Nursery and pre-schools accept children aged between 18 months and 5 years. This is not compulsory education but it does allow your child to get used to the routine of going to school and offers you a few hours off. Most schools open Monday to Friday on a half-day basis, usually from 09:00 to 14:00 or 14:30, but many offer extended care until 16:30; shorter weeks of two, three or four days are possible, depending on your child’s needs (recommended for children under 2 years). A five-day week on a half-day basis will cost around ¥155,000, while a full-day programme will cost around ¥2,270,000 a term. In most cases, you will have to enrol your child for a full term and pay for this block period.

Teaching approaches vary, with everything from Montessori schools to those focusing on the mother and child bond and peer group interaction (Maria’s Babies Society) or those geared towards child development (Grace International Learning Center). Many of the private kindergartens have affiliated primary schools. Needless to say, if your child has attended the pre-school, it’ll be easier to get them into the affiliated primary. Demand is high so think about contacting your school of choice 12 months in advance to secure a place.