St Clare's Pembroke

Hi my child had a very easy time adapting and fitting into this school. We chose it because it seems to have a lot of experience dealing with foreign kids. They have been very friendly and welcoming and this has been hugely important for feeling at home. But..... Academically i cant say it is the greatest place to go. Maybe its just a question of luck on which teachers you get but my child never goes one week without at least four free classes because teachers dont turn up, there is at most some homework from one or two teachers a week and thats it, not every night. One day he had 7 out of 8 classes free. I think the curriculum on paper is good standard but it doesnt translate into practice. Also they have maltese classes for foreigners, which if you stay longer than a few years will be necessary for state exams. However these classes are not for foreigners just beginning. They (at least in my childs class) are foreigners who have lived here and gone through primary and speak some maltese already. The teaching method is archaic, basically having the children take turns to read for the entire duration of the class. My child (and some other new arrivals) just read their novels. The teaching methods of some teachers are really, really old school, but some are active and try. My child certainly complains a lot more of boredom in this school than he ever did at home, because they are in fact doing less work, less intellectual engagement etc.
So, socially and hospitality wise its great. Academically it could be great if they did what they are supposed to do... For now its not a concern for me as i dont know how long we will be here and i cant pay private fees. But if i were to stay here for long term i would have to really rethink it or substitute with a lot of private tutoring. All this is just personal experience/opinion, it could be different in other years/classes. Hope it helps!

Thank you so much for your reply, it is very helpful. My daughter will be at school in Malta all the way through so it is extremely important that I find a good one. We are not moving over till 2017 and she will be learning Maltese before we leave. Missed classes and just reading books is terrible, I can only imagine how you feel but thank you for sharing your experience. Wish there was an ofsted report I could read but I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall just trying to find information on state schools.

Hi,

My daughter is 11 and in Form 1 at this school we moved to Malta last august and she is just coming up to completing her first year at the school.
My daughter has settled in well and is very happy with the school as am i, she is progressing well, has a good group of friends and also slowly learning the language
It is a large school so can seem a bit daunting the first time you go in, but i have always found the teachers to be friendly and approachable, there is also a good mix of nationalties in the school which helps hugely as this often means that English is more widely spoken in school and class, however they do also offer extra help to foreigners with the maltese language.
In my experience if you are going to put your child into state school i would recommend living an area with a good mix of nationalities as this would enable you to put your child into a school that has a good mix of foreigners / Maltese as it will be much easier, i have 3 children all in 3 different schools, my eldest who is 16 just left secondary school and starts college in october, as he was the only british person in his school things were more diifficult for him than my other children as naturally the Maltese language was favoured in the classroom (and out of it)

Good luck with your move!

Kelly

Hi Kelly,
Have you had any experience with teachers not turning up for classes? Also when is the best time to register. I'm glad your daughter is doing well and making friends is very important for a happy time at school. Is there a high level of homework or would you say it was about right for her age as I read somewhere that they get tones of homework, which would be a shock for her first year at secondary school.
Thank you so much for your reply,
Natalie

Hiya,

No I've not had experience of teachers not turning up for classes, as for homework they do get some most days but in my opinion it's a normal amount, however we lived in Spain for 10 years prior to us moving to Malta so my kids have never been schooled in the UK so I can only compare it to what they got in Spain.
It is secondary school though so it will of course be a huge change for her as its a completely different world to primary, my daughter was still 10 when she started so one of the younger ones in her year but she loves it.
As far as registering you can only do that once you are actually living in Malta, if you chose state school your child will get a place in your catchment area school, and as Pembroke secondary is currently the only co-ed state secondary in this area this would be the school she would go to.

Kelly

Hello, is St Clare's Pembroke for both boys and girls? Te there Other secondary schools in Malta that are like that? Is there a primary school nearby also? Do both have a lot of foreign children? Is it a nice area for living? BR Outi

Hi, St Claire's  secondary at Pembroke is part co-ed and part girls only, when they return to school at the end of September this year forms 1-3 will be mixed and forms 4 and 5 girls only , eventually in 2 years time all years will be co-ed at this school.
Yes there are lot of mixed nationalities in the school, and it's much the same in the primary schools in the St Claire's catchment too as its one of the busier areas of the Island with a lot of foreigners who live and work in the area.

Thank you Do You know which primary is the most popular among foreigners / use most english as teaching language? I understood that for children who don't yet speak any english there is a six week period With mainly english in the beginning? How is Pembroke as Living area? Is it very noisy and busy or Are there any calmer areas With detached houses, farmhouses etc. Do You know if there is a stable nearby? My 14 years old daughter is a dressage rider and hopes to find a pony/ horse to rent couple if times a week. We also have 2 dogs, is it suitable for living with dogs? Is the nature/ beach nice there or is it only city environment? I understood that it is a old military area? I'm very grateful for all answers thanks alot

Hi I would like to know if anyone has a link to st clares school Pembroke website or phone number .my daughter will be 14 in september I have heard a lot about this school . I think she would settle well as english is spoken a lot at this school

Hi, Your daughter would probably be in the same form as my daughter if we both choose St Clare's Pembroke. She is going to be 14 in September also. It would be great to meet some other students before school starts. Maybe we could plan something through this forum? BR, Outi

Hi,

The schools here generally dont have websites and if they do, they are rarely updated, St clares doesnt have one but i have their email address [email protected]

Kirsikkakumpu wrote:

Thank you Do You know which primary is the most popular among foreigners / use most english as teaching language? I understood that for children who don't yet speak any english there is a six week period With mainly english in the beginning? How is Pembroke as Living area? Is it very noisy and busy or Are there any calmer areas With detached houses, farmhouses etc. Do You know if there is a stable nearby? My 14 years old daughter is a dressage rider and hopes to find a pony/ horse to rent couple if times a week. We also have 2 dogs, is it suitable for living with dogs? Is the nature/ beach nice there or is it only city environment? I understood that it is a old military area? I'm very grateful for all answers thanks alot

Hi,
Im not sure on what is offered for Non-english speakers, i do know at Pembroke primary none english speakers are sent on a six week course to San Gwann primary to learn english, they are taken to the school by bus every morning for a couple of hours, but i have no idea if this is something they offer at secondary school.

I dont live in Pembroke, i live in Madliena, but the catchement area for St claires is very large as it spreads over many areas such as Sliema, Gzira, Swieqi, San Gwann, St julians and many more

If you are looking to live in an area with farmhouses and land you may need to move a little further out or maybe consider Gozo, but you do need to take into account that the further away from the built up areas you live the more likely english will be less widely spoken in government school as Maltese language will often be slipped into during lessons when the class is mainlymade up of Maltese speakers.
Malta is quite built up in a lot of areas, you will find large detactched houses in the  area, i live in but they are not cheap by any means so it really depnds on your budget, if you want the open countryside and tranquility, you may be better moving to a more rural area.
Malta is an extremly busy place, unless you live in a rural area expect some noise, it can be a bit of a shock how busy this place is especially if you have come from a more tranquil place but you eventually get used to it!

Pembroke is relatively peaceful and has a mix of different styles of houses.

As far as stables im not sure at all, i have seen some stables on the way to St pauls but im not sure if dressage is popular here, i previously lived in Andalucia and there were stables everywhere and dressage competitions all the time, ive never seen that here but to be honest i have never looked for it.

Are you going to rent or buy somewhere to live, as this will determine how easy it will be with the dogs, i have a very small dog and its very difficult to find rented properties that will accept dogs as many owners wont allow them here, it is possible to find dog friendly properties but certainly you are much more limited

Have you been to Malta at all to visit, if not i would strongly advise you vist first as Malta is one of those places that is very hard to describe, until you have actually been here.

Good luck with your move

Kelly

yes that would be great we are not due to move untill late august . when are you moving there

thank you we sent an email and the email address was out of date we rang the school and got the up to date you thank s victoria

hughes40 wrote:

Hi I would like to know if anyone has a link to st clares school Pembroke website or phone number .my daughter will be 14 in september I have heard a lot about this school . I think she would settle well as english is spoken a lot at this school

simple typed in google this:

st claire college malta

and first link was this:
https://education.gov.mt/en/education/P … llege.aspx

wasn't that hard 

Found it earlier but thank you

Here is the website of the St.Clare's secondary school: scc.standrewsgss.skola.edu.mt/, but as I can see they did not update it for two years. It's a normal situation for many local websites. Generally, Maltese people prefer old-style phone and personal conversations rather than online services.

Try an independent school newarkschoolmalta.com
Great subject options and small classes
Fees are reasonable and the location is good

futurefocus wrote:

Fees are reasonable and the location is good

feel free to write the fees, after all, this a blog made to help us all, so ...

Hello, is this a private school? Do you know more about the fees? BR, Outi

This info is from their website:


Newark School Malta; Fees for scholastic year 2014/2015
Registration Fees
Registration for Junior School    € 250
Registration for Senior School    € 470

10% discount on fees for brothers and sisters.
10% discount will apply if parents register their children for kinder and junior at the same time.
15% discount will apply if parents register their children for kinder, junior and senior at the same time.

Tuition Fees per Scholastic Term for Permanent Students:
Junior and Senior:
Tuition fees for students following the whole school
Curriculum/not following the school curriculum.
Junior 1    € 590
Junior 2    € 595
Junior 3    € 625
Junior 4 to 6 € 700

Tuition fee per term    for senior school
Forms 1 and 2    € 700
Forms 3, 4 and 5    € 980


Remember, there are three terms per scholastic year. But anyway the fees look attractive comparing to other private schools.

Hi All,
Thank you for all the information provided.
Has anybody got feedback regarding Newark school?
Do you know if a bus service is available?
I live in Birgu and my daughter would be joining after the summer 2016 when she reaches 11, as unfortunately St Edwards (where 2 of my sons are) accepts girls only in 6th form.
Have a nice day.
From sunny Valletta. 

Thank You, Kelly for your answer. It took a while to notice it. Busy planning our move...We actually haven't seen Malta at all yet, so it is definitely going to be... Well a big surprise or even a shock at first. We live now at a horse farm in southern Finland, lots of peace and quiet. On the other hand it could be fun to live totally differently for a change. I think we'll visit schools when we arrive  the 2nd of August and try to deside where to settle. We have booked a house for the first week near Valletta. I'm sure everything is going to go just fine. Thank you so much for the help!!!!!!

One thing came to my mind after I investigated the location of the St.Clare's secondary school: how do children commute to school and back? Does the school provide transportation (free or paid)? Or do children use public transport which is an issue because the nearest bus stop is on the Salina highway, and children would need to cross it when they go to school?

Hi,

There are school buses to St Clares Pembroke, they collect from a designated point close to your home and drop off in the same place. The bus service is provided free of charge to students and the bus drives into the school gates and drops the children off at the entrance so there are no roads to corss

Thank you izzybenjaz!

We have decided on Gozo, after emailing loads of schools, Gozo's reply was brilliant, I'm going to visit them next February in carnival time, well I may as well have some fun 😀 but by far the best reply I've had plus more suited to our way of living, many thanks for your help,
Natalie

Hi.  Do I gather that St. Clare's mainly teaches in English? 

Also, does a family have to be long-term residents specifically to enroll at state schools?  Can it be just a regular resident family with ID cards, etc. 

Last, are all children guaranteed a spot at the state school?  If children arrive shortly before the school year begins, will they be enrolled at their zone/catchment school or might they be assigned a different school due to overcrowding?

hi,
All state schools in Malta teach in english apart from a few subjects such as maltese, religion and social studies, as St Claires catchment is in an area where a lot of non maltese speakers are based you will find that english is more widely used during lessons than some other areas of the island. Although this can vary depending on which school your child attend as St clares consists of a few different ones, my youngest is in Pembroke Primary, english is very widely spoken there and in fact the teachers have even commented that a lot of the Maltese kids at that school are now favouring English over Maltese, my middle daughter is in Pembroke secondary and again English is widely spoken, my Son has just completed his secondary education and at his school ( also part of st clares college) Maltese was favoured even by many of the teachers when they were supposed to be teaching in English they would slip into Maltese, so it varies from school to school.
We arrived at the end of august last year and we were able to register all 3 kids in time for them to start on the first day back in Sept, we didnt have ID cards but as we are EU citizens passports and rental contracts were sufficient, if you have an ID card it should be fine to register them, you will usually be given a school in your catchment too.

Hi, Kelly.

Was it difficult for the children to follow the Maltese instructions for social studies?  I would think that would be fairly challenging.

I will have to ask more pointed questions about my particular primary school.

Thanks for your help.

lottelita wrote:

Hi, Kelly.

Was it difficult for the children to follow the Maltese instructions for social studies?  I would think that would be fairly challenging.

my son goes to st claire in gzira and he never complained about classes in maltese, teacher will translate important stuff to english

also, all foreign students are given extra lessons in maltese, so now he understands maltese very good, don't know about speaking as I don't speak it

kids pick up languages fast

Thank you, Duxx.  I think I will give it a go with St. Clare's.  I still hope someone from the school will post their experience.

We have just taken the really hard decision to change school for my eldest (he was 14 in July), and even put him back a year! We paid and sent him to San Andrea last year and have been very disappointed. The teachers were not very patient when he didn't understand and made him feel embarrassed to ask, so he stopped asking for help - the teaching is quite different to the UK, with Maths being at a higher level, French being totally different (the teacher arrogantly told me they teach it incorrectly in the UK!) and being a private school, they don't have the government checks! My son is very sporty so we enquired at the sports school in Pembroke, but they only take them form 1 or 3 and they have to be recommended by a sports club (can be from the UK, I believe) and although there are many other schools, we wanted to stay in this area as my daughter goes to Pembroke primary and their are also many 'foreigners', so English is widely spoken)

I emailed the principle of St Clares College Keith Bartollo (he makes the decision on all admissions to all St Clares primary and secondary schools) and he called me the following day! I got the email off the government website and just decided to go direct to the top and I must say, after meeting him today, he is very helpful. The email is [email protected] or his secretary [email protected] - and if they ask where you got - just say the website, trust me, it will be easier!
He did also say that once you have been accepted due to the catchment area you live in - if you move out of the area, it's no problem. Once they are in they are in!!! I didn't think it was like that, but he said different...
I hope this information will help someone - please do your research about the schools & don't end up €5000 out of pocket for no reason like we did! Oh well, you live & learn & this is Malta!

Hi Micat22, We also moved both our kids from Private to State School.. They have been at state school for 2 years now and no problems...Lets hope its the same for your young man...

Hi,
We are moving to Malta and our children do not speak så good english.
You Said you have moved your children to a government school and they attended a private school. I would like to know your opinion. I m thinking that an international or private is maybe better during the first year so the children csn ledarn english in small sized class and change later. What is your experience?

All kids who attend state school and don't speak English are provided with an intense 6 week basic English course for 3 hours everyday. This helps with the basics and enables them to also intergrate with their classmates.. In my son's class there is more non-maltese so state schools do cater for everyone..Class sizes, there was 16 in my daughters year and 21 in my son's. They had a teacher and an assistant. All instructions are spoken in both English and Maltese.They are expected to have a go at learning Maltese but not alot of pressure is put on them (in my opinion only) They are given extra help and not asked to sit any Maltese exams unless they have completed 2 FULL years at state school...Private School I won't comment on as its a personal choice.. Best of luck and any questions please feel free.

Thames for answering, but i m worry about introducing 2 languages at one time. English and maltese . My doughter does not speak English.
I foundation your information very useful.
Thanks

as I already said on couple of topics:

my son came on Malta few days after turning 7 and all he knew of English was from cartoon - so not too much
he took intensive course that government provide from 9-12 and then back to class from 12-14 and had no problem with school
now (not even 2 years latter) he speaks English great, and he understands Maltese very good and speaks some of it

kids learn languages fast