Other international/private school options besides Verdala & QSI

Things don't change as much as you expect

People like to complain. Every happy person don't run to forums to post their stories.

Of for sure, and I agreed 100%.

However, this will be my 3 moved within 4 years and I have always found city forums, town FB groups, etc. to be very informative to hear peoples opinions and experiences. I'm just looking for any suggestions and insight. This move in incredibly unexpected and I'm just looking for insight and experiences as all of this is very overwhelming. Thank you.

I'm trying to get my daughter into year 1 in 2.5 years time and already most of the waiting lists are closed out on the schools we've applied for.  haven't gone for qsi though.  she's currently in a school that is boys only from year 1

Having had ours in private school for the past 4 years, am desperate to move out of the private school and put in a Government school.  Whilst had a couple of good years, had 2 terrible years.  I'm totally appalled by the response from the school and how they refuse to deal with bullying. The mistake we made was assuming that private school would be better.

Darrylv wrote:

Having had ours in private school for the past 4 years, am desperate to move out of the private school and put in a Government school.  Whilst had a couple of good years, had 2 terrible years.  I'm totally appalled by the response from the school and how they refuse to deal with bullying. The mistake we made was assuming that private school would be better.

which one? This is something I especially want to avoid in the government schools where apparently its a huge problem.

Some privates have huge statements on their sites about their zero tolerance policies on bullying - but you never know if thats all show.  So it would be good to know which one

Ours is at CHS.  No policy on bullying let alone zero tolerance.  I can say so much more about it but as a public forum would prefer to just say we've had a terrible experience - thankfully all documented by email.

Darrylv wrote:

Ours is at CHS.  No policy on bullying let alone zero tolerance.  I can say so much more about it but as a public forum would prefer to just say we've had a terrible experience - thankfully all documented by email.

thank you

Hi there any luck yet on finding a good primary school?  Please do kindly share.. My husband is Italian I am South African, he's been working in Malta already for the past year. We are planing on moving there this summer, my son will be starting first grade too, unfortunately some of the go"good English schools"  we were referred to are full..  any positive feedback have you received so far in regards to your school search?  Thanks in advance

OndelaM, have you tried St Edward's? Boys are easier to place than girls in junior school...

St Edwards can you please where is it located? I will google it right now thank you

OndelaM wrote:

St Edwards can you please where is it located? I will google it right now thank you

3 cities, horrible location, traffic nightmare - we went to look at this school and left without looking as the people were so unprofessional and rude

We live in Birgu <<as a result of the school location>>, and while we only moved here temporarily for the first month of settling in, we actually love it so much we stayed.  We walk to school :-)

I am yet to find an international school in Malta which doesn't have complaints, particularly about how people have been treated 'unprofessionally'.  You do not want to hear how unprofessionally CHS have dealt with us, but needs must - we are still looking at them for our daughter.   

I have a friend who is very adamant that there is no 'best school', just the 'best school for the child'.... so it's a matter of finding the ones with availability and then picking the best for your child.  Availability seems the challenge if you want to go private!

We went down the road of a private school, but not an international one - availability is an issue with waiting lists for most schools.

That said, places do come up because of the Maltese system - for example, some of the church schools have a lottery for places, and so parents will put their kids in a private school to start with, and if they get picked in the lottery, they will then put them in a 'good' church school for 'free' the next year, so there's a bit of churn each year in terms of the kids who turn up on the first day of school.

A regular private school may serve your needs if you can find a place at a school you like - there's not many expats at our one, which was a bit of a surprise, but it doesn't bother me at all ... lessons are all in English, and so far, I'm very happy with the ethos and standards of the school.

This sounds awesome that at least you fell in love with the place.. we are currently not so certain if we love it or not in Malta.. coming from South Africa Cape Town I tend to be picky:) from landscape, architecture, weather as one need to feel a place.. Then on the other hand we feel we have no other choice as my husband is working here and we can always relocate again in future ...

YOUR suggestion on St Edwards was a perfect one as we shall be based in Birgu too.. this is where my husbands work is  located .. have already contacted the school, we are now in the process of signing forms etc

How old is your daughter? Which school does she attend? Am so pleased that you actually walk to school:) My son is 5 years old ..  thank you for the school suggestion

@lastminuteman What IS the name of the school if I may ask, i am just curious? Being pleased with the standards is most important, and the child being happy too of course

Sure, it's St Michael's in Pembroke. Kindergarten and junior school are based there, senior school is based in San Gwann.