briefing for p4 parents june 2020 - ncps

Briefing for P4 Parents June 2020

https://www.ncps.moe.edu.sg/parents-and-students/information-

for-parents/subject-based-banding/

https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/primary/subject-based-

banding-(primary)

Parents to refer to school / MOE

website for more information on SBB

https://www.ncps.moe.edu.sg/parents-and-students/information-for-parents/subject-based-banding/

https://www.moe.gov.sg/education/primary/subject-based-banding-(primary)

UPDATES ON PSLE SCORING & S1 POSTING FROM 2021And

SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN MAKING SUBJECT CHOICES

© MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT

GROUP, 2019

2020 BRIEFING FOR P4 PARENTS

OVERVIEW

PSLE SCORING AND S1

POSTING

How PSLE Scoring Works

How S1 Posting Works

SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN MAKING

SUBJECT CHOICES

Eligibility for Secondary School Higher Mother Tongue Language

(HMTL)

Scoring for Foundation Subjects

Scoring for MTL-Exempt and students studying an Asian Language

(AsL) / Foreign Language (FL) in lieu of an MTL

Presentation of results in Achievement Levels (ALs)

Indicative AL Cut-Off Points (COPs) 3

Over the years, we have been fine-tuning the education

system to help our students discover and develop their

strengths and interests, while moving away from an over-

emphasis on academic results.

Our PSLE scoring changes aim to:

Reduce fine differentiation at a young age

Recognise students’ level of achievement, regardless of

how their peers have done

THE PSLE CHANGES ARE PART OF A

BIGGER STORY

5

HOW PSLE SCORING WORKS

FROM T-SCORE TO WIDER SCORING BANDS

(a)Reduces fine differentiation ofstudents

Students with similar scores in eachsubject will be grouped into wider bandsmeasured in 8 ALs.

(b) Reflects a student’s individual levelof achievement

Unlike the current T-score, the students’AL for each subject will reflect their levelof achievement, rather than how theyhave performed relative to their peers.

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

7

The PSLE Score replaces the T-score aggregate.

The PSLE Score ranges from 4 to 32, with 4 being the best.

Students will be placed in secondary school courses based on their PSLE score – Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical).

4 SUBJECT ALs WILL BE ADDED TO FORM

THE PSLE SCORE

ENGLISH

MOTHER TONGUE

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

AL3

AL2

AL1

AL2

PSLE SCORE: 8 8

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /

N(A) OPTION21 – 22

N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T) option 25

N(T)26-30, with AL7 or better in

both EL and MA

ENGLISH

MOTHER TONGUE

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

AL3

AL2

AL1

AL2

PSLE SCORE: 8

9

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /

N(A) OPTION21 – 22

N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T) option 25

N(T)26-30, with AL7 or better in

both EL and MA

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

HOW S1 POSTING WORKS

CHOICE ORDER OF SCHOOLS WILL

MATTER MORE

Academic merit, i.e. the PSLE Score, remains the first

criterion for secondary school posting.

If two students with the same PSLE Score vie for a

place in a school, the following tie-breakers will be

used:

1. CITIZENSHIP

2. CHOICE ORDER OF SCHOOLS

3. COMPUTERISED BALLOTING

(NEW)

11

CHOOSING SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Parents and students should consider the

student’s strengths and interests and make

school choices based on the school’s

unique culture, ethos and programmes

Parents and students can find out more

about secondary schools’ distinctive

programmes through MOE’s SchoolFinder

tool, secondary schools’ websites and open

houses.

MOE SchoolFinder Tool

12https://www.myskillsfuture.sg/content/student/en/primary/education

-guide/explore-school/school-advance-search.html

https://www.myskillsfuture.sg/content/student/en/primary/education-guide/explore-school/school-advance-search.html

SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMMES

• 4-year programme leading to the GCE O-Level ExaminationExpress Course

• Normal (Academic) [N(A)] or Normal (Technical) [N(T)] curriculum

• 4-year programme leading to the GCE N-Level examination.

• A 5th year leading to the GCE O-Level examination N(A) students who do well in their GCE N-Levels may take the GCE O-Level exam in the 5th year.

Normal Course

• 6-year Sec and JC education for academically-strong students

• aims to stretch students’ potential in non-academic aspects that are beyond the academic curriculum.

• culminates in the GCE A-Level qualification, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or NUS High School Diploma

Integrated Programme

(IP)

TYPES OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

• Autonomous schools

• Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools

Government & Government-Aided

Schools

• Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Hwa Chong Institution

• Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary). Nanyang Girls’ High School

• Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary), Raffles Institution

• Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, St Joseph’s Institution

Independent Schools

• NUS High School of Mathematics and Science

• School of Science and Technology

• School of the Arts

• Singapore Sports School

Specialised Independent schools

• Crest Secondary School (for N(T) eligible students)

• Spectra Secondary School (for N(T) eligible students)

• Northlight School

• Assumption Pathway School

Specialised Schools


• Ang Mo Kio Secondary School

• Assumption English School

• Bedok Green Secondary School

• Bowen Secondary School

• Clementi Town Secondary School

• Deyi Secondary School

• Edgefield Secondary School

• Evergreen Secondary School

• Gan Eng Seng School

• Greendale Secondary School

• Jurong Secondary School

• Jurong West Secondary School

• Mayflower Secondary School

• Monfort Secondary School

Schools piloting Full Subject-Based

Banding from 2020


• Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Sec)

• Pei Hwa Secondary School

• Ping Yi Secondary School

• Queenstown Secondary School

• Riverside Secondary School

• St. Andrew’s Secondary School

• St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School

• St. Patrick’s School

• Swiss Cottage Secondary School

• Temasek Secondary School

• West Spring Secondary School

• Whitley Secondary School

• Yuying Secondary School

• Zhenghua Secondary School

Schools piloting Full Subject-Based

Banding from 2020

USE OF HIGHER CHINESE LANGUAGE

(HCL) FOR ADMISSION INTO SAP SCHOOLS

17

Students will be ranked taking into

account their performance in HCL.

Their HCL performance will be

indicated in their PSLE Score.

This posting advantage applies

before the tie-breakers for S1

posting.

THIS HCL POSTING ADVANTAGE

FOR ENTRY TO SAP SCHOOLS WILL

CONTINUE

8 DISTINCTION

8 MERIT

8 PASS

8 NO HCL

9 DISTINCTION

7 NO HCL1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th18

PSLE

Score

7

8D

8M

8P

8

9D

SAP SCHOOLS WITH POSTING ADVANTAGE ENTRY

Anglican High School

Catholic High School

CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School

Chung Cheng High School (Main)

Dunman High School

Hwa Chong Institution

Maris Stella High School

Nan Chiau High School

Nan Hua High School

Nanyang Girls’ High School

River Valley High School

SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND

PARENTS IN MAKING

SUBJECT CHOICES

SUBJECT-BASED BANDING (PRIMARY)

OFFERING DIFFERENT SUBJECT COMBINATIONS


Subject-based Banding (Primary) provides greater

flexibility for students by offering them the option of

Standard and Foundation Subjects, depending on their

strengths. This will allow students to focus on and stretch

their potential in the subjects they are strong in while

building up the fundamentals in the subject they need

more support in.

The new PSLE scoring system will not change the

considerations for deciding on a student’s subject

combination.

19


19

Schools will continue to recommend based on the following:

Student’s aptitude, motivation and performance in each

subject;

Student’s ability to cope with a particular subject

combination; and

Whether the subject combination focuses sufficiently on

literacy and numeracy, and facilitates the student’s

articulation to secondary school and beyond.

Offering subjects at Foundation level is not a disadvantage to

the students. It enables them to focus on building up strong

fundamentals in these subjects and better prepares them for

progression to secondary school.

SUBJECT COMBINATION AT PRIMARY 5

Scores Band 1 for 4 subjects

4 Standard subjects +

Higher mother tongue

language (HMTL)

Passes 3 or more subjects

4 Standard subjects

Passes 2 subjects or less

3 Standard subjects + 1 foundation subject

OR2 standard subjects + 2 foundation subjects

OR4 foundation subjects

School recommends a P5 subject combination based on P4

overall examination results. Parents select preferred

combination.

At the end of

P4, if your

child

Your child

will be

recommended

to take this

combination

for Primary 5

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MTL AND HMTL

Mother Tongue Language

(MTL)

Higher Mother Tongue Language

(HMTL)

Exam: MTL Oral, Listening

Comprehension, Papers 1 and 2

Exam: MTL Oral, Listening

Comprehension, Papers 1 and 2, and

HMTL Papers 1 and 2

9 MTL periods per week 11 HMTL periods per week

(9 periods plus 2 periods after school)

Use MTL textbooks only Use HMTL textbooks only

Remedial support for students

who are unable to cope with MTL

No remedial support as eligibility criteria

for HMTL is intended for students who can

cope with higher academic load

Mother Tongue Language (MTL) Higher Mother Tongue

Language (HMTL)

Format Marks Format Marks

Oral 50 Paper

1(Composition)

40

Listening

Comprehension

20 Paper 2 60

Paper 1 (Composition) 40

Paper 2 90

MTL AND HMTL EXAM FORMATS

MTL Paper 2 Questions HMTL Paper 2 Questions

Language Use Language Use

Vocabulary (contextual clues) Vocabulary (contextual clues)

Comparison Rephrasing

Direct questions (factual, quoting) Inferential

Open-ended Open-ended

Summarisation (Use 15 words to

summarise a paragraph) (for HCL)

Higher Order

Thinking Skills

MTL AND HMTL EXAM SKILLS

REQUIREMENT

ELIGIBILITY FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

HIGHER MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE (HMTL)

ELIGIBILITY FOR HMTL IN SECONDARY

SCHOOLS

For students who do not meet the above criteria, secondary schools

will continue to have the flexibility to offer HMTL to students, if they

are assessed to have high ability and interest in MTL and are able to

take HMTL without affecting their performance in other subjects.

ELIGIBLITY CRITERIA FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HMTL

(i) PSLE Score of 8 or better

OR

(ii) PSLE Score of 9 to 14 inclusive; and attain

AL1 / AL2 in MTL or

Distinction / Merit in HMTL

The eligibility criteria for taking HMTL is intended to ensure that

students can cope with the higher academic load, and takes

reference from the current criteria.

29

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

30

ELIGIBLITY CRITERIA FOR SECONDARY

SCHOOL HMTL

(i) PSLE Score of 8 or better

OR

(ii) PSLE Score of 9 to 14 inclusive; and attain

AL1 / AL2 in MTL or

Distinction / Merit in HMTL

SCORING FOR FOUNDATION LEVEL

SUBJECTS

Under the current PSLE grading system, Foundation

subjects are graded in 5 scoring bands from Grade 1 to U.

FOUNDATION SUBJECTS GRADED

IN 5 BANDS TODAY

32

Current System

GradeRaw Mark

Range

1 85 – 100

2 70 – 84

3 50 – 69

4 30 – 49

U < 30

Under the new AL system, to reduce fine differentiation

among students, Foundation subject grades will be graded

in 3 scoring bands from AL A to C.

FOUNDATION LEVEL SUBJECT GRADES

TO BE LESS FINELY DIFFERENTIATED

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

A 75 – 100

B 30 – 74

C < 30

33

Like Standard subject ALs, the

Foundation subject ALs will reflect a

student’s level of achievement, rather

than how they have performed

relative to their peers.

For the purpose of S1 posting, Foundation level AL A to

AL C will be mapped to AL 6 to AL 8 of Standard level

subjects respectively, to derive a student’s overall PSLE

Score.

Similar to the current PSLE scoring system, this mapping

is based on the learning and assessment load of the

subjects, and informs students of their readiness to

access the curriculum at the secondary level.

FOUNDATION LEVEL SUBJECT GRADES

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

Equivalent

Standard

Subject AL

Standard Raw

Mark Range

A 75 – 100 6 45-64

B 30 – 74 7 20-44

C < 30 8 <2034

A student’s PSLE Score is the sum of the four AL scores

across his/her Standard and Foundation subjects.

Students taking Foundation subjects are eligible for the

Express Course, as long as they meet the course placement

criteria.

SCORING OF FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

FOR S1 POSTING

ENGLISH

FOUNDATION

MOTHER

TONGUE

FOUNDATION

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

AL3

ALB

ALB

AL5

PSLE SCORE: 22

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /

N(A) option21 – 22

N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T)

option25

N(T)26 – 30, with AL7 or

better in both EL and MA35

EXAMPLES OF SCORING WITH

FOUNDATION SUBJECTS FOR S1 POSTING

STANDARD Subj.

STANDARD Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

STANDARD Subj.

AL3

AL5

ALB = AL7

AL5

PSLE SCORE: 20

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /


N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T)

option25


better in both EL and MA

36

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

Equivalent

Standard

Subject AL

Standard Raw

Mark Range

B 30 – 74 7 20-44



STANDARD Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

STANDARD Subj.

AL3

ALB = AL7

ALB = AL7

AL5

PSLE SCORE: 22

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /


N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T)

option25



37

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

Equivalent

Standard

Subject AL

Standard Raw

Mark Range

B 30 – 74 7 20-44



STANDARD Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

STANDARD Subj.

AL5

ALB = AL7

ALB = AL7

AL5

PSLE SCORE: 24

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /


N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T)

option25



38

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

Equivalent

Standard

Subject AL

Standard Raw

Mark Range

B 30 – 74 7 20-44



FOUNDATION Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

FOUNDATION Subj.

ALB = AL7

ALB = AL7

ALB = AL7

ALB = AL7

PSLE SCORE: 28

PLACEMENT

OUTCOMEPSLE SCORE

EXPRESS 4 – 20

EXPRESS /


N(A) 23 – 24

N(A) / N(T)

option25



39

AL RAW MARK RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

Foundation Level

AL Reflected on

Result Slip

Foundation Raw

Mark Range

Equivalent

Standard

Subject AL

Standard Raw

Mark Range

B 30 – 74 7 20-44

SCORING FOR MTL-EXEMPT AND

STUDENTS STUDYING AN ASIAN

LANGUAGE (AsL) / FOREIGN

LANGUAGE (FL) IN LIEU OF AN

MTL

• For students who are exempted from MTL or take an AsL/FL

in lieu of an official MTL, their PSLE result slip will only

reflect the three subjects they have taken.

• However, for the purposes of Secondary 1 posting, these

students will need an assigned MTL score so that they have

a PSLE score comprising four subjects

• To determine the assigned MTL score, reference is

made to MTL scores of other students who have

achieved similar scores in English, Mathematics, and

Science.

• This is the same approach taken in today’s T-score

system.

SCORING FOR MTL-EXEMPT AND AsL/FL

STUDENTS

41

• In reviewing the score assignment for these students under

the new PSLE scoring system, we needed to strike a

balance between:

• Acknowledging that students have valid reasons for

seeking MTL exemption or taking an AsL/FL, and

• Ensuring some parity between scoring for exemption,

Foundation and Standard MTL.

42


STUDENTS

• Under the new scoring system, the assigned MTL score will:

• Take reference from peers with similar scores for

English, Mathematics and Science;

• While maintaining parity of treatment with students who

take Foundation MTL (who will score between AL 6 to 8).

• Hence, students will receive an assigned MTL score

between AL 6 to 8 in PSLE.

43


STUDENTS

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS IN

ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS IN ALs Starting from the 2020 P5 cohort, schools will present school-based

examination results of P5 and P6 students in ALs.

2020 P6 students will not be affected, nor will P1 to P4 students.

This will help familiarise students and parents with the new AL scoring system.

Update from “Grade” to “AL”

New Field to compute “Total AL Score”

49

INDICATIVE AL CUT-OFF

POINTS (COPs)

To support parents and students in making informed secondary school choices, MOE will provide information on each school’s indicative COP in AL terms in the first half of 2021.

These AL COPs will be derived from the PSLE scores and choice patterns of the 2020 S1 posting exercise.

This is sufficient time for the 2021 PSLE cohort to make their secondary school choices and choose to apply for DSA (Sec) if they wish.

INDICATIVE COPs

51

FAMILIARISING STUDENTS AND PARENTS WITH THE

NEW SYSTEM AND GUIDING THEM IN MAKING

SUBJECT CHOICES

52

In summary

2021Primary 5

2022Primary 6

2020Primary 4

Scoring for Foundation level subjects – to guide students and parents on whether to take Foundation level subjects at PSLE

Release of Indicative AL COPs – to guide students and parents in making school choices

School Results in Achievement Levels (ALs) –to familiarize students and parents to the new system

Eligibility for Secondary School HMTL – to guide students and parents on whether to take HMTL at PSLE

CONTACT PERSONS FOR ENQUIRIES

Mother Tongue related matters

Mr Darren Lim

[email protected]

General Enquiries

Mdm Siti Hajar

[email protected]

THANK YOU!

briefing for p4 parents june 2020 - ncps

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