Yes International School

SEL at Yokohama International School is supported through a formal wellbeing and counseling program. Social-emotional wellbeing is a key priority across all grades, with counselors providing individual support, group workshops, and ongoing guidance to help students manage emotions, set personal goals, and navigate school life. The Wellness & Counseling team includes a Middle & High School Counselor and an Elementary School Counselor, with additional counseling staff for both lower and upper school levels. New-family orientation supports a smooth transition into the school community. These services are integrated with the school's health and pastoral care structures to foster a caring, supportive environment.

SEN at YIS is provided through universal and targeted supports within Support Services. Universal Support uses Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to ensure high-quality instruction with multiple ways of engagement, representation, and expression. An Evaluation Plan records psycho-educational evaluations, and an Accommodation Plan provides targeted supports (e.g., extended time, assistive technology, organizational aids) without altering learning expectations. The Learning Support Team leads this work, with a Learning Support Team Leader and Learning Support Teachers supporting students at LS-1 and LS-2 levels and collaborating with families and teachers. YIS does not present itself as a specialist SEN institution; SEN provisions sit within the mainstream learning framework and are delivered by a dedicated Learning Support Team. The school also notes the potential for diagnosed learning exceptionalities and the use of targeted accommodations.

EAL at YIS serves students from diverse linguistic backgrounds through a program that personalizes language support in collaboration with classroom teachers to match each student's needs. The aim is for learners to feel confident and engaged in all aspects of school life, including academics and co-curricular activities, while honoring cultural identity and prior language experience. The EAL approach emphasizes building on students' language strengths to foster communication, collaboration, and full participation in the school community. EAL staffing works alongside classroom teachers to tailor support for each learner.

Mental wellbeing is integrated into the school's wellbeing framework, with social-emotional wellbeing treated as a priority across all grade levels. Counselors provide individual support, group workshops, and ongoing guidance to help students manage emotions, set personal goals, and plan future pathways. Counseling teams collaborate with families and teachers to nurture a caring, supportive environment and aid transitions, including orientation for new families.

Safeguarding is embedded in every aspect of school life and aligned with international standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Japanese law. The safeguarding framework aims to protect students from maltreatment, prevent harm to health and development, and empower students to flourish academically, emotionally, and socially. A designated Safeguarding Team leads prevention and response, with roles including Safeguarding Lead, Director of Learning, Secondary Principal, and Elementary Principal. All staff receive annual safeguarding and child protection training, with specialist training for the Case Management Team, plus background checks and safeguarding agreements for staff and external providers. CPOMS is used for reporting concerns, and the Student Protection Policy and Guidelines, along with a Parent Handbook, outline procedures and responsibilities. Safeguarding is considered everyone's responsibility within the YIS community.