[tenmins]

Wonderful info Nyororin!
So often I have heard negative things about the Japanese school system focused around this issue of all the children being in this nationwide battle to outperform each other and get into uni.
I hadn't heard about high school being non-compulsory and that there is a wide range of different programs. It sounds like a great system that allows you to choose a path based on the individual strengths of the child, providing the parents are willing to follow those strengths.
And thanks for the clarification on the international schools and their main purpose.

Another question. I have heard that the whole bullying thing in schools is often a result of parents actions. Two or more sets of parents will gossip about another child who may be overweight or have a disability etc, and their children will hear this and repeat it to their friends at school and as the snowball builds it results in some students bullying the child directly.
Have you experienced this?