Malta's first school dedicated to sporting excellence was set up in September 2012. A recognised National Centre of Excellence, strongly supported by the Maltese Government, the National School of Sport is leading the way in providing opportunities for young people in Malta to develop their sporting talents as part of their school. The facilities are located in Pembroke, adjacent to the Luxol St. Andrews Stadium. The National Sports School is a co-educational school for talented athletes. The average population is 240 students aged between 11 and 16. The school offers expert training in a wide variety of sports disciplines. Every year, in Year 7 there is an intake of 42 students and in Year 9 a further 6 places are offered to maximise the total number of students to 48. Students follow a balanced curriculum of academic studies together with their sporting specialisation.
Their training is carefully scheduled around their academic subjects during the school day. Great attention is paid to giving students every opportunity to maximise not only their sport but also their academic potential. Entry is optional only. Care is taken to ensure that high school standards are not compromised and there is therefore a focus on identifying individuals who are both talented and academically committed.