​"Many people spend years trying to learn English, only to realise they don't have the social skills in the language required to make good impressions or meaningful interactions. They end up sounding like talking textbooks and find it hard to make friends.
English learners must take the time to learn small-talk and what to say when there is nothing to say.
That is why we need to give children the chance to teach themselves."
- Dale Berry
Head of School

Parent:
"Just playing is too easy/boring, they need a lesson."
Child:
"I can't just play, it's too hard. lessons are easier, the teacher tells us what to say."

Long-Term English Learner
"I have Eiken 1 but it's so hard to make friends from other countries and I never seem to do well in job interviews"
After living in an English-speaking country for 1 year
"I miss all my friends over there and can't wait to visit again"

• Strictly English-only, safe and supervised environment with an "at-home" and comfortable atmosphere.
• English speaking staff on hand to help, supervise, hang out with, and encourage the children to make the most of their time.
• Bus pick-up and drop-off service (depending on time and availability) from Kawagoe Station.
• Access to all the resources at Berry, including:
  • Our library of English books for all ages and levels.
  • Our fully-stocked Woodwork and Art Centre.
  • Toys, games and activities for all ages.
  • Access to the internet, English-language media and terminals for children's use.
  • Physical activities and outdoor area.
  • Quiet areas to study.
  • Areas for role-play and music.
  • Access to our Forest School nearby when schedules and weather permits.
• Professional teachers available for optional coaching and one-to-one lessons if desired(at extra cost).

​"When you teach a child something you take away forever his chance of discovering it for himself."
- Jean Piaget.

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Who is this for?
This is for any child aged 3-12 that finds that they do not have many opportunities to interact with other children that also speak English and for those that study English to a capable level, but do not have the chance to use it as much as they need to to understand what another language can do for them.
Mixed-culture families, International families and those with children in international education are especially welcome.

Who is this NOT for?
This time is not meant as a primary source of immersion language education. While children learn a lot from each other, they must have a base fluency and confidence in the language before they can thrive and focus on actual social interaction.

Why not Lesson Time, all the time?
In a lesson, the teacher decides what, when and how you can speak.
​We believe that it is more important to have unguided time with people who can speak English in an engaging environment where you can discover your own English. The real world doesn't have teachers.

What is a Social Club?
Many countries around the world have "Youth Clubs" or "Social Clubs" where people can relax, play games and just hang out with others.
We hope to create something similar where children can be in an English-only environment and have the breathing space to use try out what they have learned and learn the social skills required to use the language they have tried so hard to master.

No Teaching!?
While we have teachers from many different backgrounds in the room and available to interact with, their goals are to ensure that English is the only language used, the children are safe and to encourage them to enjoy themselves. Of course they will be on hand to answer any questions, give ideas, or to help the children use their English correctly, but they have no preconceived plans or expectations of the children.

What if they don't know what to do/get bored?
Great! Boredom is an opportunity for them to decide for themselves what to do, who to do it with, how long to do it, what words to use, what is fun for them, what is rewarding for them. 
If a child expects others to make things fun for them, how are they going to interact with the world outside? People on vacation, study-abroad programs and on the street aren't going to encourage them to talk. They should start practicing now.
(We do try to encourage them and set them up for success as best we can, but don't tell them that😅)

So what do they do, then?
Our school setting is built around having as many opportunities for engagement as possible, so there are endless possibilities including books, games, woodworking, art, construction, writing, role-play, media consumption and many more things the children can choose to do. There are opportunities for eating snacks, quiet places to do homework or just simply to hang out and be themselves after a hard day of studying.

Who will be there?
The only requirement is that the children must be able to speak English and be in an English environment without having to be reminded to not speak any other languages.
Graduates of our Nursery/Preschool and  also sometimes current students stay behind to see their older friends.

How do I join?
First, we need to see if your child is right for the environment and the setting is right for them at their stage of development. The first meeting will be about 30-60 minutes where parent and child come along to see the environment and we can see if we are a fit for each other. 
The next stage is up to 2 free trial days where your child can get to know the space and you can make a proper decision as to whether to become a full member.

Is my child going to be used as a tool for their English ability by other children that don't speak as well?
Only children that have shown that they can thrive in an English-only environment may join the Social Club, and as much as we cannot control the motivations of parents, we know that when children are here, they aren't consciously thinking of "improving their English", they are just being kids. Our goal is to provide a realistic proxy for the real world, where people of all types, accents, cultures and abilities are often put together and to build confidence, exercising the skills to thrive in such environments.

Will you open any other days/open to other age groups?
We plan to start with the current timetable and age group but would be delighted to offer more availability if the interest is there.

How much does it cost?

Registration Fee	30,000円
Monthly Membership Fee	2000円
Hourly Rate	1500円
10-Hour Prepaid Card	14,000円
Monthly Passport (unlimited attendance)	30,000円
Bus Service (from Kawagoe Station)	Free

Bus Service Timetable
(Subject to change depending on needs of children attending)

Day	Pick-up	Drop-off
Tuesday	3:15pm	5:45pm
Wednesday	​3:15pm	5:45pm
Thursday	3:15pm	5:45pm