「このままで大丈夫？」春の塾の悩み。西宮の相談窓口に聞いてみた。塾代6か月分プレゼントやってる【にしつーPR】

March
Right in the middle of promotion and new-school season.

Around this time of year in Nishinomiya,

“Should we start thinking about cram school soon?”

“Will things be okay as they are?”

You start hearing conversations like that more and more.

Many families in Nishinomiya consider junior high or high school entrance exams, so spring is a time when education tends to come up often.

So this time, the Nishitsu editorial team asked all kinds of questions to Mr. Tani, representative of “Juku Sherpa”, which supports families choosing cram schools in Nishinomiya.

Mr. Tani has over 25 years of experience in the education industry and is an entrance-exam navigator who knows Nishinomiya’s schools and cram school scene inside out. He’s a professional who handles more than 300 academic-path consultations a year.

1 “Is Nishinomiya really that entrance-exam focused?”
2 Does “not improving even though they’re going to cram school” really happen?
3 “So should we change cram schools?”
4 We heard you’re holding seminars in May
5 And there’s another project that caught our attention
6 Spring in Nishinomiya is more about “getting organized” than “panicking”

“Is Nishinomiya really that entrance-exam focused?”

When spring comes around, it feels like the entrance-exam atmosphere gets stronger somehow. Conversations among mom friends gradually start turning into talk about cram schools.

That does happen. Nishinomiya has a high rate of junior high entrance exam takers, and for high school exams, students here also have a wide range of target schools. In particular, I get the impression that many families around Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi, Shukugawa, and Kurakuen start moving early. Recently, we’ve also been receiving more consultations from the Koshien and Naruo areas.

Is that really something unique to Nishinomiya?

Yes. There are a lot of cram schools, and a lot of information too. That’s exactly why quite a few families take action because “everyone around us is doing it.”

I get that… When people around you start moving, it makes you feel restless.

Does “not improving even though they’re going to cram school” really happen?

Honestly, I hear that a lot. Like, “I’m sending my child to cram school, but their grades…”

It’s common. Consultations especially increase from spring through summer.

Why from spring to summer?

When students move up a grade, the material becomes one level harder. But if their way of studying hasn’t changed, their results can suddenly drop.

From a parent’s perspective, that would be really stressful… Especially since you’re paying cram school fees every month.

It is stressful. But in many cases, the cause isn’t “not trying hard enough”.

For example, things we often see in Nishinomiya include:

・There’s too much homework, so the child is just “getting through it”
・They’re continuing with a group-style class even though it doesn’t suit them
・The teacher changes frequently

Things like that.

In many cases, it’s not that the cram school is bad, but that it doesn’t fit the child.

Ahhh, hearing that might hit home for some parents…

“So should we change cram schools?”

Then should families just change schools right away?

That’s the difficult part. There are cases where it’s better to switch right away, and cases where it isn’t.

First, I recommend sorting out the current situation.

For example:

・What school are they aiming for?
・Will they take entrance exams or not?
・Where does their current academic ability stand?
・What is the family’s daily rhythm like?

Just organizing those things can sometimes make the direction clearer.

Nishinomiya is an area with many cram school options, so it’s better to consider whether changing schools is necessary after that.

I see. So first, “sort things out.” It doesn’t have to be, “We need to change cram schools right now!”

We heard you’re holding seminars in May

You’re doing something in May, right?

Yes! We’re planning online seminars for parents in the Nishinomiya area. There are two themes.

Free Online Seminars (Free to join・No personal information required)

① Is it still not too late? Junior High and High School Entrance Exams
〜The latest entrance exam situation in the Nishinomiya area and what to prepare now〜
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:30〜

② Why grades don’t improve even though your child attends cram school
〜Common traits of “mismatched cram schools” actually seen in Nishinomiya〜
Sunday, May 31, 2026, 10:30〜

Free to join・No personal information required（optional survey available）
Last-minute cancellations OK!

▶ Click here for the registration form

No personal information required and it’s free to join? Isn’t that almost too easy? lol

Last-minute cancellations are OK, so I hope people will go ahead and reserve a spot for now.

Sounds like there’s no downside to signing up for now.

And there’s another project that caught our attention

I heard a little about this earlier, but you have some kind of campaign planned, right?

Yes. This time, we’re planning an open giveaway where one person will receive the equivalent of 6 months of tuition fees, up to 90,000 yen.

The equivalent of 6 months!? That’s pretty substantial, isn’t it?

I think it’s quite rare.

It also happens to mark the 3rd anniversary of the launch of Juku Sherpa’s service. We hope it can offer even a little support to families in Nishinomiya, where education costs can be significant.

Can anyone apply?

Yes. Applicants can enter through the application form during the campaign period. One winner will be selected by lottery.

The campaign is for families who are considering enrolling in or switching cram schools by using Juku Sherpa’s service by the end of March 2027.

3rd Anniversary Campaign: Win 6 Months’ Worth of Cram School Fees

Prize: Equivalent of 6 months of tuition fees（up to 90,000 yen）
Winner: 1 person selected by lottery
Application deadline: July 31, 2026
Eligibility: Families considering enrolling in or switching cram schools by using “Juku Sherpa” by the end of March 2027

▶ Click here for details and to apply
→Click here for the official Juku Sherpa website