Rugby School Japan (RSJ) is scheduled to open in September 2023.
The new facility will be the Rugby School Group’s (RSG) second international school, following the opening of Rugby School Thailand five years ago.
With an initial capacity for 780 day and boarding students, aged from year seven to year 13, the school will be located in Chiba University’s Kashiwanoha campus, half an hour’s train ride from the centre of Tokyo.
Terms for Rugby School to open a sister institution in Japan were agreed in 2019. At the time – before the pandemic hit – it was thought that RSJ would be ready to open in September 2022.
“Rugby School Japan will be an authentic interpretation of Rugby School England, respectful of the cultural context of Japan,” said Peter Green, executive headmaster of RSG.
“We understand that boarding and our house system may be unfamiliar concepts. So, too, our wide range of co-curricular activities and our enthusiasm for sport, especially team sport.
“We are an unashamedly academic school, but we believe that academic qualifications are just one aspect of a properly rounded education, so sport, music and drama are integral, not extras.”
A former senior housemaster at RSG’s original school in Warwickshire, Tony Darby, will be installed as RSJ’s founding principal in September 2022.
Deputy heads (academic and pastoral) will be announced the same month, while teaching and administrative posts will be advertised in TES in the autumn.
“We are delighted at the level of interest already expressed by families living in Japan,” added Green, “especially as they find out about our small class sizes; our approach to learning which encourages creativity, problem solving and critical thinking; and our globally-minded attitude towards education and growing up.”
Pic credits: Mitsui Fudosan
