Enjoy this short video snippet about Abroad International School Osaka from our 2024 Expo.
Transcript
Abroad International School Osaka
ISTimes Global: (00:00) Hello, I’m here with Mr. Ali at with Abroad International School Osaka. Welcome.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (00:06) Well, hello.
ISTimes Global: (00:07) I’m uh very glad to uh meet you as as I I I I I know that your school has a long history in Osaka, but building up through the grades and uh so I would love to hear about your school and how and where it’s not at now with uh the grades offered as well as a bit about the culture of uh your school too.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (00:28) Yes. Well, uh if you look at our school’s history, actually it’s been more than 20 years now by 2002, we were just a language school, started as a language school, teaching English to kids, some adults and so many other languages, maybe, I remember maybe 13 languages, a lot of European languages and you know, the languages around here. And then uh by 2006, we thought, you know, uh kids just once a week, twice a week improving English was not that good. And then we started our kindergarten um from one year old. And then with very few students school started with as a kindergarten uh English school and then um you know, school expanded gradually, had students joining us and then parents started asking us, why don’t you start the primary school? And then by 2012, we started our primary school. And by the time, I mean, our teachers, educators were so interested in, you know, inquiry based learning where we would like students to ask as many questions as they can, you know, research by themselves. So we were so interested in the IB curriculum, International Baccalaure everyone knows about IB. Uh so well known, accepted in the world. So we uh applied for becoming an authorized IB school. And then by 2019, our school authorized for the primary program, International Baccalaure primary program, and then we opened our MYP school by then with middle years. Since again, our parents, you know, wanted to stay with us and continue education with us. So we opened our uh middle years program. And actually this year, uh 2024, uh last March, we’ve uh got authorization for the middle years program.
ISTimes Global: (02:30) Congratulations. That’s great.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (02:31) So it’s gradually, you know, expanding and actually we moved to our new campus by the way. Um the school expanded. Now we are in a really nice campus. We have all the facilities, the classrooms, you know, the library, the music room, art room, all these facilities as well as the gym. So we have just, you know, uh at a point where we really like our students are very happy with our school. Then we actually are planning to become a high school. So we applied for the IB International Baccalaureate diploma program. Now, currently, we are officially a candidate school for the IB DP, which is which is called DP, diploma program. And yeah, here we are. Um um the culture at school, one thing I should say, uh we are family like atmosphere. I mean, we have that family like which which I really like. Actually, like uh past uh week, we had our PYP evaluation visit. The visitors, they told us, wow, this is just like a family. They met families, students, everyone, you know, everyone happy. The the older grades have activities with younger ones. So this is just like a family. So this is your home, they told us. So we were so happy with that feedback, you know.
ISTimes Global: (03:52) Can I ask so if if if you were to ask parents or students, what would be the first thing that they would come to mind when they think about the school? Would it be the fact that it’s a family atmosphere?
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (04:01) I think that would be the thing, right? This is like this is our family. This is our family. They like the the older grades, they see like their older, you know, brothers and sisters. since they meet at the campus, it’s from one year up to currently, by the way, we have grade nines. So each year we gain one grade. So next academic year we’ll have our grade 10, 11 and 12. So the upper grades, they have lots of chances to meet their younger, you know, we have a school assembly every once in a while, so we have all together. So they’re all together, you know, having these assembly. The the older ones, they they manage the assembly actually, the students led assemblies we have. So yeah, that’s our school from my point of view.
ISTimes Global: (04:44) Yeah. It’s great and so uh one of the things that I think uh uh stands out is that there’s been uh this growth and this uh gradual expansion. I think parents would be most excited to know that there’s a school, a new school right now, new facilities with the building. Uh you you now have your um MYP program plus they can look uh look forward to a future uh high school uh DP program. Um is there um how would you describe that
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (05:16) This is Stanse by the way. Our um middle years program and diploma program coordinator.
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (05:20) Yes. Nice to meet you.
ISTimes Global: (05:23) Nice to meet you.
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (05:24) Nice to meet you as well.
ISTimes Global: (05:24) How are you preparing the kids in middle school to be prepared once uh they do have the opportunity for their high school uh DP program?
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (05:34) I think uh we mainly do that with our classes. So we right now have the MYP curriculum in uh for the middle year students. And that is uh like one stage before the DP program. So there is that continuity in the curriculum. So that’s one thing that we are doing as a school. All of our teachers are uh trained for the MYP program so they know how to actually conduct their lessons and how to reach the requirements of the MYP program. So that is, you know, like one preparation for the DP. Another thing that we are doing with our students is we are uh having some college counseling sessions to prepare them for uh their college lives to uh encourage them to think about what they’re going to choose uh in DP and what they want to pursue in the life beyond the DP program. So those are some of the preparations that we are doing. And right now in preparation for DP, we are also regularly meeting with our consultant uh that is assigned by the DP, by the IB itself uh to work and polish our current practices.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (06:47) I think one thing worth mentioning about the service by students. I really love that, you know. When you see like we have middle school students, they’re running after school program. Just student led, that’s student for instance, we have a student from Korea. She’s really good at Taekwondo and she has the Taekwondo club for younger students. And the other students they’re running like movie club and fitness club. So these are the things the students doing and you know, for service for their service and this is actually required by the IB and we love it. We love it. Love to see students, you know, doing the life, the actual thing, you know, affecting others. So yeah.
ISTimes Global: (07:28) It sounds like you have a very active and engaged school and student community. Congratulations.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (07:34) Thank you very much.
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (07:35) Yeah.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (07:36) One thing I’d like to mention. I mean, in November, we have a festival. This is actually an annual annual for us now. Uh so many years we’ve been doing this. So it’s a it’s called International Culture Festival. And we are actually inviting the local people as well as whole school community. So if you go to that festival and on the day, you’ll see the food booths from many countries. You’ll see some performances in the gym, you know, again.
ISTimes Global: (08:04) What is the Japanese culture?
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (08:06) The date is November
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (08:07) November 23rd.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (08:08) November 23rd. Okay.
ISTimes Global: (08:09) Excellent. Well, we will we will make sure to uh
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (08:13) Please visit us. You’ll see so many so many parents coming in, so many local people. I think more than 500 people you know, visits on the day. So it’s really a live, you know, day.
Abroad International School Osaka-2: (08:26) Vibrant.
ISTimes Global: (08:26) Yeah. Uh thank you so much. And I think this is a great chance for parents and families to visit Abroad International School in Osaka, especially now with their new building. Very exciting. Thank you so much.
Abroad International School Osaka-1: (08:40) Thank you. Thank you.
About Abroad International School
- Founded in 2002 as a language school, expanded to a full IB continuum school
- Current offerings: PYP (authorized), MYP (authorized), DP (candidate school)
- New campus with comprehensive facilities (library, music/art rooms, gym)
- Strong family-like atmosphere with multi-age interactions
- Student-led assemblies and after-school programs
- Annual International Culture Festival (November 23rd)
- Gradual expansion model – adding one grade level each year
- Currently serves students from age 1 to grade 9 (expanding to grade 12)
- Emphasis on inquiry-based learning and student agency
