Enjoy this short video snippet about Harrow International School APPI Japan from our 2024 Expo.
Transcript
Harrow International School APPI Japan
ISTimes Global: (00:00) Hello, we are with Jane here from Harrow International School. Welcome.
Harrow International School: (00:04) Hi, good morning.
ISTimes Global: (00:06) So I I was looking forward to talking to you because you’re one of our only full full boarding uh schools here. Uh so before we talk a bit about the full boarding part of the program, I would love to know a bit about your school and a bit about uh the culture there.
Harrow International School: (00:23) Sure. Yeah. So we are Harrow International School Appi Japan. Actually, we are part of the big Harrow International School family. We’re the 10th Harrow International School, but the first one opened in Japan, really mirroring the the history and the reputation of Harrow School in the UK, you know, over 450 years of history, really drawing to that um Harrow School’s reputation. Um here in Japan, um in Ite prefecture. We’re probably the only British full boarding International school in Japan. And this year currently we are in our third year.
ISTimes Global: (00:56) I see. See, there’s uh few um boarding schools from overseas that have come to Japan, but they haven’t been able to create their boarding school here. You have successfully been able to start that from the very beginning, correct?
Harrow International School: (01:11) Yes, that’s right.
ISTimes Global: (01:11) So uh that that can be a little bit uh intimidating for Japanese uh parents. Um what is it like on campus uh with and the culture with the kids having the parents not present?
Harrow International School: (01:25) Right. I think the one of the the benefit of choosing full boarding school, full boarding school in fact is the that we have like students with us 24/7 during the school year, which gives such like a variety of opportunity to students, of course to to focus on academic. You know, we are the academics, really strong academic school. Our academic program is the, you know, front and center. But beyond that, we believe that holistic education, holistic approach to education is really important. So therefore we um integrate our extra curricular, we don’t call it actually extra, we call it co-curricular activities because that’s part of really important learning process for students to really dive into their passion or explore they have not done to. And because we are located in middle of Ite prefecture surrounded with beautiful mountains, um kids have opportunity to go out and try many different outdoor activities as well. So we offer golf, tennis, uh swimming, trail running, mountain biking, and during winter time because we our school is located next to um ski resort. We offer ski and snowboarding as a part of the curriculum as well.
ISTimes Global: (02:35) That’s wonderful. And can I say that your poster looks magnificent. Uh is this on the um school grounds?
Harrow International School: (02:43) So this is not actually school ground, but we’re very really close. So the nature is literally um like doorstep from our campus. So like once kids go outside the campus, they got these nature right there for you.
ISTimes Global: (02:56) Amazing. Now, uh within the community itself, then uh are kids grouped in certain ways? Is are they grouped in like um houses or um how how are they divided up once uh they are uh in school?
Harrow International School: (03:12) So currently, um we have over 300 students living on our campus, um coming from 27 different countries. And once they enter to school, they divide into boarding houses. Um there are six boarding houses, three boys, three girls. And then, you know, they they will be belong to a house, which going to become the kind of the small unit of family within the school.
ISTimes Global: (03:34) How does the uh housing uh units work? Um obviously for um for Americans and Japanese it’s very Harry, you know, Harry Potterish, but it’s also very interesting and fun and exciting for for our kids to be a part of something like that. Um how does that uh dynamic work?
Harrow International School: (03:55) So we we always explain to parents, it is actually like a Harry Potter. Because once you enter school, you’ll you’ll be assigned to A house, which is actually it’s a vertical system. So you’ll be living with older kids or younger kids together, of course within same gender. Um but then the the rooms will be assigned based on their ages. So younger kids, they’ll be living with um three students in a room. And the junior students, they’ll be living with two students in a room. And then when they get older going into sick form, they’ll have a privilege to have their own room. Then of course that comes with responsibilities too. So really older students looking after younger kids, younger kids, you know, look looking up, um you know, trying to catch up with older kids. So it is really like a like a small family.
ISTimes Global: (04:40) Oh, that’s uh sounds like fun. Uh at the same time, I’d like to know more about uh the curriculum and program. Is there um something from the program or the sports program itself you had mentioned um nature being right there, which sounds uh a lot of fun. But um what do the kids come out with when it comes to academics from uh this experience?
Harrow International School: (05:03) Right. So as a as a British school, we provide British curriculum. So the junior students they will go through IGCSE and the sixth formers they will go through A levels.
ISTimes Global: (05:11) Excellent. And uh so you’ve been around for how many years again?
Harrow International School: (05:16) Uh school.
ISTimes Global: (05:18) School uh here uh here in Japan.
Harrow International School: (05:19) Here in Japan, three years.
ISTimes Global: (05:20) Three uh three years. So uh when you’re hoping to have your first uh graduates?
Harrow International School: (05:26) Right. Um in still two years for us to produce first um graduates, but because we are group school, um our other Harrow International schools have already produced um alumni. And every year they go to you know the world top universities that schools that you can name it, you know, this um in the States, of course in the UK, Oxbridge, Ivy League colleges in the States. Um you know, the I think the great thing about one one of the strengths of quite strong academic school is the school will show students a pathway to those great universities around the world.
ISTimes Global: (06:05) How would Harrow uh graduates um uh what do you think they’ll be taking away once once they leave the school? Uh what are some of the experiences that you hope that they will cherish?
Harrow International School: (06:18) So our headmaster, our principal school always says when our students graduate, we want students to have their own story and also the ability to tell own unique stories. So the Harrow um here at Harrow, we believe that the the value-based education is really important. We have our four core values of courage, honor, humility, and fellowship. You know, no matter how the world change, we believe that those four values will kind of lead students in the right direction or they will have enough tools to become the leader of their own life, to keep cultivating or opening up their their future on their own. And I we believe those skills are really important. And of course, the academic abilities is really important, but beyond that when they graduate from universities, those like unchangeable, transformational skills are really also valuable for students.
ISTimes Global: (07:09) That’s very that’s very noble. I I think you have a very beautiful school and I would love to visit your grounds someday. Uh thank you so much. Harrow International School.
Harrow International School: (07:20) Thank you.
ISTimes Global: (07:21) Thank you.
About Harrow International School APPI Japan
- Part of the prestigious Harrow International School family (10th school globally, first in Japan)
- British curriculum offering IGCSE and A-levels
- Japan’s only British full boarding international school with 300+ students from 27 countries
- Located in Iwate prefecture with extensive outdoor activities (skiing, snowboarding, mountain sports)
- Houses system similar to UK Harrow with 6 boarding houses (3 boys, 3 girls)
- Core values: courage, honor, humility, fellowship
- Strong academic focus with pathways to top global universities
