Nakano Middle School LP (EN)
ISN Nakano Middle School — Nakano, Nagano
ISN Nakano Middle School
Opening April 2028.
A middle school is joining Nakano Campus.
Three years of thinking in English and inquiring alongside the community — now in northern Nagano too.
ISN Nakano Middle School is scheduled to open in April 2028. The programme, weekly timetable, annual events and fees shown on this page are an example of what is planned for the 2026 school year at Gojo Campus Middle School. Details for Nakano Middle School will be decided in the run-up to opening, and we will announce them here as soon as they are settled. Until 2028, enquiries are handled by Gojo Campus (0263-87-8418).
PIC Program
The PIC Program — four elements
Learning that does not stay closed inside the classroom: connecting with local businesses, with nature and with the world, and forming your own questions. The ISN middle school curriculum is built on four pillars.
Projects with local businesses
Eight projects with companies from different industries, each running for six months. Working alongside real business activity, students look at the industry’s challenges themselves, form questions from their own point of view, deepen their inquiry and develop and present their own ideas.
Teaching in English and
National Geographic LIFT
A curriculum that carries forward the National Geographic Society’s philosophy of “illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world through the power of inquiry and learning”. Through English and other subjects, students discover their connection to the world and grow the capacity to empathise.
Full coverage of the MEXT
middle school curriculum
The Japanese middle school curriculum is essential for students aiming to go on to public or private high schools. Its core elements are taken up as the guide for building the PIC curriculum, and Japanese and mathematics are also taught in Japanese.
Activities in the great
nature of Shinshu
Sport on the mountains, rivers and lakes; growing food and cooking it. Outdoor activity is not simply “a fun time” but a place of learning that builds concentration, teamwork, problem-solving and resilience.
PIC Outline
PIC Programme Outline
From the thinking behind the programme through to the annual plan, the weekly schedule and graduation paths — the whole picture of PIC on one page.
- Programme overview
- Programme values
- The four elements
- Annual plan
- Weekly schedule
- The PIC Portfolio
- Graduation and career paths
Program Manager
Our Program Manager
He designs and runs the PIC Program. Here is what the programme is for, in his own words.
Igor Coric
PIC Program Coordinator
(Gojo Campus)
Hello, and thank you for your interest in ISN PIC.
The ISN PIC project was established in 2025, stemming from ISN’s desire to expand upon the experience gained in Preschool and Elementary, and offer ISN’s wonderful educational philosophies to an even wider range of students.
ISN PIC is currently the only bilingual junior high school program in Nagano prefecture. It is a meeting ground of the global and the local, combining the Japanese National Middle School curriculum with ISN’s long experience of teaching inquiry-based programs, and learning in the classroom and learning outside of it, both in nature and in collaboration with local businesses.
At ISN PIC, we are fully dedicated to approaching each student as an individual. We believe that, in order to fulfill one’s learner potential, a student should first discover their internal motivation for learning, and then follow educational activities built to accommodate it. We see ISN PIC students as life-long learners who can change the world!
Weekly Timetable
A week of learning
Mornings are Monthly Concept Learning in English. Afternoons are Japanese language and mathematics in Japanese, followed by individual study. Fridays are given to activities out in nature.
| Time | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:45 – 09:00 | Morning meeting | ||||
| 09:00 – 12:30 | Monthly Concept Learning | Monthly Concept Learning | Monthly Concept Learning | Monthly Concept Learning | Activities in nature |
| 12:30 – 13:20 | Lunch and break | ||||
| 13:25 – 13:35 | Cleaning time | ||||
| 13:40 – 14:35 | Japanese | Japanese | Japanese | Japanese | Individual study |
| 14:40 – 15:35 | Mathematics (in Japanese) | Mathematics (in Japanese) | Mathematics (in Japanese) | Mathematics (in Japanese) | Individual study |
* Some of the content may change.
Alumni Voice
Where our graduates are now
The ability ISN sets out to build — to choose for yourself and reach the world in your own words — how does it carry into what comes next? Here it is, in the graduates’ own words.
Ryan
ISN Alumni
School Year
A year of learning, season by season
A selection of the events and activities that make use of the four seasons in Shinshu.
Spring
Spring
- AprilEntrance and opening ceremony / Road safety class / Open lesson
- MayOpen campus / Pre-enrolment gathering / Class photos
- JuneOpen lesson and parents’ meeting
Summer
Summer
- JulySummer school
- AugustScience fair
- SeptemberApplications open (until October) / Bus trip / Disaster drill / Parents’ working day
Autumn
Autumn
- OctoberSports festival / Safety drill
- NovemberOpen lesson and parents’ meeting
- DecemberPerformance day
Winter
Winter
- JanuaryBig clean-up
- FebruaryInformation session and trial day for new students / Three-way meetings
- MarchMusic concert / Graduation ceremony
Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fees (example: Middle School 2026–2027)
So that you can judge education as an investment that returns a result, every cost is published here.
| Item | Amount | When it is due | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolment registration fee | ¥30,000 | On application | Non-refundable if enrolment is cancelled. |
| Tuition (monthly) | ¥98,000 / month | End of the preceding month | |
| Transfer handling fee | ¥165 / month | Debited the following month | |
| Lunch | ¥850 / day | Debited the following month | Bento from an outside caterer (optional). Students prepare their own lunch. |
| Facilities maintenance | ¥125,000 / year | Once a year, in March of the preceding year | Non-refundable. |
| School bus | Please contact us | End of the preceding month | |
| EAL (special English) support | ¥2,500 / session | Debited two months later | For students joining mid-year or needing English support, until they reach the score or level the school asks for. |
| After-school programme | Please contact us | End of the preceding month | |
| Uniform | Approx. ¥40,000 | On application | Imported directly from the UK. |
- The amounts above are shown as an example, taken from Gojo Campus Middle School for the 2026 school year. Fees for Nakano Middle School will be decided ahead of opening and announced here.
- All amounts include tax and may change without notice. Changes to consumption tax and similar may alter the amounts.
- ISN asks families to help with contributed items, play equipment and school maintenance work, snow clearing and the like.
- Please tell us about registrations and changes by the 15th of the preceding month. For a leave of absence or a transfer, please contact us one month in advance.
Admission Process
How to apply
Application details will be announced as they are decided, ahead of the April 2028 opening. For now we are happy to talk with you individually.
Individual visit and consultation (by appointment)
Visits and briefings are arranged individually. We will explain the curriculum, the fees and the level of English we look for.
Times: weekdays from 9:15 or from 15:00 Tel: 0263-87-8418 (Gojo Campus)
Submitting the application
Applications usually open in September and close once we reach capacity. If English support is needed, we will set out a plan of study that includes EAL support.
Completing enrolment
Once payment of the enrolment fee is confirmed, we send the letter of acceptance. Fees are debited automatically each month, on the 28th of the preceding month (the next business day if it falls on a weekend or holiday).
- On admissions: ISN admits children without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, belief or country of origin. For children who need particular support, we ask to talk with the family in advance so that we can consider together whether we are able to provide what is needed alongside the other children.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When does Nakano Middle School open?
It is scheduled to open in April 2028. The programme, timetable and fees shown on this page are an example of what is planned for the 2026 school year at Gojo Campus Middle School. Details for Nakano Middle School will be announced here as they are decided.
Who should I contact until it opens?
Until 2028, enquiries are handled by ISN Gojo Campus (0263-87-8418). Please contact Gojo Campus for school visits and for further details as well.
How much English do students need?
Much of the teaching is in English, so a certain foundation for learning in English is assumed. If a student has not yet reached the score or level the school asks for, we walk alongside them with EAL (special English) support until they do. Please start with an individual consultation and tell us about their current English and their goals.
Does it prepare students for high school entrance?
The MEXT middle school curriculum is an important foundation for students aiming to go on to public or private high schools. ISN middle school covers its core elements in full as the guide for its curriculum, and Japanese and mathematics are also studied in Japanese.
What does “free school” mean here?
Nakano Middle School is a free school operated by WIP LLC. We will explain the details of enrolment and attendance in an individual consultation, in a way that fits your family’s situation.
Contact Us
Come and see what the learning
actually looks like
Better than any brochure is seeing students inquire in English.
Individual consultations are available at any time (by appointment).
Ask us on LINE or by form
Message us on LINEAdd the official ISN LINE account as a friend and send us a message