School outline

The school is a place where the children who come from Japan alongside the children who grew up in Switzerland with the children who have grown up in other varied environments and countries in the world come together to learn the Japanese language (as a subject "Japanese").

The main purpose is to provide instructions in the Japanese language to all pupils of any nationality from the kindergarten level to the junior secondary level who do not go to the full time Japanese school. A kindergarten department, an elementary department, a junior-secondary department and an international department have been established according to each developmental stage.

School purpose

This school aims for

The Important Teaching Targets of each department

<Elementary school 1 - 6 grade>
We aim to improve the pupil's understanding of the Japanese language, to be able to accurately express it, to foster an interest and respect for it while cultivating a deep and rich sense of its beauty. The children learn all of the necessary syllabus of each grade in each class for two hours a week every Saturday.

<Junior-secondary 1 - 3 grade>
We aim to improve the pupil's understanding of the Japanese language, to be able to accurately express it, to foster an interest and respect for it while cultivating a deep and rich sense of its beauty. The children learn all of the necessary syllabus of each grade in each class for two hours a week every Saturday.

<Kindergarten>
This class is aimed at 4 years old and older children whose birthdays are after the 1st of April. Through play which the environment of life provides we strive to bring up the children to have a strong foundation of manners as a part of their nature that they can use to cope with all situations of life. Drawing, handicraft, picture-story shows, cooking, and sports etc. are all part of the basis of the curriculum. Furthermore, in preparation for the elementary school entrance, "hiragana" one of the first learned Japanese alphabets) is also taught. The class is held for two hours every Saturday.

<International class>
This class is aimed at six years old and older children whose birthdays are after the 1st of April. We aim to ensure that the pupils Japanese language comprehension and ability are extended. The class progresses in accordance with each child's ability. This class is held for two hours every Saturday.

<International high school>
The goal is to foster the ability to properly express and understand the national language, enhance the ability to communicate, develop thinking and imagination, and enrich emotions. We will hone our sense of language, deepen our interest in language culture, and foster an attitude of respecting and improving the national language. The class is held for two hours every Saturday for all three grades.

Management Rules (Saturday School)

Article 1 (Name)

This school is called the Japanese School in Zurich: Saturday School ("Saturday School" from now on).

Article 2 (Purpose)

1. The main purpose is to provide instruction in the Japanese language to all pupils who live in Zurich and on its outskirts and also who do not go to the Japanese School in Zurich (Day School).
2. The related statute of Switzerland and the conditions of the Swiss authorities on the establishment of the school must also be observed.

Article 3 (Established Grade and Curriculum)

There is a kindergarten department, an elementary department, a junior secondary department and a high school department and an international department. Each class is decided by the School Committee after considering the number of applicants.

1. The elementary department and the junior secondary department are to educate the children to speak Japanese as a native speaker, who are between 6 and 15 years old by the 1st of April.
2. For the aim of the kindergarten department, to enter the kindergarten, the children must be at least 4 years old by the 1st of April.
3. High school students who are over 15 years old by the 1st of April and who have reached the standard of learning ability set by our school are targeted.
4. The targeted children of the International Department are between the ages of 6 and 15 by the 1st of April. It is mainly intended for children whose mother tongue is not Japanese.

Article 4 (Management)

The management of the school is conducted by the Committee of Japanese school in Zurich; ("School Committee" from now on).

Article 5 (Staff)

1. The school staff comprises of a principal and vice principal, teachers, a clerical employee and others.
2. A cabinet minister from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology appoints the new teachers from Japan, while the Management Committee carries out the appointment and dismissal of the local staff based on a report from the principal.
3. The principal manages school affairs, supervises the staff and engages in the education of the students as the need arises.
4. The vice principal assists the principal, adjusts school affairs, and engages in the education of the students as the need arises.
5. The vice principal will step in as the principal at any time when an accident has occurred to the principal or when the principal is absent.
6. The teacher engages in the act of educating the students.
7. The principal can make the staffs allot school affairs.
8. The office regulations are provided separately.
9. The staff organization is listed separately.

Article 6 (Grade, Term, and School Days)

1. The new school year starts on 1. April and finishes on 31. March of the following year. Each school year is divided into the following three terms.
   term : 1.April - 31.July
   term : 1.August - 31.December
   term : 1.January - 31.March
2. The number of school days is set to 39 days.
3. The number of lessons is 2 hours every Saturday except holidays.

Article 7 (Holidays)

1. A holiday is defined as the following
   1. Holidays
      Holidays for the substitution of the school year (about 2 school days from March to April)
      Spring holiday (1 school day in April)
      Summer holidays (5 school days from July to August)
      Autumn holiday (1 school day in October)
      Winter Holidays (about 2 school days from December to January)
      Sport Holidays (1 school day in February)
   2. Local public holidays
      May Day (1. May)
      National Foundation Day (1. August)
      Christmas Day (25. December)
      Saint Stephan Memorial Day (26. December)
      The dates of the following differ every year
      - Holy Saturday (the day before Easter)
   3. Japanese public holidays
      New Year Day (1. January)
      The Emperor's Birthday
2. When necessary, irrespective of any of the regulations of the preceding clauses, the principal can carry out a class or an event during the holiday and can specifically set a holiday, after the approval of the School Committee.

Article 8 (Procedure of admissions, transference and leaving etc.)

1. Procedure of admission
   Those who wish to be admitted / transferred must submit the prescribed "admission application form" and obtain permission from the principal. If the admission / transfer is permitted, the guardian must pay the admission fee and tuition fee as specified as the school fee.
2. Procedure of withdrawal
   Parents/guardians of children, who leaves the school must submit a formal notice to the principal at least 7 days in advance.
3. Procedure of temporary absence
   If a student cannot attend for more than three months for the reason of illness or of an unavoidable reason, the parents/guardians of this child are to send in an "application for the temporary absence" form to the principal, with the attached documents which prove the reasons, such as a doctor's medical certificate.
   1. The principal can agree to issue a temporary absence from school, when it is recognized that the reason of the preceding clause is reasonable and truthful.
   2. Temporary absence from school may be set for no more than 3 months within one year.
   3. Those who were given temporary absence can return from the next day of the expiration of the temporary absence term. However, also considering the parents/guardians wishes, the principal reserves the right to determine the level of the return grade. Moreover, the temporary absence from the school will be canceled as soon as the reason for it becomes no longer apparent.
   4. The half of the prescribed amount school fee shall be paid during the period of temporary absence.
4. Absence
   If there is a significant change in the parent or student's personal life, or if the child is absent due to illness or other reasons, the parent/guardians must notify the principal.
5. Suspension of attendance
   A principal can halt the attendance of or expel a student, when the child is recognized as grossly interfering with another's education or health.

Article 9 (Evaluation and Rating)

The staff of the school will evaluate and rate the results of the students with agreement from the principal.

Article 10 (Completion and Graduation of the Course)

1. The completion of a grade is based on the meeting of the attendance conditions and on the results of the work.
2. Those who have completed the full course of the last grade will be authorized as having passed and the certificate of the completion of the school course will be conferred to them.
3. Relating to the authorization of graduation, those students who are registered at this school and who attended the third term and who completed the educational curriculums will be conferred the certificate of the completion of the school course. By that time, the school fee for March must have been paid.

Article 11 (Admission fee and School Fee)

1. The parents/guardians have to pay the school admission fee, the school fee and other school payments as specified. In addition, Family members of an expatriate staff from a Japanese company whose headquarter or origin is in Japan (Excluding trainees with a period of less than one year), have to be a member of the "Corporation Japanese School in Zurich" and the "Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Zurich". Two of these are the conditions for admission and enrollment. This is because the part of our school operation is covered by subsidies from the Japanese government and also Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Zurich.
2. School payments shall be defined separately.

Article 12 (Rewards and Penalties)

1. The principal can commend a student to be recognized as a role model for other students.
2. The principal can discipline a student wherein it is deemed contrary to the aims of the school education.

Article 13 (Dormitory)

The school does not set up a dormitory.

Article 14 (Revision)

These school rules can be amended after the resolution of the School Committee.

(latest Revision on 23th November 2019)

Characteristic Educational Activities

We provide training and research on teaching methods and teaching materials so that students can improve their language skills in the limited class time of 2 hours a week at the school. We also devise ways to encourage them to study with interest.
School activities and announcements will be provided through the Saturday School newsletter issued six times a year.
Students' works will also be published in the school newsletter.

<Educational Activities>

• Kanji review Test
• The Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (Applicant)
• The EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency (Applicant)
• Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Elementary upper grades / Junior-secondary)
  - We encourage students to take the examination.

<School Events>

• Entrance ceremony, Graduation ceremony
• Open day
• Guardian conference
• Emergency drills
• Sport day
• Bazar
• Published School Memorial Essay "tongari-boushi"

Entrance and Transference

«Procedure»

• Please fill the required items on the application form and submit it to the school.
• Please submit the admission / transfer application form as soon as possible once you have decided to enroll in our school.
• If your child needs special assistance, please consult with us in advance. In some cases, our school may inquire about the situation of your child from related organizations such as the current school.

«School payment»

• Admission and tuition fees must be paid by the deadline stated on the invoice.
• For details, please refer to "School Payment for the Japanese School in Zurich".

«Text books»

Japan Overseas Educational Services
Main Office: Atago Toyo Bldg. 6F, 1-3-4 Atago, Minato-Ku
                    105-0002 Tokyo, Japan
E-Mail: somu@joes.or.jp

*In the Saturday School the free supply of textbooks to all children and students in the compulsory education will be determined as follows in accordance with the "Free Supply of Textbook (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)".

① Children who are of the Japanese nationality will get adequate textbooks for free of charge, at the expense of the national government through the embassy in each country.
② Children who do not have the Japanese nationality have to pay for adequate textbooks. You can choose paid-textbooks from two options: "Purchase only in Japanese or all subjects".
③ Textbooks will be supplied at our school on the first day of the first and second semester of school.

 

The School Rules and life

Although the main purpose of this school is to teach supplementary Japanese language classes, the other educational purposes are to cultivate each pupils individuality, character and self-reliance, to bring up the right knowledge, skills and attitudes about health and safety, to ensure that a desirable life is had by all. In order to produce the environment which makes learning safe, pleasant and orderly, please keep the following rules in mind.

«Rules and requests to all students»

• Please use Japanese in the school.
• You can only eat and drink in the classroom at the school. You cannot eat or drink in the library or gymnasium. As for snacks, please consider the health of your teeth and do not bring snacks such as potato chips, popcorn, etc. or chewing gum.
• Be sure to take your garbage (PET bottles, empty cans, cardboard boxes, newspapers, etc.) with you.
• Please be quiet in the library / corridor.
• Please do not scribble on any school property.
• Japanese books are especially valuable overseas. Please treat them carefully. When lending books, please follow the rules for using the library.
• All computers in the library are for class.
• It is prohibited to enter the library / gymnasium with shoes.
• The equipment room in the gymnasium is not to be entered without permission. The playground equipment is rented out in the staff room. Please treat the playground equipment carefully and return it to the box after use.
• Do not use mattresses and trampolines unsupervised as they can be dangerous.
• When entering the school building, please thoroughly remove the mud from your shoes at the entrance. Be especially careful on rainy or snowy days.
• The back door of the school building is for emergency use. It can only be used with a teacher. Be sure to close the back door for security reasons.

«Information and requests to all parents / guardians»

• When your child/children is/are absent, please be sure to inform the class teacher. When contacting the Saturday School, please telephone from 8.00 AM on Saturday.
• In case of a transfer, withdrawal, or temporary absence, please be sure to notify us at least 7 days in advance using the designated form.
• Information and newsletters from the school will be delivered to the oldest child of a family on the school register. Please be sure to confirm whether there are any letters from the school when you return home.
• Information from the school is also displayed on the bulletin board for the Saturday school.
• Parents / guardians are responsible for managing the safety of children outside of class hours.
• Vehicles are not allowed on the premises of the school.