Noah was born in the UK and began his education at a local state primary school before moving to Christ Church Cathedral School in Oxford. He later attended St Edward’s School, Oxford, where Simon Palferman – now RSJ’s Senior Deputy Principal – was teaching at the time. Noah remained there until Rugby School Japan opened, completing his GCSEs while at St Edward’s.
During his time at St Edward’s, Noah was recognised as both an Academic Scholar and a Music Exhibitioner. He sang in the choir, played cello in the orchestra, and rowed for the school, embracing every aspect of school life. Even then, he often spoke of his fascination with Japan and his dream of living here one day. Joining RSJ made that dream a reality, and he was delighted to continue his education in Japan.
At RSJ, Noah became the school’s very first Head Boy. He took the role to heart, setting a positive example for younger students and taking part in every opportunity that came his way. From performing with the Chamber Choir to taking on a lead role in a school play, and even trying his hand at Aikido for the first time – he approached each challenge with energy, enthusiasm, and commitment, making the most of his time at RSJ.
Read and watch the full interview below to learn more:
I’m Noah Palferman, and I attended for two years here from 2023 to 2025.
Looking back, how would you describe your journey here – Both inside and outside the classroom?
I think I learned to develop a lot of different skills here, whether that be through being the head of school or leadership roles in pods. I think in both academics and outside the classroom, I’ve grown a lot in terms of character.
A-Levels are known to be really challenging. What did you find most demanding about your studies?
Going straight back off finishing GCSEs, there’s a lot of subjects but they’re not as in-depth, and for A levels you generally do three. It’s really a chance to focus your studies in a lot more depth.You go into lots of detail, something like biology is ridiculous now to learn. So I think that was definitely the hardest part of that journey for me.
Why did you choose Waseda University, and what excites you most about studying there?
English degrees or English speaking degrees are quite, they’re not that popular yet, although they are getting more internationalised. But I think Waseda was clearly the number one option for me, especially because they offer things like economics, which I was interested in. That really caught my eye and that was what motivated me to go for that challenge.
How did RSJ prepare you for the transition to a leading Japanese university?
Well, although it is in Japan, I think that the fact that RSJ continued my education in English, which is very important, it’s my first language and that allowed me to have the opportunity to continue university in English as well, and that was also in Japan. I think the A levels was a really strong curriculum to go by. I mean, it’s very strong in the UK already, but it’s also well recognized internationally, and I think that’s the real strength which allowed me to put together a strong application.
What are you most looking forward to in this next phase of your academic and personal journey?
Well, academically, I think I really want to hone my skills for economics, that’s the course that I’m going to do, and I really want to get right on the forefront of the international sector.
Also because university is very based on self-study and self motivation, that’s also going to help me develop all this ‘pushing myself’. I mean, that was already a thing back in A levels, but this is like you’re completely left on your own and classes are almost optional as well, so it’s always going to be about your will and your drive to push yourself forward I think.
As Noah takes his next steps beyond RSJ, we could not be prouder of all he has achieved, both as a pupil and as a leader. His journey reflects the resilience, curiosity, and aspiration we hope to see in every RSJ graduate. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him on this milestone and wish him every success as he embarks on this exciting new chapter. For our current and future pupils, Noah’s journey serves as an inspiring reminder that with dedication and courage, the opportunities that lie ahead are limitless.
