The number of children attending formal childcare in Malta stood at 4,037, while
children attending pre-primary education during the last scholastic year amounted to 9,269.

Official statistics show that the largest proportion of children in non-compulsory education attended school in the northern harbour and southern harbour districts with 32 and 20 per cent, respectively.

The total number of children in the free childcare scheme amounted to 3,195 or 79 per cent of the total children attending childcare centres, according to the National Statistics Office.

Enrolments in the scheme increased by 14 per cent when compared to 2016. Overall, the scheme resulted to be most popular (78 per cent) with children between the ages of one and two.

Over 63 per cent of free childcare was provided through centres located in the northern harbour and southern harbour districts. Paid childcare was mainly concentrated in
centres located in the northern harbour district. The peak drop-off and pick-up time brackets were 8am to 9am and 1pm to 2pm respectively. 

The share of pre-primary children enrolled in state and independent schools amounted to 72 and 17 per cent, respectively, with the remaining attending church schools. 

The most popular age in state schools was that of three years, whereas in the case of independent and church schools, the majority were four years of age. Most children attending state schools resided in the same locality of the school.