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Programmes

Programmes

Chiswick House School & St Martin’s College offer diverse programmes including International Language Courses, Educational Support, Maths Mastery, and Ethics Education to foster holistic student development.

International Programme
Educational Support
Support Services
Maths Mastery
Ethics Education Programme

International Programme

Programme Details

Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College offer an International Programme designed to cater for the needs of our international students, in line with the Common European Framework (Council of Europe 2020) since 2010.

The options which the International Programme (IP) offers are as follows:

  • English for non-English speakers (EL2/3) – English as a second (EL2) or third (EL3) language;
  • French for non-native speakers (FL2/3) – French as a second (FL2) or third (FL3) language;
  • Spanish for non-native speakers (SL2/3) – Spanish as a second (SL2) or third (SL3) language;
  • French for native speakers (FL1); (Level 8, Level 10 & Level 11))
  • Italian for native speakers (IL1).
In addition to ONE of the above options, the International Programme also includes a course in Maltese Il-Malti bħala Lingwa Barranija (MLB).

Courses

This course is mandatory for non-English speakers who have no knowledge of English. Many non-English speakers choose to continue to take EFL classes to improve their level of English throughout Junior School and also throughout their Middle and Senior years. EFL courses are offered at all levels between Level 1 at CHS and Level 11 at SMC. Students have the opportunity of sitting the internationally recognized TOEFL Junior Test on St Martin’s College premises, thanks to the partnership agreement that CHSMC has with ETS Global. This test pegs the students’ level of English to the Common European Framework of Reference and the Lexile Framework of Reading.

This course caters for International students who wish to take up the innovative Spanish Programme specifically designed and taught by fully qualified teachers of Spanish and caters for learners starting from Level 2 till Level 11. Special attention is given to the communication skills approach and the spiral method of teaching. Classes and didactic material are carefully planned and prepare students for both SEC and DELE exams (Spanish certificate).

This course offers students a chance to develop the basics of communication in one of the world’s major international languages. The programme has been designed by a fully qualified teacher of French to span the years from Level 2 to Level 11. Teaching is based on the communicative approach to encourage students to engage with and use the language as early as possible.

This course has been designed by French teachers for native speakers. It follows the syllabus of the French educational system and is endorsed by the French Embassy in Malta. The programme is structured by keeping in mind the specific linguistic and individual needs of the learners and is taught by a fully qualified teacher of French. The course is offered at Level 8, Level 10 and Level 11 at St Martin’s College.

After a series of successful years running Courses for Native Italian Speakers, Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College have designed and put together a course that caters for native Italian speakers joining our schools. The lessons are taught by fully qualified Italian teachers who teach a curriculum that is in line with the Italian National language syllabus. The course is offered from Level 2 (Chiswick House School) to Level 11 (St Martin’s College).
Il-Malti bħala Lingwa Barranija (Maltese as a Foreign Language) introduces learners to the fundamental language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The MLB programme at Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College teaches learners the most basic grammatical concepts of the Maltese language while also focusing on building essential vocabulary that ranges from simple Maltese words in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, to the use of the most common Maltese expressions. Emphasis is placed on the correct construction and use of basic Maltese phrases that appear frequently in every day social conversation. Furthermore, the MLB syllabus enhances one’s oral and aural skills by immersing the learner in the linguistic and cultural context of the Maltese culture and language. For this reason, the learners will express themselves by using and applying Maltese expressions within a given context and communicate basic needs related to daily tasks. Learning is consolidated through in class activities in which knowledge is applied in context.

Educational Support

At Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College, inclusion is a cornerstone of our ethos. Our inclusive approach is centred on students and their unique needs, acknowledging that every child learns differently and at their own pace. The Inclusion Coordinator, in collaboration with SEN specialists, ensures that the needs of each student and his/her family are recognised, the environment is adapted to suit individual requirements, and services are coordinated to meet both the student’s and family’s needs.

Ongoing support and training for staff is a priority to ensure they are equipped to work effectively with children who have individual needs.

Identifying Individual Needs

  • We employ a range of methods to identify students’ individual needs, including:
  • Referral by individual teachers
  • Standardised in-house assessments
  • Whole-school screening processes such as Cognitive Ability Testing and NFER Nelson assessments*
  • Yearly screening for reading and spelling skills at the primary level, starting from Early Years 4/Level 2
  • *These standardised tests assess various learning processes and help identify each student’s learning and psychometric profile.

Support Services

If a teacher observes that a child is struggling in class—whether academically or emotionally—the child is referred to the Well-Being Team. The team collaborates with parents to create a personalised plan of action. This child-centred approach prioritises supporting both the student and their family. Parents may also be referred for professional assessments or additional external services as needed.

The school provides a SMART Learning Programme (SLP) for students from Level 3 to Level 11. This programme is designed to support pupils facing literacy and other academic challenges. SLP professionals work closely with class and subject teachers to make academic material accessible and facilitate smoother learning pathways.

Additionally, a school counsellor is available to support students and teachers. The counselling department plays a key role in the Well-Being Team and is actively involved in the Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) programme.

Collaboration with Parents

We welcome parents to reach out if they have concerns about their child’s developmental progress. While the school provides robust support services, parents are also encouraged to seek external professionals of their choice. Our team is happy to collaborate with these professionals to ensure the best outcomes for each student.

At Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College, we are committed to fostering an environment where every child can thrive, feel supported, and reach their full potential.

Maths Mastery

Programme Details

In 2016, Chiswick House School was the first school in Malta to shift their teaching and learning approach towards Mathematics to one that is underpinned by the fundamentals of what is widely known as Maths for Mastery (or Singapore Maths). The change was carried out across the whole school from our Early Years to Level 5 and this year we have also implemented it in Level 6 at St Martin’s College. Within the next two years it will be extended to the rest of the Middle School. In the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) results, Singapore has ranked first in Mathematics for over twenty years. 

Pupils studying Mathematics in Singapore have constantly obtained above average scores across all types of questions in the tests ranging from lower order to advanced questions. For example in TIMSS (2011), the international average for pupils who answered advanced questions was 5% whereas for pupils in Singapore it was 48%, evidently showing that the strategies being used in this country are effectively equipping learners with the skills to become serious critical thinkers. These results have made the world look into the methods which have been adopted by Singapore and to use these methods to support their mathematics curriculum and its implementation strategies. Teaching and learning Mathematics should now focus on Teaching for Mastery.

We have chosen Maths No Problem! as the textbook scheme since it is very well-structured and supports a holistic approach to the teaching and learning of Mathematics based on the Singapore methods for all learners. It includes a differentiated approach for children struggling with this area of learning and those who are more advanced and need more challenge. Moreover, the scheme is based on the works of world-known figures in education including Piaget, Dienes, Bruner, Skemp and Vygotsky and has been tested and refined over the last 30 years. Maths No Problem! has also since been awarded with the prestigious IPG Independent Publishing Award (IPA) for best education publisher of the year (2017) and in 2017 is was the only textbook scheme recommended by the DfE in the UK as quality scheme for teaching Maths for Mastery.

Our approach to the teaching and learning of Mathematics has evolved around problem solving and every lesson starts with an anchor task which the children need to find a creative solution to. Each lesson is based on a Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract (CPA) approach since learning departs from the premise that a hands-on, multisensory task facilitates the development of more abstract concepts. As part of the Mathematics lesson all pupils also complete a Maths Journal entry to record their individualized learning trajectories. The educational philosophy underpinning the teaching of Mathematics is also tightly connected to our 7Cs that place the essential 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking at the centre. Compassion, confidence and commitment are “ways of being” which we are developing across all areas of learning. The OECD 7 principles of learning guide our daily practice.

Celebrating a year of Singapore Maths at CHS

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Ethics Education Programme

Programme Details
(Level 1 to Level 5)

Chiswick House School incorporates Ethics Education in the school curriculum starting at Level 1 through Level 5. Ethics Education is a valuable subject area that promotes social and emotional learning,  personal growth and social responsibility. It also helps learners recognise the potential consequences of their actions and empowers them to make choices that avoid harm to themselves and to others.

In Levels 1 through 2 universal values, such as honesty, kindness and respect are encouraged through storytelling and role-play.  Compassion, cooperation and consideration towards others help foster a sense of community and create a supportive environment that makes individuals feel valued and understood. Incorporating ethics into the curriculum at an early age helps learners develop moral reasoning skills and offers opportunities to seek answers to the question “Why?”

In Levels 3 through 5, Ethics Education incorporates a progressive curriculum designed to introduce learners to ethical concepts and principles that explore cultural awareness and the respect for diversity.  Learners are encouraged to think critically about the consequences of their actions by exploring ethical principles such as fairness, justice, and responsibility.

Programme Details
(Level 6 to Level 11)

At St Martin’s College the Ethics syllabus is structured in such a way that learners can appreciate new ways of learning, a way of thinking that truly enriches their experience of the subject. The Modules offered as part of this course include an analysis and discussion of open and closed communities, tolerance, and the role that the ‘self’ plays within the community. Topics range from but are not restricted to the influence of social media on our everyday life, role models and moral aspects concerning the importance of care for myself and others, dependence, and  the right to life of both humans and animals.

  • The Ethics and Religious Education programmes at Chiswick House School and St Martin’s College run back-to-back and learners opt for either Ethics Education or Religious Education.