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ITOKI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Koji Minato) conducted the "Elementary School Student Learning Trends Survey" targeting 1,023 parents of junior high school students in grades 1-2 nationwide to understand the actual state of learning environments and study habits at home.
This survey analyzes differences in study time and educational investment based on whether or not a child has experience with junior high school entrance exams, as well as the relationship between study desk usage trends, study locations conducive to concentration, and desk and chair usage in early childhood, observed in families where children were accepted into their first-choice school. The results visualize "the reality of today's elementary school families," providing valuable insights for creating an environment that supports children's learning.

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What differences can be observed in daily study time and investment in education between families who have experienced junior high school entrance exams and those who have not? In this survey, we obtained responses regarding home study time, study time at cram schools, use of cram schools, and amount of investment in education for sixth graders. Here, we summarize the current state of learning in elementary school families using numbers, focusing on the most frequently selected answers for each question.
*This survey uses the "most frequent response" rather than the "average value."

Among families with experience in junior high school entrance exams, the most common response for daily study time at home was “1 to less than 2 hours,” and for study time at cram schools, it was “2 to less than 3 hours.”In contrast, among families without experience with junior high school entrance exams, the most common responses for daily study time at home were “less than 30 minutes,” and for study time at cram schools, “1 to less than 2 hours.” This suggests that families with experience in junior high school entrance exams appear to set aside a certain amount of study time at home in addition to their study at cram schools.

Furthermore, the percentage of sixth-graders attending cram schools was 87% among families whose children had taken junior high school entrance exams and 43% among families whose children had not; the rate of cram school attendance among families with experience in entrance exams was more than double that of families without such experience.Furthermore, regarding the amount invested in education, the most common response among families with experience in junior high school entrance exams was “1 million to less than 2 million yen,” while for families without such experience, it was “less than 500,000 yen.”

Families with children who have an academic achievement score of 60 or higher invest not only in tutoring but also in "improving the home learning environment" and "educational materials."
• The most popular study location for children with high concentration levels is their own room.
The most important factor for families where children were able to concentrate on studying was "storage that is easy to organize."
- Over 40% of families whose children were accepted into their first-choice school used their own desk by the time their child was in first grade of elementary school.
In families where children used a kids' desk from the age of 1-2, more than 80% were still focused on home learning by the time their children reached the 6th grade of elementary school.

When families with children who score 60 or higher on the standardized test were asked about the largest proportion of their investment in improving their child's academic performance during elementary school, "cram school" was the most common answer, followed by "improving the home environment" and "educational materials," both tied for second place.
While many families prioritize cram schools during the junior high school entrance exam period, families with children who achieve a standard score of 60 or higher tend to also invest in creating a conducive learning environment at home and in providing learning materials.

Looking at the study locations at home for children who were concentrating on home learning in the 6th grade of elementary school, "their own child's room" was the most common at 69.7%, followed by "a child's room shared with siblings" at 69.0%. On the other hand, "the living room" was at 41.5%, a lower result compared to the child's room.
While studying in the living room is often chosen as a place where parents can easily keep an eye on their children and help them develop good study habits, around the sixth grade of elementary school, children may be more likely to choose their own rooms, where they are less likely to be distracted by surrounding noise and people's movements, as a place where they can concentrate.
As students progress through the grades, it becomes increasingly important to create a home study environment that is not only easy to supervise but also conducive to concentration.

When families whose children were focusing on home learning in the 6th grade of elementary school were asked what they considered important when creating a learning environment, the most common answer was "a desk with plenty of storage space that makes it easy to keep tidy," at 18.5%. This was followed by "a desk that is suitable for the child's height and build" at 17.2%, and "a chair that is suitable for the child's height and build" at 14.5%.
In households where children were able to concentrate on their studies, it was found that in addition to desks and chairs being suitable for the child's body, storage solutions that made it easy to organize textbooks and stationery were also important. It is thought that not only providing a new study desk, but also reviewing the storage around the desk and study space is one way to create an environment where children can concentrate on their studies.

Looking at the timing of when students started using their own desks, categorized by the results of their junior high school entrance exams, 41.7% of families whose children passed their first-choice school introduced a dedicated desk between preschool and first grade.
Among families whose children passed their second-choice school, 29.1% passed their second-choice school, and among families whose children passed their third-choice school or lower, 24.1% passed their third-choice school or lower. Families whose children passed their first-choice school tended to have a relatively high rate of providing their children with their own dedicated study space by the time they were in the lower grades of elementary school.
Using their own desk from an early age can help establish a clear "study space" within the home, potentially leading to the development of a daily habit of sitting at their desk.

When examining the level of concentration during home study at the time of sixth grade, categorized by when kids' desks were first used, 80.8% of families who started using kids' desks from the age of 1-2 reported that their children were "concentrating." In contrast, 58.0% of families who started using them from the age of 3-4, 59.5% of families who started using them from the age of 5 or older, and 33.1% of families who did not use them.
In households where children had access to their own small desk and chair from the age of one or two, there was a higher tendency for them to concentrate on home learning even when they reached the sixth grade of elementary school.
It is possible that early childhood experiences of reading picture books or doing crafts in "their own space" contribute to later development, such as developing the habit of sitting at a desk and easily switching to studying.

Manabu Ishihara, General Manager, Web Business Division ITOKI CORPORATION

• Survey on trends in elementary school enrollment (Published February 3, 2026)
https://www.itoki.jp/company/news/2026/0203_research/
- Survey on the actual state of children's home learning environment (Published February 10, 2025)
https://www.itoki.jp/company/news/2025/_32027/

Based on the results of this survey, Itoki will be holding an event during the summer holidays where parents and children can experience the learning environment together.
At the event, we will be offering learning chairs and desks tailored to the growth of children, primarily those in upper elementary school and junior high school. You can try out the chairs and desks in person and discuss how to create the perfect learning environment for your child.
We also plan to hold workshops that parents and children can enjoy together. We hope to provide an opportunity for parents and children to think together about creating a better learning environment for the future during the summer holidays.

[Event Overview]