St Angela Kindergartens

St Angela Kindergarten gives very young children their first experience of school in the village of Ħal Lija, in the middle of the island. Its motto, small steps towards great success, sums up the approach: each child is treated as an individual, and the curriculum is built around personal development rather than rushing towards formal lessons. The kindergarten is listed in our directory of nurseries and preschools in Malta.

The school is one of a group of St Angela Kindergartens with sites in Lija, Msida, Rabat and Żabbar, so families living in different parts of Malta can find a branch close to home. UK parents moving to the island will find a useful starting point in our Malta relocation guide, which covers the practical steps of settling a family.

An education built on play, nature and belonging

The school describes a holistic approach to early education. Staff look for the gifts each child brings and develop them through group activities, so a quiet child and a confident one are both encouraged to take part. Learning through play and recreation is central, with the aim that every child feels at home, welcomed and part of a class.

A love of nature is part of daily life too, and it shapes an ecological outlook from the youngest age. The photographs on the school's gallery show what that looks like: children planting flowers together, kneading dough, topping pizza bases, drawing with stencils, practising yoga and running around in PE. There are role play corners where children put on white coats and nurse's outfits, and a library day when picture books come out on the tables.

The Catholic ethos is part of the school's identity. It follows the Ursuline tradition and the vision of its founder, Isidor Formosa, who believed that teaching should combine knowledge with good character. Parents who want a faith-based start for their child will find this a defining feature, and the gallery includes celebrations held in the classroom and the school hall.

Early literacy, numeracy and phonics

The school site carries an unusually detailed set of learning resources for parents. There are literacy videos, numeracy videos and a phonological awareness programme that is split by year group. The Kindergarten 1 sequence begins with listening to sounds, then moves through environmental sounds, instrumental sounds and body percussion before children meet letters and spoken words.

The Kindergarten 2 sequence goes further, with syllable counting, rhyme, word families, sound alliteration, spotting sounds at the start, middle and end of words, and an introduction to sound blending. A phonics section follows the Read Write Inc approach and offers flashcards for the first sets of sounds. For a UK reader, this will feel familiar, because phonics is also the foundation of early reading teaching in British schools.

There is also a page of tips for parents of preschool children, a literacy pamphlet and a collection of school songs, so the learning continues at home. A section called Nurturing Growth and a notice board keep families informed about what is happening in the school.

Newcomers, foreign students and school life

The site has separate pages for newcomers and for foreign students, which is helpful for families who have recently arrived and are weighing up their options. If English is your family's main language, you can also look at ACE English Malta and AClass Academy of English for language tuition in Malta.

Other practical pages cover school uniforms, downloadable forms, school policies and data protection guidelines. Staff, an Open Day, a Founder's Day and an Erasmus funded project are all featured on the site, and the school uses Outlook 365 for communication with parents. Families who work remotely from the island may like our digital nomad guide to Malta for the wider picture.

Visiting, hours and things to do nearby

Normal school hours run from 8:00am to 1:30pm, Monday to Friday. The Ħal Lija kindergarten stands on Sant Andrija Street, and the other branches are in Msida, Rabat and Żabbar. If you are exploring the old capital of the island while you decide, the Mdina and Rabat guide and the Valletta city guide give you ideas for a family day out.

For after-school and weekend activities, our listings include Adventure Hub, a children's activities venue about two kilometres from Lija, and A New Better Life, a local nutritionist for family eating advice. Our pages on things to do in Malta and Malta in general help you plan the rest of the week. To ask the school about a place for your child, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the school.