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Hello,

I don't know much about Chiswick but I know about San Andrea and San Anton since I had my kids in both due to vacancies issues (now they are all in San Anton). Both have a lot of expats...

What I learned from San Andrea is that they follow the Italian curriculum so the school system is also accepted in Italy... but I dont think that is a plus for you...

Re, transport, I got to say that I don't like the system.. I use it yes, but I dont like it at all. Transportation for school is provided by some sort of union, basically the union dominates the school.. 2 years ago we had an issue with a driver that verbally abused our 8y old son then. We asked the school to request a driver change but it didn't happen because that was the DRIVER for our zone ..so we stopped using the service...that year

For small kids they have "supervised" transportation, meaning that there is someone from the school with the little ones in the Van,..but the drivers are the same...  My youngest is now 3 and I drop him at school and my wife picks him up because we don't trust much the drivers for a kid that age...

The system works? well.. to get our kids from point A to point B and viceversa yes... avoid traffic? for sure..specially the entrance to San Andrea/San Anton... 

Sorry to be negative..Maybe we had a bad experience... but that is our experience...

s

Alf007 wrote:

Hello,
What I learned from San Andrea is that they follow the Italian curriculum so the school system is also accepted in Italy... but I dont think that is a plus for you...
s

Hi, my kids are at San Andrea and I just wanted to chime in on the above comment.  I'm just curious of what grades your children were in there and when?  We are in our 4th year at the school (early and middle school) and can't see where they follow an Italian curriculum at all.   What they offer is a special (and optional!) program for Italian ex-pats that pulls them out of regular lessons for their own special lessons in Italian so they can integrate back in that system when they return.  There are a small number of Italian children in each grade that participate in that program, but again it's optional and not the basis for the main school curriculum at all.   The vast majority of kids are taught the same as most other schools I've seen here.  I know my kids have the same English books (Nelson series) from the UK that San Anton uses as well.  The math, science, ICT, etc books are ALL from the UK as well.  Really the only main books that aren't from the UK are the ones used in the Maltese lessons.  My 11 year old daughter just started Italian lessons this year (Grade 7), but it is only 1 lesson a WEEK (just the same as my niece is doing at San Anton).  So just wanted to make that correction so no one reading this puts off San Andrea thinking it is an Italian curriculum!

Have to agree with Alf on the drop off though and it is awful.  My kids are on the transport, but your kids are pretty young for that.  We've been lucky with great van drivers (who I know don't drive crazy or fast because I've gotten behind them on the road numerous times).  But the pick up in particular can be stressful at times!  When I do have to pick them up, I go closer to 3pm to avoid the worst part.

Overall we've been happy with San Andrea and my kids love going to school. 

Good luck!

I personally dont have experience of either schools, but my friend's son was in Chiswick. Think he is age 6. He now attends Verdala as he was severly bullied over a period over 6 months, and despite my friend repeatedly going to the school for meetings etc, the issue ignored by members of staff. The reason for this ignorance was because the bully's father was a man of importance. I find this totally unacceptable, and whilst I am currently looking for a school for my 4 year old daughter, Chiswick is not on my list.
However, a few of my friends also have children at Chiswick and have had no problems. But my personal fear is that if a problem does arise, then it may not be dealt with in the manner that it should.

Hi,

My son's been at Chiswick for the past year. I would not reccommend it and he will not be returning next year. Weak educationally, students have appalling behaviour issues and the management does not respond to any complaints from non-Maltese parents.

Waste of time and money. Any further info please feel free to PM me,

Mel

KTS wrote:

So just wanted to make that correction so no one reading this puts off San Andrea thinking it is an Italian curriculum!

Hi, you might be right, probably is not the Italian curriculum...

I have an italian friend that works at the Consulate that registered their kids at San Andrea because of something... maybe it is accredited in Italy, and she keeps saying it..so there is something with San Andrea and Italy I'll find out and clarify! promise.

Damsel wrote:

he was severly bullied over a period over 6

Mmm.. that seems to be a major issue across the whole island school system... and the school takes it as normal ....

Agree with above, there is a bullying problem on this island from kids through adults.

With the kids a lot of the time they just don't actually know what they're doing is wrong because they've never been told. Sure they'll get punched in the head by dad for touching his iphone but breaking a kids nose in the playground? Ah! Boys will be boys!

Vicious, and I mean vicious, cycle. Perpetuated by a steady flow of sugary snacks and guilt, lovely.

Good news is your own kids toughen up sharpish. As long as you follow the "if they punch you, you punch 'em back" rule. If you follow the tell a teacher and official channels route they'll have more problems, not the Maltese way.

All schools have their issues just have to find the right one for your kids. Don't listen to the hype at any school. Expert salesmanship doesn't make a good school.

Follow your instincts for your own kids and get them into martial arts fast!

Good luck,

Mel

Oh, nearly forgot. The vans at Chiswick are brilliant, totally the best thing about the whole experience. The drivers are great and the supervisors - on the bus - have been excellent. The best part of my son's school day in fact,

Mel

Not sure if you have visited all the schools while you were here. My 4 & 5 year old go to a small international school called Newark and we have had no problems at all with it. Kids just love going to school everyday. Small classes (8 in JR1, there is teacher in the van on pick up and drop off so also. Its not everyone's cup of tea but might be worth a look. Best of luck with the move.

Thank you for all your replies and this useful information. Sorry to hear that some of you have experienced problems with bullying. And I'm getting the impression that transport/parking is a general problem all over the island.....

My family moved from the states last year and enrolled our child at chiswick. I must say our first impression during the school visit was very positive but we started having problems as soon as the child started attending the school. We had several issues of adjustment with our first child and later on discovered that this school has several problems when it comes to bullying not only in the senior school but also with younger students. Our experience is that though school management offer verbal support to the parents,  it often takes a very long time for them to act, if they do act at all. We were also given the impression that parents who complain end up with their children being penalized. We were so disappointed with chiswick that we ended up enrolling both our children at San andrea because I heard very positive comments about the school from parents who send their children there.

When it comes to choosing a school in Malta my best advice is to try to speak to parents who already send their children there and not listen to the sales hype of the school, because when it comes to chiswick our experience has truly been a negative one.

Thank you for everyone's opinions. It is really helping me out!

is san andrea a state school because it looks really good.
my friend in malta says it is a good school anyone have any experience.

anyone tell me if you have to live in a certain area to go to san andrea or can you live anywhere on the island?

Hi,

one of my best Maltese friends with a strong UK background is a teacher at San Andrea. From what I have heard from her and from independent sources it is a very good school.

They offer transport against a fee or you have to drive your child to school. But that counts for all schools in Malta.

Check out the schooling section for more info about schools.

Cheers
Ricky

can i just pick u up again on this conversation as to whether san andrea is a state non paying school or a private paying school.

San Andrea is a private school that you must pay for.  It is very reasonable compared to private schools in other countries though!

As Ricky says, there is transport offered (which you pay for as well) from all over the island. 

Kim