Kumon Educational UK
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A brief history of Kumon Educational

At Kumon, we are very proud of our heritage. For over 50 years, the Kumon programmes have been realising the potential of millions of children across the globe. To discover how Kumon developed from hand-written worksheets created by a devoted father, to the world's leading supplementary education provider, explore our timeline below.


1950s

1954

  • Toru Kumon, a gifted maths teacher in Japan, begins providing self-learning based education to his son, Takeshi. This is the prototype of the Kumon Method.

1955

  • The first Kumon study centre opens in Moriguchi City, Osaka, Japan.

1958

  • The Kumon Institute of Education is established.

1959

  • Toru Kumon starts the Advanced Student Honour Roll - celebrating students learning independently, above the level expected for their age.

1960s

1968

  • Toru Kumon retires from Osaka Municipal Higashi High School, ending his teaching career to focus on the business of the Kumon Institute.

1969

  • The number of Kumon students exceeds 10,000.

1970s

1974

  • The first Kumon centre outside of Japan opens in New York, USA.

1975

  • The number of Kumon students exceeds 100,000.

1976

  • Kumon celebrates the first student to complete the final worksheet in the maths programme.

1977

  • The first pre-school-aged child to be able to solve linear equations is nurtured via the Kumon Maths Programme.

1978

  • A ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of Kumon is held. Takeshi Kumon (Toru Kumon's son and the first Kumon student) is appointed as the President of the Kumon Institute of Education.

1979

  • Kumon arrives in Europe, offering the maths programme in Germany.

1980s

1980

  • The first Kumon Recommended Reading List is prepared.

1981

  • The number of Kumon students exceeds 1,000,000.

1983

  • The first Kumon study centre in the United Kingdom opens.

1987

  • The first Kumon International Instructors' Conference is held at the Kumon Kyoiku Kaikan in Osaka, Japan.

1990s

1990

  • The Kumon English Programme (for native English speakers) is launched in Australia.

1991

  • Kumon Educational UK is established.

1994

  • The number of Kumon students worldwide exceeds 2,000,000.

1995

  • Chairman Toru Kumon passes away at the age of 81 (25 July).

1997

  • The Kumon English Programme (for native speakers) arrives in the UK. President Takeshi Kumon passes away (7 January).

2000s

2001

  • The number of Kumon students exceeds 3,000,000 worldwide.

2006

  • The number of Kumon students exceeds 4,000,000 worldwide.

2008

  • The Kumon Group celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2010s

2011

  • Kumon UK celebrates its 20th anniversary at the annual Instructor conference in Brighton.

2012

  • The number of Kumon students in the UK and Ireland exceeds 68,000.