Salesian International School

The Salesian Preventive System

Salesian International Primary School is not simply a Catholic school in name — its entire pedagogical DNA is rooted in the educational philosophy of St. John Bosco (1815–1888), the Italian priest who founded the Salesian order to serve disadvantaged youth through joy, warmth, and accompaniment rather than punishment.

Three Pillars

The school's approach rests on three inseparable pillars:

1. Reason (理性) — Engaging students' intellect and helping them understand why rules and values matter, rather than demanding blind obedience.
2. Religion (宗教) — Grounding daily life in a sense of the sacred, expressed through morning prayer, chapel time, and the school's Catholic identity.
3. Loving-kindness (慈愛) — The conviction, expressed in Don Bosco's own words, that "It is not enough to love children; they must feel loved." Teachers are expected to be present with students at all times, building genuine trust.

Preventive Rather Than Punitive

The "preventive" in Salesian pedagogy means anticipating and preventing problems through a positive, relationship-centred environment — not through surveillance or fear. Teachers are described as companions who walk alongside children, fostering confidence and a sense of belonging.

Whole-Person Education

The curriculum is structured around three major pillars: religious education, academic subject learning, and integrated inquiry learning (総合的な学習). This last pillar includes international understanding education, barrier-free education, and residential experience programmes — all designed to cultivate what the school calls "the power to live" (生きる力).

Application to the International Class

In the new International Class, this philosophy is expressed through an English-immersion environment where children are encouraged to think differently, hold their own opinions, and engage with the world as global citizens. The school explicitly wants students to feel that "being different from others is natural" and "having your own ideas is natural" — a distinctly Salesian affirmation of individual dignity within community.

A 75-Year Journey of Transformation

Origins (1947)

Salesian International Primary School was established on 1 April 1947 as 星美学園小学校 (Seibi Gakuen Elementary School) under the school corporation 学校法人星美学園. It was founded as part of the global Salesian mission — the educational legacy of St. John Bosco and St. Mary Mazzarello — to provide Catholic whole-person education to children in the Akabane area of northern Tokyo.

For over seven decades, the school operated as a respected traditional Japanese Catholic primary school, building a reputation for character education, warm pastoral care, and strong academic foundations.

The 2026 Transformation

In 2026, the school underwent its most significant transformation since its founding. Recognising that children entering Year 1 in 2026 would graduate into society in 2042 — an era when AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is expected to be widespread — the school's leadership concluded that exam-focused, rote-learning education would be insufficient.

Under the leadership of Principal Kazue Hoshino, the school was renamed Salesian International Primary School and launched its inaugural International Class: an all-English immersion programme designed to develop critical thinking, linguistic ability, and global values from the earliest years of schooling.

Unprecedented Demand

The response from Tokyo families was extraordinary. School information sessions attracted over 400 parents, with additional seating required mid-session. For the 2026 intake, 396 applicants competed for approximately 120 places — a roughly 30% acceptance rate — with the B-schedule examination reaching approximately 8× oversubscription.

Continuity Within Change

Crucially, the transformation did not abandon the school's Salesian identity. The Japanese-medium Seibi Class continues alongside the International Class, and both share the same campus, chapel, and community ethos. The school sees internationalisation not as a departure from its mission but as its natural evolution for the 21st century.

Admissions at Salesian International Primary School

Extraordinary Demand

The launch of the International Class generated remarkable interest from Tokyo families. For the 2026 inaugural intake, 396 applicants competed for approximately 120 places, yielding an overall acceptance rate of roughly 30%. The A-schedule examination was 2–3× oversubscribed; the B-schedule reached approximately 8× oversubscription — figures that place Salesian International among the most competitive new primary school launches in recent Tokyo history.

School information sessions were so popular that over 400 parents attended, with additional seating added mid-session.

What the Examination Involves

The entrance process for Year 1 applicants consists of:

• A brief written paper test — assessing age-appropriate cognitive readiness
• A parent-child interview (approximately 15 minutes) — evaluating family values alignment and the child's social readiness
• Social-skills observation tasks — assessing how children interact, communicate, and engage

Two examination schedules (A and B) are offered, giving families flexibility.

English Proficiency: Not a Barrier

Despite being an English-immersion school, Salesian International explicitly does not require incoming Year 1 students to be fluent in English. Approximately 80% of 2025 exam applicants came from English-medium backgrounds, but the school has indicated that even children without strong English can be admitted — the immersive environment is designed to build proficiency from the ground up.

Who Applies

The school attracts a mix of bilingual families, returnee families (帰国子女), expatriate families, and Japanese families seeking an international education pathway. The International Class is designed to feed into the Salesian middle and high school's international programme, offering a continuous 12-year international education track.

No Published Waitlist

Unlike some Tokyo international schools, Salesian International has not published a formal waitlist system. Families are advised to apply in the year of entry.

Academic Culture at Salesian International Primary School

An Overwhelmingly English Environment

The defining feature of the International Class is its near-total English-medium instruction. The school describes it as "an overwhelming English environment in which almost all subjects are taught in English" (ほぼ全ての教科を英語で授業する圧倒的な英語環境). This is not a bilingual programme with equal language weighting — English is the primary medium of instruction across academic subjects, while Japanese language and culture are maintained as a valued component of identity.

Thinking for 2042

The school's academic vision is explicitly future-oriented. Children entering Year 1 in 2026 will enter society in approximately 2042 — a time when AGI is expected to be widespread. The school argues that exam-focused, knowledge-transmission education will be insufficient for this future. Instead, it prioritises:

• Critical and creative thinking — the ability to identify problems and work toward solutions independently
• Linguistic ability — genuine bilingual competence in English and Japanese
• Global values — a world-citizen mindset that sees diversity as natural and desirable

Three Curriculum Pillars

The broader school curriculum (shared across Seibi and International classes) is structured around three pillars:

1. Religious education — Catholic faith formation integrated into daily school life
2. Academic subject learning — core disciplines taught to Japanese national curriculum standards (with English as the medium in the International Class)
3. Integrated inquiry learning (総合的な学習) — project-based exploration including international understanding, barrier-free education, and residential experience programmes

ICT Integration

All classrooms are equipped with electronic whiteboards and tablets/iPads, reflecting the school's commitment to technology-enhanced learning.

Class Structure

The school operates six grades (Year 1–6) with approximately three classes per grade and a maximum of 40 students per class (average approximately 32). The International Class operates within this structure, with its own English-medium teaching team.

Campus Life at Salesian International Primary School

Location and Access

The school is located at 4-2-14 Akabanedai, Kita-ku, Tokyo — a residential neighbourhood in northern Tokyo. It is accessible by:

• JR Akabane Station (North Exit): approximately 10 minutes on foot
• Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line / Saitama Rapid Railway Akabane-Iwabuchi Station (Exit 2): approximately 8 minutes on foot

There is no school bus service; families use public transport. The school operates five days a week (Monday–Friday) with no Saturday classes.

A Spacious Urban Campus

At approximately 8,414 m², the campus is notably generous for an urban Tokyo primary school. The official facilities page highlights a wide playground (校庭) where children run freely during PE lessons and break times — a rarity in central Tokyo.

Key Facilities

Religious and Community Spaces:

• Chapel (チャペル) — for daily prayer, assemblies, and religious formation
• Multipurpose hall — used for school events and assemblies

Academic Facilities:

• Science laboratories (1st and 2nd 理科室)
• Art room (造形室)
• Music rooms (第一音楽室, 第二音楽室)
• Library
• AV and broadcast rooms

Sports Facilities:

• Indoor gymnasium (体育館)
• Swimming pool
• Wide outdoor playground (dirt and artificial turf)

Technology:

• All classrooms equipped with electronic whiteboards and tablets/iPads
• Air conditioning throughout

Community Atmosphere

The Salesian ethos of "always, everywhere, with the children" (いつも　どこでも　子どもとともに) shapes the daily atmosphere. Teachers are expected to be present and engaged with students beyond formal lesson time, creating a warm, family-like community. Upper-grade students guide younger ones through clubs and committees, fostering cross-age relationships and a spirit of service.