Unique Features
Vision of Secondary School
Through a 12-year integrated curriculum, Gunma Kokusai Academy will empower its students with skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to and provide leadership in an ever-advancing global community.
In junior high school, students will lay a solid foundation for high school learning. Students will be able to easily learn abstract and academic content in English because of the many hands-on activities and experiences gained from elementary school.
In high school, students will deepen their knowledge in fields where they can realize their full potential based on individual interests and aptitudes.
In a bilingual and multicultural environment, students will develop critical thinking skills through the use of English and will be nurtured into real international citizens; unbiased by race, nationality or view of the world.
6-year Plan for Secondary School
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
GKA was authorized for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in 2011 and for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) in March 2022. This authorization acknowledges that our junior and senior high school divisions provide education based on international standards, offering both International Baccalaureate education and English immersion, while also being recognized as a Japanese Article 1 school.
In our MYP, we emphasize the importance of understanding that learning is essential in one’s life, and we focus on helping students acquire the necessary skills for learning. Our Grades 7 to 10 (equivalent to Junior High School Year 1 to Senior High School Year 1) curriculum encourages students to explore a wide range of significant concepts and issues at the local, national, and global levels. Throughout this process, they develop self-esteem, empathy for others, and an international perspective, growing into well-balanced young individuals with the ability to take proactive decisions in the real world.
MYP learning focuses on “deep conceptual understanding” and “connections to the real world.” Inquiry themes are chosen for each unit in all subjects, so that students can engage in a variety of inquiry-based activities both inside and outside the classroom. The evaluation of student learning focuses not only on knowledge acquisition but also on what students can do and to what extent. Through the inquiry process and feedback from teachers, students are given the opportunity to reflect deeply on their potential, identity, interests, and unique learning characteristics.
The knowledge, conceptual understanding, and real-world experiences gained through our school’s MYP serve as a foundation for learning in the IBDP, at university, and beyond, where more advanced, creative, critical, and reflective thinking skills are required. We aim to foster an environment where each student feels physically, mentally, and socially secure, can embrace a sense of anticipation for learning, and is motivated to challenge themselves to reach higher goals. With the support of parents, the local community, and the broader school community, we are committed to pursuing and developing a better educational program together.
Takamatsu Shinichiro (MYP Coordinator/Japan)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a rigorous two-year academic programme completed by over 200,000 students worldwide each year. Building on their experiences in GKA’s IB Middle Years Programme, our Grade 11 and Grade 12 students engage in deep learning across six subject areas and the DP core. This broad curriculum ensures they have opportunities to pursue their passions and expand their interests while gaining essential knowledge to be successful in university and beyond in our increasingly interconnected global society.
In our DP, students are expected to be active, reflective learners that take ownership of their learning. Students direct their own course of study by choosing subjects that are relevant to their future goals and designing independent and collaborative projects in DP core classes. As bilingualism is a central tenet of both the IB and GKA curricula, all students must enroll in two different language subjects in addition to one individuals and societies subject, one mathematics subject, and one science subject and an art subject or two science subjects taught in English. In their second year of the programme, students decide which three of their six subjects they will explore more deeply in higher level courses. Through the programme core—Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)—students inquire into how knowledge is created and shared, complete an advanced academic research essay, and develop healthy, creative habits that help them make the most of their daily lives while contributing to their communities.
All of our senior high school students graduate from our DP course with advanced learning skills, a variety of achievements, and a nationally-certified Japanese high school diploma. Students who achieve high marks on their final DP assessments are also awarded the internationally recognized IB Diploma as a testament to their abilities to create meaningful knowledge and apply their understanding to improve the world around them. With GKA’s multidisciplinary, bilingual learning approach, we are confident that our graduates will find success wherever they choose to go in the future.
Sabbi Topal (DP Coordinator/USA)
Junior High School Curriculum
2025-2026 GKA Junior High School Curriculum is here.
Senior High School Curriculam
2025-2026 GKA Senior High School Curriculam is here.