding pastoral care and world class experiences. My team and I will know your child as an individual, who will be given the education and opportunities to thrive in modern Japan and the interconnected world we all live in. They will travel, they will be challenged, they will be supported, and they will thrive as we work in partnership to develop them into global citizens.
Each of the NLCS international schools have achieved outstanding academic success, adapting an NLCS education to their particular cultural setting. Our school will be rooted in Japanese traditions with a global outlook, uniquely placing us as the premium school for Japanese and international families in the region.
My admissions team and I would love to meet with you, please do come and visit us to find out more about how you can join us.
Matthew Williams
Founding Principal, NLCS Kobe
NLCS Kobe opens its doors in August 2025, as the newest overseas branch of NLCS schools. Our school is a selective co-educational day school for students from grade 1 to 6. The school is based in the AsiaOne building on Rokko Island, Kobe, with good access to the commercial centres of Osaka and Kobe, as well as the airport and port areas.
We believe that a happy student is a successful student, and a balance in school life is essential. We recruit some of the best teachers from around the world; they are highly qualified and inspire students to discover a love of learning that will last a lifetime. Teachers are carefully selected for their love of subject and will spend time at NLCS (UK) to ensure they understand and share the NLCS school ethos. Our teachers know their students well and celebrate each one as the individual they are whilst encouraging students to explore beyond curriculum boundaries and discover their own passions. The school feels busy and purposeful, with warm and respectful relationships developed between staff and students and between the students themselves. A place where everyone matters.
We believe that by supporting students in every aspect of their lives, and removing all barriers to learning, they can perform to their full potential. We address any issue that can affect a child’s learning with conviction, professionalism, and purpose. We also ensure that our students have a balanced approach to their school years, which includes appropriate levels of sleep, exercise, social activity, and academic pursuits.
At NLCS Kobe we are inspired by our pioneering heritage and commit to academically ambitious teaching, world class educational experiences and exposing our students to the opportunities that a globalised world offers. Students learn to recognise what excellence is and stive to attain it. Driven by curiosity and inspired by excellent and enthusiastic teachers, rich in subject knowledge, students develop a love of learning. The learning experience is thoroughly engaging and challenging. We promote that learning is an end in itself and students develop determination and resilience as they learn. With this exceptional approach, our students enjoy learning, are academically ambitious and achieve outstanding success and fulfilment.
At NLCS Kobe, we offer our students a unique, academically challenging, international curriculum with a clear commitment to Japanese heritage and culture. Our curriculum ensures that all learners develop a sophisticated command of the English language with a focus on internationalism and a deep commitment to sustainability, diversity, creativity, languages, mathematics, humanities and sciences. We celebrate the diversity that makes up our school and commit to learn from differing perspectives that enrich our global community. We ensure that our students are happy and healthy and that they develop the knowledge and skills that enable them to make a positive difference to the world.
Our values are based on the distinctive philosophy of our mother school, North London Collegiate School (UK). We hold the belief in:
Our students enjoy a quality of teaching and learning that enables them to strive for the highest levels of academic attainment. On completing their education with us, we hope that they will have confidence in their abilities and will be encouraged to believe in themselves, take risks and stretch themselves beyond what they thought possible. Marking and feedback are expected to create a dialogue with students about ways to improve and to extend their thinking about the subject beyond the curriculum.
Happy students are successful students. Individual care and support at NLCS Kobe will focus on individual support for every student, developing resilience and a sense of perspective, so that our students are able to tackle challenges head-on, learn from setbacks, and have the confidence to persevere if their initial attempts fail. We aim to provide an environment which promotes self-confidence, a feeling of self-worth and the knowledge that student’s concerns will be listened to and acted upon.
A North London Collegiate education is about much more than lessons; it’s an abundance of exciting opportunities and activities upon which our students thrive. All students are encouraged to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities, and to commit to activities on a regular basis, while feeling able to try new experiences and challenge themselves in diverse ways. Students often discuss their extra-curricular commitments with their form tutor to ensure that they are striking a sensible balance between their academic studies and their various other pursuits. As a general principle, students are encouraged to be open-minded and embrace challenges in different areas, whilst also acknowledging the fact that sometimes choices must be made, thus recognising the importance of committing to activities properly, rather than stretching themselves too thinly.
We recruit some of the best teachers from around the world; they are highly qualified and inspire their students to discover a love of learning that will last a lifetime. They encourage students to explore beyond curriculum boundaries and discover their own passions. The school will feel busy and purposeful, with warm and respectful relationships developed between staff and students and between the students themselves. It is a place where everyone matters. All of our teachers receive training from NLCS (UK) in London before joining our school.
NLCS Kobe is founded on the principles of NLCS (UK), based on over 170 years of history. In the UK, NLCS has an exemplary record of the highest academic achievements, a strong tradition of providing an ambitious education, and a spirit of adventure and encouragement of individuality. We aim to merge our rich history from the UK with the deep roots of Japanese culture and heritage, fostering a unique educational environment where the values of academic excellence and individuality are intertwined with the profound traditions and cultural richness of Japan. This integration will create a dynamic and enriching experience for our students, preparing them to excel in a global society while honoring and understanding the diverse heritage that shapes their learning journey.
Varied perspectives enrich our school and the wider community, and we will embrace, encourage, celebrate and learn from difference and diversity of others. NLCS Kobe will uphold the importance of maintaining a caring and warm community and nurturing a positive spirit of collaboration in all our interactions.
Our students are prepared for a world with continuously fading borders and where international mindedness is essential. They are compassionate and have a commitment to serving others. We aim to forge links between staff and students from our family of schools in order to support each other in developing an internationally minded and outward-looking community.
The NLCS educational philosophy is built on three core pillars, drawing from over 170 years of pioneering history at NLCS (UK). We believe that with the right support and guidance, students will thrive both academically and socially. We avoid 'labeling' students or limiting their potential. Our school fosters a supportive, collaborative environment where children are encouraged to discover their capabilities rather than focus on their limitations.
Ambitious Education
To offer an academically ambitious education, instilling a culture of scholarship and a life-long love of learning.
Individual care & support
To create a warm and vibrant atmosphere, with a genuine care for every individual, where pupils can achieve their best and flourish.
Extra-Curricular Enrichment
To support a rich programme of activities outside of the classroom, where pupils can explore academic and non-academic interests.
News Article
2nd August 2024
NLCS Kobe is thrilled to announce the opening of its admissions process for prospective parents and students. Our school is prepared to open for August 2025 and we are excited to welcome students from Grade 1 to Grade 6.
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News Article
1st October 2024
We are proud to introduce our founding Principal, Matthew Williams.
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