Parent Testimonials

My child started at Silicon Valley Academy right when the school first opened. There was nowhere else that would take an infant for a full day and provide childcare entirely in English, so I thought it was truly groundbreaking.

On top of that, the afternoons were full of enrichment—art, cooking, gymnastics, and more. They even picked the children up and took them to swimming lessons. They handled everything from carefully prepared lunches and snacks to changing diapers and washing soiled clothes, which was a huge help for me as a working parent.

Later we transferred to a preschool, but we kept asking SVA to care for our child after school, and our child became part of their very first graduating class. Even after starting elementary school, we continued with their enrichment activities. My child now attends one of the long-established international schools, and I really believe it was that early exposure to English that made getting in possible.

As the mural in this photo symbolizes, it's a school that's genuinely free and where children can truly have fun. Letting kids paint freely on the school's own wall—you won't find that anywhere else, ha!

There are no strange rules or rigid, typically-Japanese expectations forced on the children. It's a truly precious school that thinks hard about what the children want to do, and about easing the burden on parents too. English-immersion schools seem to be increasing lately, but this independent school, guided by the director's clear philosophy, is one I wholeheartedly recommend!

Because our goal was to enroll our child in an international school, we were looking for a place that would strengthen their English while caring for them—and that's how we found SVA and decided to enroll. Kids tend to slip into Japanese with each other, but SVA is really thorough about this, and our child started speaking English even during times when the teachers weren't watching.

Our child learned to read and write the alphabet, and picked up so much in English—addition and subtraction, telling time, and more. When our child was four, we sent them to a summer school in the US, and I truly felt it was thanks to SVA's guidance that they got along without any trouble at all. Afterward they sat the entrance exam for an international school and were accepted into their first-choice school.

One thing I'm really glad about with SVA is that when our child does something they shouldn't, the teachers firmly correct them. They explain clearly what was wrong, so our child came to understand why they were being corrected—and that became part of their growth.

SVA is an environment that lets children experience all kinds of things and learn so much.

My daughter attended SVA for a little over a year, starting right after she turned one. It was the very first environment she'd been in outside our home, but by the second day of her trial period she was heading off to school happily, without a single tear.

The teachers were so friendly, and at pickup they'd tell me all about her day and talk through plans going forward. As a first-time parent, I remember how reassuring that was.

We now live abroad, and perhaps because she got to be at SVA—where teachers come from so many different countries—she doesn't find it strange at all to see people of many different backgrounds; for her it's simply normal, and that makes me so happy.

Even though we're not in a fully English-speaking country, English is of course an essential part of daily life here, and she speaks and listens without the slightest hesitation. Her ease with English is, without a doubt, thanks to her time at SVA.

She's in kindergarten now, and I've really come to realize what a gift it was to be able to watch over her while she was in someone else's care. These days I can't help wondering what she's up to while she's away, ha!

It's such a wonderful school that both my daughter and I would love to visit again whenever we're back in Japan.

My child was in their care for a full four years, from six months old. As a first-time parent feeling anxious about raising a child, I think what sold me were three things: the cameras that let me watch over her with peace of mind, being able to drop off and pick up by car, and the exposure to English. Once she started, the care was even more attentive than I'd imagined, and I loved how carefully they looked after each individual child.

The director has a wonderful personality too—always there to talk through parenting questions and lend a hand. They planned so many activities, and I remember that not only my child but I myself had a great time.

Even now that we've left, they still invite us to events. There are families we're still close with as a family. It isn't cheap, but for giving your child those irreplaceable early years, I think it's a preschool that's well worth it.

Rather than assuming "they're still too little to do that" or "they're just a toddler, they won't understand," they cherish the potential in each and every child. The children build the ability to listen to their teachers and act, and gradually develop social skills through their interactions with friends, nurturing the strength to thrive in life.

These early experiences don't just build a child's confidence—they become a source of reassurance for parents too, a reassuring treasure for both parent and child.

When my baby first started daycare, I was worried that being there from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM would be too long for him. The staff reassured me that many babies do fine from day one and also adjust over time—and they were right. Although he still cries and needs a lot of attention during the day, the teachers have been incredibly kind and patient, and they've helped him grow so much in just a short time. They mentioned that he's started crawling more and becoming more active as he's gotten used to the environment. The detailed daily reports with photos and comments are wonderful, and being able to contact the staff anytime gives me great peace of mind as a first-time mom.

We are from Australia and my daughter who is five spent two weeks in this child care center. We travel a lot and have used child care services all over the world but I have to say this is by far the best short-term center I ever used.

First of all, most teachers and students speak fluent English making it easy to communicate from day one. Secondly, students are friendly to my daughter from day one which makes her feel warm and relaxed. In other centers she went usually nobody plays with her for the first few days.

Thirdly, their courses are brilliant and can help child grow both academically and physically. They classify students in terms of capability instead of age which is rare and my daughter learned a lot in just two weeks' time. Fourthly, they provide sufficient food compared to another Japanese child care we used before. Fifthly, the headmaster Ayako-san is extremely supportive and sends me a lot of photos so that I know what she was doing and whether she was happy. I am very grateful for that.

A local resident recommended it, so I went to tour the school. English in the morning and Japanese in the afternoon—both delivered at a genuinely high level. Every staff member was kind, and the atmosphere was lovely. I think it's a wonderful place you won't find anywhere else. They actively adopt new systems too, which I found impressive for an educational institution.

For about two years, our child attended as a second school alongside a nearby international school. The teachers were kind, and our child had such a fun time there. We had to leave because we moved away, but our child still talks now and then about their time there.

In the afternoons there are lessons led by specialist instructors every day—dance, art, cooking, gymnastics, drama, piano, and more—and the quality is high. For full-day care, mornings are English with foreign instructors and afternoons are in Japanese. The lunches from Aporto are reassuring too, and I love that there's a dedicated nap room where the children can sleep soundly. It's a rare school that feels like a blend of kindergarten and daycare, and I'm grateful for their flexible approach to care hours.

The teachers were so caring and went out of their way to meet our requests—I'm truly grateful! Even during the one-week trial, all sorts of teachers looked out for our child, and I felt reassured being able to see what was happening at the school through the app. Even after just the trial, our child was already dancing along to English songs at home, which amazed us! Our child is only a year and a half, but we look forward to the journey ahead.

We decided to enroll after a trial session. I was drawn in by the fact that every staff member is bilingual, that it's an environment which respects each child's individuality and will, and by a curriculum brimming with diverse experiences. Despite being in a brand-new environment, my four-year-old son seems to find it a place of comfort and excitement—he heads off cheerfully without a single tear, which honestly amazed me. The director, the assistant director, all the staff, and the other parents are all so warm; I'm grateful for this connection.

We enrolled because we were drawn to how our child could experience all sorts of enrichment—English, dance, early learning, and more—all while at the school. There are cameras installed inside, so I can watch my child enjoying themselves in real time, and any worry about leaving them for long hours was resolved right away. Being able to order lunch was a big help too. It was a picky-eating phase, but they thoughtfully adjusted to suit our child, and I was so grateful.

Since she started attending, there hasn't been a single day she's resisted going—every morning she happily opens the front door. She gets to experience so many things she couldn't at home, and I'm especially moved to see her English growing year by year. With small class sizes, each child gets detailed, individual attention, so I feel at ease leaving her there. I'm also grateful that cameras are installed in every room, so I can check on my child anytime. We toured several places, and my husband and I keep saying to each other how glad we are that we chose here.

My child has attended since a year and a half old. They spend time mixed with children of various ages, and perhaps because it's so stimulating, my child's talking has come along tremendously since starting. Each day's happenings arrive through the CoDMON app with photos and quite lengthy write-ups, and thanks to the teachers' writing, I can picture my child's day vividly, which puts me at ease. The fees are on the higher side, but with early learning, dance, gymnastics, cooking, art, and more—when I think about the time it would take for a dual-working household to run to all those separate lessons, this one place covers it all, so I find it efficient and very satisfying.

Our second child came along close in age to the first, and we've been in their care since our older one. Even during times when I couldn't give my kids much attention at home, it was so reassuring to be able to see them taking part in such a rich curriculum. The teachers were always bright and kind, and when I struggled with parenting, they listened with such genuine care. In an environment where each child is looked after carefully and thoroughly (the daily logs are wonderful), both my older and younger child had a truly happy time.

I've been leaving my son in their care since he was six months old. Because of my work, I had a lot of requests—how he'd get to and from school, the hours, the care itself—but this is a preschool that meets every one of them. The director and all the staff are lively and energetic, yet so attentive and kind that I'm the one who ends up energized, ha! The cameras, more than just watching over him, have become a tool for me—someone short on time—to enjoy his growth alongside him. I think it's a great fit not just for busy moms, but for anyone passionate about education.

The lovely atmosphere of the school, and an educational philosophy that's clear with an appealing curriculum—these two things sealed the deal for us. Even my one-year-seven-month-old son gets to experience things that are hard to do at home, like art and cooking. I feel so at ease being able to reach them instantly through the school's LINE. It's also a huge help that we can come empty-handed and check on him anytime via camera. On the days he comes home, he chatters even more than usual!

We were in their care for a little over two years, from age two. I'm nothing but grateful for the unbelievable number of teachers and their utterly trustworthy care. Because there are so many teachers, each child is watched closely, and with feedback at pickup and daily reports, I don't think you'll find anywhere that goes into this much detail. They'd let us know right away about even the smallest changes in our child, which was a real help. We left because we moved, but please open one in other areas too!

It's a school that watches over each child's growth at their own pace, and teaches both English and Japanese. I placed my six-month-old in their care, and because they look after the children in line with their usual daily routine, nothing really changes from how things are at home. There's no stress for the child and no burden on us as parents, which is such a help. Watching our child through the camera, taking part with genuine interest, I'm delighted to see them enjoying experiences we couldn't offer at home. Even for my worrier of a husband and his concerns, they gave prompt explanations and took care of things right away.

In a word, it's a school that's attentive in so many ways! I've experienced licensed daycare, international schools, kindergartens, drop-in care and more, and the level of care here was in a class of its own. A rich curriculum (pool, early learning, cooking, dance, gymnastics, and more every week), truly empty-handed drop-off with just one change of clothes and zero items to bring, thorough daily logs written by every teacher who spent time with your child that day, and monitoring cameras with real-time access to every room (the password even changes daily, showing how security-conscious they are). All the teachers have such a warm atmosphere, and my child settled in right away.

The staff are so warm, and I got the impression they really put effort into education. At first I worried my child might just keep crying, but she settled into the school's atmosphere right away, and I could see her having a happy time. There are cameras installed inside too, and being able to check on her gives real peace of mind. Diapers, bedding, tea, and everything else are provided by the school, so hardly any packing is needed—that was a big help.

We did a one-day trial. I'd thought it was an English-language daycare, but they were delivering something a step beyond that—education. "It's not childcare, it's education," as they put it. My son normally goes to a regular daycare and I hadn't prepared much, but the teachers watched over him so attentively and wrote quite a detailed report. The SVA experience made me start turning my attention toward education, and it changed my own perspective. My son had such a good time and wanted to go again—as a parent, I'm truly grateful.