Henry Park Primary SchoolPrimary 2 Parents’ Briefing

26 February 20191500-1700

Agenda

• Opening Address - Mr Martin Koh, Principal

• Learn for Life- Ms Nathalie Chen, Vice-Principal

• Promotion Matters – Ms Nathalie Chen, Vice-Principal

• Guidelines for School-Home Partnership- Ms Nathalie Chen,

Vice-Principal

• CCA Matters – Ms Chin Lian Mei, HOD (PE & CCA)

• Q&A

HENRY PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

VISION & MISSION

VISION

“Lead with character, serve with talents”

MISSION

“Nurturing concerned citizenswith integrity and a spirit of excellence through holistic education”

MOE Assessment Changes

MOE Assessment Changes

• The P2 is the first batch to be fully impacted by the new MOE assessment changes

• They are the first batch of pupils to have no formal assessment in P2, and no mid year in P3.

Learn for Life: Communication to P2 Parents

Learn for Life

“Let us prepare every child for the test of life, and not just a life of tests”

PM Lee, National Day Rally 2012

Photo credit: Singapore Polytechnic

Learn for Life

https://youtu.be/r6cbrw-V41c

• Have more time and space to deepen their

learning, especially in the transition years (i.e.

P3, P5, S1 and S3).

• Better enjoy the process of learning and develop

dispositions for lifelong learning.

• Achieve balance between rigour & joy of

learning to develop intrinsic motivation for

learning

Changes aim to help our students:

• Introduction of ALP (Junior Science) &

school-based curriculum (PAL) to

deepen & enrich students’ learning

experiences

• Mixed-ability classes for social mixing

• Use of formative assessment to support

students’ learning

• Parent-Child-Teacher Conference

(PCTC)

• Reduce assessment load by removing

CAs for P3-P6 since 2014

• Teacher training on using formative

assessment & providing feedback

Where is HPPS on this journey?

Changes at a Glance

Types of Assessment Tasks

Teachers will assess pupils using different modes

of assessment so that a wide range of skills,

learner strategies, attitudes and behaviour can

be developed, and items and structures can be

learned. The assessment tasks need to take into

account different pupils’ strengths and

weaknesses and, hence, different learning

outcomes.

Types of Assessment TasksThe range of assessment modes and tasks includes:

• Informal quizzes which can be given in the form of non-timed,

independent assignments at the end of a few units of work.

• Performance assessments that assess pupils’ skills in carrying out

an activity, e.g., staging a role play or giving an oral presentation.

• Portfolios consisting of pupils’ own choice of written work,

multimedia productions, and learning logs/journals, which record

pupils’ achievements for the year, teachers’ comments and pupils’

reflections.

• Pupil profiling, through the use of checklists and classroom

observations by teachers or through self evaluation by pupils, e.g.,

self evaluation records or checklists.

• Teacher-pupil conferencing on a written product/representation in

order to help pupils make improvements by using a set of criteria and

giving specific comments.

P2 Holistic Assessment Plan

• Parents will be informed on the Holistic Assessment Plan

on a termly basis

• Diverse modes of holistic assessment such as class

activities and individual tasks will be carried out during

curriculum time for the teachers to gauge how well

students have grasped the learning outcomes to provide

qualitative feedback for improvement

• All tasks are not weighted and conducted during

curriculum time. Parents do not have to prepare their

children for them

P2 Holistic Assessment Plan

• On-going formative assessment such as peer

evaluation, self-checklist, rubrics, worksheets,

homework, class activities and discussion will

continue to support our teachers in providing the

qualitative feedback through the Holistic Development

Profile (HDP) at the end of Term 2

• Develop intrinsic motivation in our students for learning

and not learning for tests

Changes at a Glance

Holistic Development Profile

Date : 6 Nov 2019

Name : Jane Ong Identification No : T0612345F

Age on 1st Jan : 6 S/N : 5 Course : Primary Two

Class : P2-Respect

Form Teacher : Miss Tan

Co-Form Teacher : Miss Low

SUBJECT

MATHEMATICS

• Solve mathematical problems involving addition and subtraction. Accomplished

• Multiply and divide numbers within multiplication tables Competent

• Identify, name, describe and sort shapes and objects Competent

• Tell time to 5 minutes Developing

Reflection of Learning Outcomes & Qualitative Descriptors

For illustrative purposes only.

Customised Qualitative descriptors

Learning Outcomes (LOs) for each subject

Reporting of P1 & P2 Students’ Learning Progress in HDP

Use of descriptors for parents to gain a better understanding of the progress of their child

• Instead of receiving just a test score or grade, parents will now receive qualitative feedback regarding the progress of their child for the learning outcomes expected of students as highlighted in the MOE syllabus guide for each subject through the HDP

• Parents may make use of this qualitative feedback to complement their understanding of their child’s progress such as areas of strength or growth with the students’ returned files and work

• The descriptors also help shape conversations between parents and child, and or parents and teachers when discussing on areas for growth

Monitoring students’ learningClass & School’s Level

• Tracking of students’ learning progress provides teacherswith information to be used formatively to tailor subsequentlessons to address and close students’ learning gaps at theclass level.

• Provides information on the progress of the entire level ofstudents and schools can use this information to make moresystemic adjustments, such as enhancing the learningsupport structures.

• This approach is applicable to students of all profiles.

• However, the use of such information is for developmentalpurposes and should not result in perceived high stakesor test anxiety.

Monitoring students’ learning

• Teachers will continue to provide feedback for students to improve on their learning through ongoing class work and formative assessment instead of relying on a single summative point.

• The structures provided for our students are not only through examinations, but also daily teaching and learning practices that can help them attain fluency, especially through effective learning routines.

Teachers to students

Monitoring students’ learning

• Parents will continue to receive suitable and sufficient information about

their child’s progress in school.

• Other indicators such as subject marks (where appropriate e.g: quizzes)

and teachers’ remarks will still be available for parents to understand their

child’s progress.

• Parents will also receive feedback during parent-teacher conferencing on

their child’s development.

• Parents may continue to refer to the work returned to the students

(Subject files with students’ completed work, rubrics, self/peer assessment

checklist, etc)

• Talk to your child to find out more about his/her learning experiences

Teacher to parents

Changes at a Glance

DISPOSITIONS

• Joy of Learning, e.g. enjoys problem-

solving, derives satisfaction from

learning new skills or discovering new

ideas

• Curiosity, e.g. asks questions to

develop deeper understanding

• Resilience and grit, e.g. does not

give up easily when the problem is

difficult

• Enthusiasm, e.g. shows an interest in

learning new things

• Open-mindedness, e.g. willing to try

out ideas or solutions offered by

peers, willing to explore possibilities or

consider other viewpoints

ACTIONS

• Good attendance

• Punctual for school and class

• Asks questions

• Completes homework

• Works independently

• Works towards learning goals in a

determined/ disciplined manner

• Cooperates well with others in a group

learning setting

• Participates actively in lessons across

subjects

• Acts on feedback and uses it to improve

performance

• Listens actively

• Respects ideas shared by peers

Who are involved in this process?

• To ensure a fair assessment of each child, all subject teachers (PAM), FT &

Co-FT will provide input for each child based on the MOE guidelines provided

for the learning dispositions

• MOE & the school trust the professional judgement of our teachers as

they will know their students based on the daily interactions with them in

school, and will hence be well-placed in making the selections.

• Teachers would be able to make regular observations of their learning

dispositions and actions across the various learning activities to provide a

more holistic assessment of every student, beyond just outward display of

certain learning behaviours

• These are low-stakes awards at the lower primary levels, which are meant to

encourage students to develop positive learning dispositions starting from a

young age

Clarification on ECHA

• The ECHA recognises top 2% of students who demonstrate

exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities

through their behaviour and actions, such as respect, integrity

and care; while the P1, P2 EMB is awarded to students who have

displayed good learning dispositions, such as diligence,

curiosity, collaboration and enthusiasm in daily lessons and

learning activities.

• The criteria for EMB are to signal the importance of the formation of

such positive learning dispositions starting from a young age.

• There is no change to the EMB income eligibility criterion. Students

must meet the gross household income criterion of $6,900 (or per

capita income of less than $1,725) to be eligible for the EMB.

Supporting our students

Pedagogical Approach to cater to the diversity of learners: Differentiated Instruction (In-class)

Whole-school approach in factoring students’

individual learning styles and levels of readiness

first before designing a lesson plan

Four ways for teachers to differentiate instruction:

1) Content

2) Process

3) Product and

4) Learning environment

Pedagogical Approach to cater to the diversity of learners: Differentiated Instruction (DI)

HPPS has embarked on DI since 2014 and our teachers are trained

regularly to deepen their pedagogical understanding and be refreshed

and equipped with the necessary skills & strategies to effect this in the

classroom.

Our teachers are also guided by MOE’s Singapore Teachers’ Practice

(STP) on the fraternity’s core beliefs about teaching and learning & the

pedagogical practices that make explicit what teachers put into practice

and reflect on before, during and after their interaction with students in

all learning contexts.

For more information on STP, please refer to this link

P2 Learning Support Programmes

• LSP for English provides additional support for students with weakliteracy skills. Students attend lessons one period a day in smallgroups, and are taught by specially trained teachers using strategiesthat will improve their reading ability.

• LSP for Mathematics (LSM) provides additional support to studentswho need help in acquiring basic numeracy skills. Students aretaught in smaller classes during their regular mathematics periods byspecially trained teachers.

• ENABLE is a school-based programme targeted at readingcomprehension & writing for students with weak literacy skills tosupport their learning. Students attend one period lessons with ourspecialized FAJT Mrs Theresa Tan.

P2 Learning Support Programmes

• P2 Pullout class for Chinese Language providesadditional support for students who are weak in masteringChinese Language. Students are taught in smallerclasses during regular Chinese Language periods byexperienced teachers.

• Oral school-based learning package targeted atdeveloping students’ oral skills and building theirconfidence in speaking Mandarin. These lessons areconducted during curriculum hours to supplement the CLSyllabus learning.

P3 Learning Support Programmes - SDR

• MOE's School-based Dyslexia Remediation programme (SDR) is a two-

year intervention programme for Primary 3 and 4 students. These

students are identified for support through a systematic screening

process for dyslexia conducted at the end of Primary 2.

• The programme is conducted after school in small groups by trainedschool personnel using a remediation curriculum designed by MOEReading Specialists.

• The preliminary findings from a pilot study in 2012 showed that studentswho had participated in the remediation programme had improved intheir reading and spelling skills.

• Watch this video to find out how the students learn and benefit from theprogramme!

P3 Learning Support Programmes- RRP

• The Reading Remediation Programme (RRP) aims to

provide support for P3 and P4 students who still face

consistent difficulty in reading in the English Language

despite having completed the Learning Support

Programme in P1 and P2.

• Conducted after school, the programme exposes

students to a range of strategies for reading

comprehension which will enable them to better manage

their learning in the regular classroom.

• Students who are not supported by MOE’s learning

support programmes but require further educational

support will be supported by their teachers through

school-based remediation programmes in P3 and P4.

These classes will be conducted after school.

• The remediation programme supports all the subjects for

selected groups of students.

• More information will be given in P3 next year

P3-P4 Remediation Programmes

Assessment Matters (Moving forward)

Levels T1 T2 T3 T4

P1 & P2 Unweighted Bite-size assessments (0%)

P3

Unweighted

Bite-size

assessments

(0%)

Weighted

Assessment

(15%)

Weighted

Assessment

(15%)

EYE

(70%)

P4Term Review

(0%)

MYE

(30%)

Term Review

(0%)

EYE

(70%)

Assessment Plan from 2020 (P3 onwards)

School-based assessments, including EYEs, are platforms to inform and

enhance teaching and learning. These examinations are not high stakes.

While the MYE is removed in transition years, schools will still conduct

weighted assessments such as class tests, projects, and presentations at

suitable junctures in the academic year.

Levels T1 T2 T3 T4

P5Term Review

(0%)

Weighted

Assessment

(15%)

Weighted

Assessment

(15%)

EYE

(70%)

P6Term Review

(0%)

MYE

(100%)

Prelims

(100%)NA

Assessment Plan from 2021 (P5 onwards)

Click here to find out more on Changes to Direct School Admission (DSA) to

secondary schools from 2019

Information is accurate as of 26 Feb 2019

• National examinations are conducted to gauge students’

learning progress at the end of key stages of their

educational journeys, and for making decisions on their

admission and placement to the next institution.

• MOE has also been working to reduce the stakes of

national examinations and broadening the definition of

success beyond academic results. This includes not

announcing the top performers in all national examinations

and recognising students’ different strengths and interests

through initiatives such as Direct School Admission and

Subject-Based Banding.

• School-based assessments are administered at

a localised level, to provide teachers with

information to enhance teaching and learning,

and address students’ learning gaps.

• Adjustments to school-based assessments

complement these changes. Collectively, they

signal the importance of holistic development

and discourage an excessive focus on

academic results.

To provide students with timely and specific feedback and address any

learning gaps that they might have, teachers will regularly gather

information about students’ understanding and content mastery through.

check-points, such as reviewing students’ homework, class work

and quizzes

Other examination points, such as the EYE and MYE in other academic

years, will continue to provide adequate opportunities to assess

students’ ability to apply their learning across a range of topics or

subjects, and familiarise them with the national examination

requirements.

Teachers can also familiarise students to examination requirements

through practices and learning experiences, which need not be weighted

(such as Term Reviews in HPPS)

Will students’ readiness for the national examinations be reduced with

the removal of weighted assessments at P1 and P2, and MYE at P3,

P5, S1 and S3? How will schools ensure that students have sufficient

practice to simulate standardised examination conditions?

Promotion Matters

Primary 2 to Primary 3

Non-academic considerations beyond ability-grouping

based on academic results have been used to re-group

our P2 students from 10 classes to P3 with 8 classes of

mixed-abilities

Some of the non-academic considerations are:

• Gender, ethnic and nationality for better social mixing

• Allocation of students with specific learning needs &

behavioural needs

• Facilitation of pull-out/ intervention programmes to

meet the needs of students

Whole Cohort (10 classes) P2 students

8 classes of P3 students

Mixed abilities

Gender, racial & nationality distribution for social mixing

Learning & behavioural needs

Mixed ability classes

3A 3B 3C 3D 3E 3F 3G 3H

Rationale

With this approach, it helps to:

• Reduce fine differentiation of classes

• Recognise that every child has different strengths

• Provide opportunities for students to learn from one another’s strengths

• Provide opportunities for healthy social interaction amongst pupils

FAQs

Will the class size increase from 30 when the students move to P3?

Yes the class size will increase in accordance to MOE’s guidelines. Some classes may have smaller class size to cater to the learning needs of the students with a lower teacher to student ratio.

FAQsIs 3A the best class, followed by 3B, etc and 3His the poorest class?

There is no best or poorest class. The classes areof mixed abilities.

Will all P3 students be eligible for the GiftedEducation Programme (GEP) ScreeningExercise?

Yes. All P3 students are eligible for the GEPScreening Exercise. Only shortlisted students willbe invited for GEP Selection Exercise by the GEBranch. More information will be provided in P3.

FAQsWill all the P3 classes go through the same curriculum?

All classes will go through the same P3 curriculumas guided by the respective subject syllabuses.However, the teaching approaches and materialswill differ to cater to the needs of the classes.

Additional educational support will be provided forstudents with learning/ behavioural needs

FAQs

Will there be any more streaming at the end of P3?

At the end of P3 (2019), some students may move due to GEP & some will be invited to join the GEP-mixed classes in P4

All other students will be promoted enbloc to P4 in 2020

More information will be given in the P3 parents’ briefing next year

Partnering Parents

Guidelines for School-Home Partnership

• Increased involvement of parents in their child’s educational

journey

• Range of expectations and practices in School-Home

Partnership within and across schools

• Guidelines for School-Home Partnership help to clarify what

meaningful parent engagement looks like

“MOE will provide guidelines to schools, to give greater clarity on involving and engaging parents in their child’s education, in a balanced and meaningful manner.

We will also support schools in re-calibrating parent-teacher engagement practices.”

– Minister Ong Ye Kung

Guidelines for School-

Home Partnership

(available online from the school

website a week after the sharing)

• We hope to clarify the nature

of school-home partnership so

that we can partner each other

more meaningfully.

• We would like parents to work

hand in hand with us to

support your children in

learning self-management

skills, taking responsibility and

building resilience.

Developing good habits

• We want to nurture your child to be a self-directed

learner with good habits and takes responsibility for

his/her own learning

Help your child manage himself/herself

• We want your child to be able to manage challenges and make ethical responsible decisions to thrive in the VUCA future

Working with the school to know and support your child

• We want to develop and strengthen mutual understanding, respect and trust between the school and parents for the benefit of your child

Encourage Joy of Learning!

Encourage Joy of Learning by

• not over-emphasising academic

performance

• focus on your child’s learning

journey, rather than compare

them to others

Give our children the time and space to deepen learning

FAQs

FAQs

Will the mandarin lesson still split into 2 types of classes for P2? 深广 (enrichment) 和核心 (core)？

All P2 students this year are taking the enrichment (深广) except for the P2 pull-out students.

A student does not meet the income criterion for the

Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB). Will he definitely receive the

Education Merit Award (EMA)?

As with the existing arrangement, the EMA will continue to be

administered by People’s Association. If a student does not

meet the income criterion for the EMB, he qualifies for the

EMA. The decision whether to award the EMA is made by

People’s Association.

FAQs