Admissions Process

Admissions Policy

Rooted in the Goals of the Society of the Sacred Heart, the International School of the Sacred Heart educates young women of the international community in Tokyo to believe, learn, serve, connect, and grow. Families who choose our school believe that the school Goals and Criteria provide an ideal environment for their daughters to grow in courage and confidence.

The school is dedicated to serving the educational needs of the daughters of foreign nationals in the Tokyo area. We offer programs for Pre-K (ages 3-4), Kindergarten (age 5) and Grades 1-12. Boys aged 3-5 years are accepted into the Pre-K and Kindergarten programs. Our community is predominantly made up of internationally mobile families for whom the Japanese education system is not an option. From Kindergarten to Grade 6, the applicant and at least one parent must hold a non-Japanese passport to be eligible to apply. The school accepts students transferring from accredited International Schools in Tokyo on a case by case basis. An applicant may apply up to a maximum of three times.

In addition, for Kindergarten to Grade 8 applicants, at least one of the parents must be able to speak and read English. The educational program is provided through English and our common social and communication language is English, while recognising the value of a student’s mother tongue.

Siblings of currently enrolled students and children of alumnae are given priority, however acceptances are not automatic.

The Admissions Board considers factors such as language, educational ability and background as part of the admissions process to ensure diversity and balance in our homerooms. Please note that applications are not considered by the date on which they are received. Please contact the Admissions Office to confirm eligibility before submitting an application.

Child Protection Policy

Guidelines

Age Guidelines

Kindergarten 3: 3 years old by September 1 (must be fully toilet-trained during the day, no diapers)
Kindergarten 4 : 4 years old by September 1
Kindergarten 5: 5 years old by September 1
Grade 1: 6 years old by September 1
Grade 2: 7 years old by September 1
Grade 3: 8 years old by September 1
Grade 4: 9 years old by September 1
Grade 5: 10 years old by September 1
Grade 6: 11 years old by September 1
Grade 7: 12 years old by September 1
Grade 8: 13 years old by September 1
Grade 9: 14 years old by September 1
Grade 10 to 12: Depend on the credits earned

ESL Students

The ESL program supports students who are in the process of acquiring academic English language skills. The program is a combination of in-class support and small group lessons.
Applicants from schools where English is not the language of instruction upon application take an English language assessment test.
Students coming from overseas knowing no English will be accepted up to Grade 10 on a case-by-case decision, depending on space-availability and academic background.
Students transferring from schools in Japan will be accepted on a case-by-case basis depending on their level of English.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

All students accepted to school are expected to function in the regular classroom.
The services provided for Learning Support from K5-G8 are limited and may be a combination of in-class support and pull out lessons.
The HS offers a rigorous college preparatory program, therefore there is no Learning Support provided in the HS. Students are expected to meet grade level expectations.
Referrals for Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and other specialized services can be made, and these services are at the parent’s expense.
It is important to note that ongoing enrollment for students with special needs will be based upon the students' ability to function within the regular program and special services the school currently offers at each grade level.
The school does not have the facilities or resources to accommodate children who have significant learning, social, emotional or physical differences. Parents of a child receiving any special services, such as Gifted and Talented support, remedial support, speech/language therapy, occupational/physical therapy, or seeing any educational or emotional support specialist, must inform the school prior to the beginning of the admissions process.
Before the application is processed, supporting documentation must be received to include copies of the most recent educational/psychological assessment and the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) from the applicant's current school.

SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT