In a Class of Its Own
Malvern College Tokyo plans to offer a richly diverse learning environment
Presented in partnership with Malvern College Tokyo
The Malvern College Tokyo campus
In the nearly 160 years since it was founded in the English county of Worcestershire, Malvern College has become synonymous with the very highest levels of education and renowned for producing prime ministers, Nobel laureates, noted authors, and even an Olympic gold medalist.
Now, to complement its international campuses in Egypt, Switzerland, and China, the college is to open a state-of-the-art Tokyo school in September 2023.
Malvern College Tokyo (MCT) aims to offer the globally acclaimed International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, with particular emphasis on technology and entrepreneurship.
Forward Thinking
The school also has a deep commitment to the future of the planet and will provide its students with an enriching Forest School Program, in which they spend time learning in the great outdoors. In addition to giving children the opportunity to learn a variety of skills, the program is designed to foster awareness from a very young age of the importance of our natural environment.
Another key element of a Malvern College education will be a fusion of the school’s British heritage with the values and traditions of Japan. Japanese language classes will be mandatory, while the culture, cuisine, and other key elements of the host nation will be reflected in the learning experience.
By being exposed to the very best of both worlds, MCT graduates will be uniquely equipped to thrive in international settings, believes Mike Spencer, the founding headmaster.
“At the heart of any IB school is a commitment to learning, which is challenging, relevant, and active,” said Spencer. “As we expand Malvern College Tokyo, we aim to develop a curriculum that builds intercultural understanding and tackles issues of global significance.
“We will strive to prepare our students for the best universities but, more importantly, we aspire to equip them with the personal qualities that will serve them and their communities well beyond their school years,” he added.
Spencer arrives in Tokyo after more than 20 years leading schools in India, China, and, most recently, Mozambique. The world has changed greatly in those two decades, he admits, and transformation continues at a rapid pace. “We are aware that we are preparing our students for a world that we can only imagine,” he explained. “This requires us to ensure that today’s students have the skills necessary to be adaptable, resourceful, creative, and confident.”
Creativity and Confidence
A critical part of that is the notion of entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurs see opportunities and they take calculated and thoughtful risks to resolve challenges,” Spencer said. “They seek creative solutions and have the confidence to see failure as a learning opportunity. At its heart, entrepreneurship is about adding value, and we would like our pupils to embrace the skills that enable them to add value in all areas of their lives, and in the lives of others.
“We know, too, that technology holds the key to so much of what lies ahead for us all. Our intention is to ensure that each student has access to, and can use, the technological tools that will shape our futures,” he added. “Being open-minded and adaptable to new technologies will be a prerequisite for success.”
In parallel, the importance of sustainability and responsible citizenship “will lie at the heart of a Malvern College education,” he added.
In the short time he has been in Japan, Spencer has been impressed by the “deep sense of identity that Japanese share,” as well as the systems, structures, and traditions that are the bedrock of daily life here. He intends to make sure that the courtesy, kindness, and respect that he has experienced so far are qualities that are also reflected in the MCT experience.
“I do hope that our stakeholders will see and feel that Malvern College is a school that puts its students first, and that cares deeply about the progress, hopes, aspirations, and well-being of each and every one of them,” he stressed. “It will be important to uphold the strong academic traditions of Malvern, so that our students have access to some of the best universities around the world.”
