School Leaders Session

with P6 Parents

22 January 2021

PARENTS, PLEASE TAKE NOTE

• The slides will be made available on the School’s website after the briefing.

• No photography/videoing and/or uploading of today’s briefing on social media is allowed.

Objectives of Session

• Opening Address by Principal• Sharing with parents the P6 year

plan 2021.• New PSLE Format• Direct School Admission

TERM 1

P6 Year Plan 2021

S/N Date Activity

1. 22 January SL Tea session with Parents – P6

2. 23 January Math and Science Session with Parents

3. 30 January EL and MT Session with Parents

4. 19 – 25

February

CA

5. 1 – 12

March

MT Fortnight cum Language Week

TERM 2

P6 Year Plan 2021

S/N Date Activity

1. 12 March P6 PTC

2. 26 April P6 LC

3. 26 and 27 April P6 MT E-Oral

4. 28 April P6 EL Oral

5. 5 to 11 May SA1

6. 20 and 21 May P6 Motivational Camp

7. 28 May P6 PTC (Selected Parents)

8. 21 to 23 June P6 Supplementary lessons

TERM 3

P6 Year Plan 2021

S/N Date Activity

1. 22 and 23 July Prelims Oral

2. 12 and 13 August PSLE Oral

3. 19 to 25 August Prelims

4. 27 August Prelims LC

4. 8 to 10

September

P6 Supplementary Class

TERM 4

P6 Year Plan 2021

S/N Date Activity

1. 17 September PSLE LC

2. 30 Sept – 6 October PSLE

3. 8 October Children’s Day

4. 18 to 21 October PSLE Marking Days

5. 12 November Secondary School fair

6. 19 November Speech Day

7. 25 or 26 November

(tentative)

PSLE Results

UPDATES ON PSLE SCORING & S1 POSTING FROM 2021IT’S PART OF A BIGGER STORY

© MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT

GROUP, 2019

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

9

HOW PSLE SCORING WORKS

FROM T-SCORE TO WIDER SCORING BANDS

(a) Reduces fine differentiation of students

Students with similar scores in each

subject will be grouped into wider bands

measured in 8 ALs.

(b) Reflects a student’s individual level ofachievement

Unlike the current T-score, the students’ AL

for each subject will reflect their level of

achievement, rather than how they have

performed relative to their peers.

ALRAW MARK

RANGE

1 ≥ 90

2 85 – 89

3 80 – 84

4 75 – 79

5 65 – 74

6 45 – 64

7 20 – 44

8 < 20

11

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).

From 2024, all Secondary 1 students will be taking subjects at the G1, G2 or G3 level, based on their PSLE scores in the respective subjects.

4 SUBJECT ALs WILL BE ADDED TO FORM THE PSLE SCORE

ENGLISH

MOTHER TONGUE

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

AL3

AL2

AL1

AL2

PSLE SCORE: 8

Recap from 2016

13

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

HOW S1 POSTING WORKS

Recap from 2016

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)

16

20 20

4 students - Jane, Bryan, Mary and John, are vying for the last places in School A and School B.

Students with

better scores

will be posted

first

Jane will be posted first

as she has a better

PSLE score, and will be

posted to School A.

As Jane has taken that last place in School A, Bryan, Mary and

John, having the same PSLE score, will vie for the last available

place in School B.

Tie-breaker 1:

Citizenship

Bryan and Mary are Singapore Citizens and

will have a priority to enter School B.

John will be tie-

broken out as he is a

Permanent

Resident.

With no places in

School B, John will

be considered for

School D.

Tie-breaker 2:

Choice order of

schools

As Bryan ranked

School B higher than

Mary in his choice

order of secondary

schools, he will be

posted to School B.

Since the last

place of School B

is taken by Bryan,

Mary will be

considered for School C.

Tie-breaker 3:

Computerised

balloting

Jane

Singapore

Citizen

16

Bryan

Singapore

Citizen

Mary

Singapore

Citizen

John

Singapore PREXAMPLE:

School A

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

18

USE OF HCL FOR ADMISSION INTO

SAP SCHOOLS

19

STUDENTS’ HCL GRADES GIVE POSTING ADVANTAGE FOR SAP SCHOOLS

20

Prior to 2021

Currently, for

admission to SAP

schools, students are

awarded bonus T-

score points based on

their HCL grade:

o 3 points for

Distinction

o 2 points for Merit

o 1 point for Pass

From 2021 Onwards

Students with better PSLE

scores will be posted first, even

if they did not take HCL (the 1st

child with 7).

Amongst students with the same

PSLE score, those with better

HCL grades will be posted first.

(the 2nd to 5th child with 8).

This posting advantage applies

before the tie-breakers for S1

posting.

Students will be ranked taking into account their performance in HCL.

Their HCL performance will beindicated 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

6th

21

PSLE

Score

7

8D

8M

8P

8

9D

• Anglican High School

• Catholic High School

• CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School

• Chung Cheng High School (Main)

• Dunman High School

• Hwa Chong Institution (High School Section)

• Maris Stella High School

• Nanyang Girls’ High School

• River Valley High School

• Nan Hua High School

• Nan Chiau High School

List of Current SAP schools

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

24

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.

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.

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

25

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 <20

26

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.

With Full Subject-based Banding in secondary schools, students may

also take subjects at a higher level for those that they are strong in.

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 MA

27

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

INDICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL (AL) CUT-OFF POINT

(COP) RANGES FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOL TYPES

INDICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL (AL) CUT-OFF POINT (COP) RANGES FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOL TYPES

To further familiarise the first batch of students and parents

with the new PSLE 2021 scoring system, MOE is providing

more information on indicative AL COP ranges for different

school types, generated based on data from the 2019 S1

Posting Exercise.

Similar to the current T-score system, the AL COP for a school

may vary from year to year, depending on students’ PSLE

results and their school choices for that year’s S1 Posting

Exercise.

Information on individual secondary schools’ indicative AL

COPs will be released in first half of 2021. These AL COPs will

be derived from the PSLE Scores and choice patterns of the

2020 S1 Posting Exercise.

32

Government &

Government-aided Schools

These schools are the mainstay of our

education system, and offer high-quality

education at standardised fees. These

schools offer a range of electives, applied

subjects and student development

programmes.

Course Indicative AL COP

range for 2019

PSLE

Express (Integrated

Programme (IP))

7 – 9

Express (O-level) 8 – 22

N(A) 22 – 25

N(T) 26 – 30

New Slide

INDICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL (AL) CUT-OFF POINT (COP) RANGES FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOL TYPES

33

Independent schools

These schools have the autonomy to develop

their curriculum and programmes to cater to

their students’ diverse learning needs.

Course Indicative AL COP

range for 2019

PSLE

Express (IP) 6 – 8

Express (O-level) 8 – 10

Autonomous Schools

These schools are Government or

Government-aided schools that provide a

wider range of programmes that seek to

enhance students’ learning experiences and

develop their talents.

Course Indicative AL COP

range for 2019

PSLE

Express (IP) 7 – 9

Express (O-level) 8 – 16

N(A) 22 – 25

N(T) 26 – 29

INDICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL (AL) CUT-OFF POINT (COP) RANGES FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOL TYPES

34

CHOOSING A SUITABLE SECONDARY SCHOOL

• Consider your child’s learning style, strengths and interests when

making school choices in order to find a school that would help the

child learn and thrive best.

• Discuss the options with the child, with the following considerations:

• Values: What is the school’s culture and ethos?

• Learning environment: Is the school’s learning environment

right for the child?

• Distinctive programmes and CCAs: Can the school support and

develop the child’s interests?

• Location: Is it too far from home? How will the child get to

school?

DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILD

RESOURCES

•MOE SchoolFinder tool - More information on

secondary schools can be found here, on school

websites and in the Secondary 1 information booklet

given to students in Primary 6.

•Open Houses - Secondary schools also hold open

houses where you and your child can learn more

about the school’s programmes, and speak with

teachers and students.

• Indicative cut-off points ranges for different school

types

• The indicative AL COPs ranges for school types

can be used as reference point.

•MOE will be providing indicative AL COPs for

secondary schools in 1H/2021, based on the data

from 2020 S1 posting exercise.

• The actual cut-off points may differ, depending on

how students exercise their choices that year.

MOE SchoolFinder Tool

SUBJECT-BASED BANDING (SECONDARY) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER THE AL

SCORING SYSTEM

• Since 2018, MOE has introduced Subject-Based Banding

(SBB) in all secondary schools with N(A) and N(T) courses.

• SBB (Sec) provides students with greater flexibility to take

various subjects at a more demanding level based on their

subject-specific strengths and aptitudes.

• Under the new PSLE scoring system, students from the

Normal course will continue to be eligible to take subjects at a

more demanding level at Secondary 1 based on their AL

scores for individual subjects, to recognise and develop

students’ subject-specific strengths.

SUBJECT-BASED BANDING (SECONDARY)

[SBB (SEC)] ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER

THE AL SCORING SYSTEM

38

• Under the new AL scoring system, the SBB (Sec) eligibility

criteria is as follows:

39

PSLE Standard / Foundation

Subject Grade

Option to take subject at

AL 5 or better in a Standard

level subject

Express level

AL 6 or better in a Standard

level subject

OR

AL A in a Foundation level

subject

N(A) level

SBB (SEC) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER THE

AL SCORING SYSTEM

New Slide

40

SBB (SEC) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER THE

AL SCORING SYSTEM• A student scores an overall Score of 23 and AL 5

for Science will placed in the N(A) course. He will be eligible to take Science at a more demanding level (i.e. Express level) at Secondary 1.

• Taking up Science at a more demanding level would allow him to learn at a level more suited to his pace of learning, aptitudes and passions. It could also motivate him to be more meaningfully engaged.

• Eligible students can discuss with their parents and teachers to decide whether to accept the offer.

• As students grow and develop in secondary school, they will continue to have more opportunities to take subjects at more demanding levels based on their in-school performance, to further pursue their interests and develop to their fullest potential.

Direct School Admission for Secondary Schools (DSA-Sec)

Entering a secondary school

PSLE/S1 Posting Process DSA-Sec

• Based on a student’s PSLE score• Most students enter secondary

schools this way

• Based on a diverse range of talents and achievements in specific academicsubjects or non-academic areas, beyond what the PSLE recognises

• Allows students to access school programmes to develop their talents

42

Overview of DSA

• Direct School Admission for secondary schools (DSA-Sec) allows students to gain direct entry to certain secondary schools based on their talent in sports, CCAs and specific academic areas.

• After exploring the list of schools and programmes, visit the schools’ websites to learn about their different selection criteria and processes. Schools generally update the information by 1 April.

• Students then apply for their preferred schools through the DSA-Sec portal from May to June.

• Shortlisted students will be notified by the schools to attend interviews, auditions or trials between July and August.

Overview of DSA

• Selected students will receive offers from the schools directly by Mid September 2021. They should then submit their school preferences from End October 2021 through the DSA-Sec Portal.

• Admission will only be confirmed when the PSLE results are released at the end of November.

Eligibility

Primary 6 students can apply for DSA-Sec based on a wide-range of talents, including:

• Sports and games

• Visual, literary and performing arts

• Debate and public speaking

• Science, mathematics and engineering

• Languages and humanities

• Uniformed groups

• Leadership (for example, prefects)

Schools have different selection processes but, in general, applicants must be able to demonstrate their talent, potential, passion and character through their school track record and online DSA applications. For example, your child might have:

• Represented the school in a CCA.

• Held a role in a play or performance.

• Done well in a subject such as mathematics or creative writing.

• Held a leadership role in class or a CCA.

Things to note

• Your child’s PSLE score still matters. Students offered placement in a DSA-Sec school still need a PSLE score that qualifies them for the course offered by the school.

• If your child is admitted through DSA-Sec, they must commit to their chosen school for the duration of the programme. They are not allowed to transfer to another secondary school.

Which school should my child apply to?

• Look for a school with programmes that match your child’s strengths and interests

– Schools are looking out for students whose interests and talents they can develop further.

– Learn more about the secondary school’s pace of learning and overall range of programmes

• Get the latest information about what each school offers by:

– Visiting schools’ websites

– Attending schools’ Open Houses to also experience their environments and cultures

– Visiting the MOE’s DSA-Sec website

DSA-SEC APPLICATION

48

Is the DSA-Sec right for my child?

If your child has specific talents which a school offers the DSA-Sec in

And is passionate about and committed to developing his/her strengths and interests

Talent

Passion

Commit-ment

49

DSA-Sec can support his/her development in that talent area.

50

DSA-Sec Application Portal

• To encourage students to tap on the expanded DSA opportunities, the DSA-Sec application process has been simplified.

• Students will be able to apply for DSA through a centralised DSA-Sec Application Portal, using a common application form.

• The portal simplifies and streamlines the DSA application process, making it convenient for all students.

What is the timeline for 2021 DSA-Sec?

May - June(4 weeks)

Apply for DSA-Sec through DSA-Sec Application Portal.

Mid June – End August

Shortlisting and selection by secondary schools. Each secondary school has different selection criteria for its categories and programmes. Schools will inform you of the selection outcome by Aug.

Rank your offers, if you receive offers from multiple schools

Late-October

You will know whether you have been allocated to a school through the DSA-Sec, at the same time you receive your PSLE results.

Late-November

51

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal

1. Centralised online applications

– Applications will be centralised across all participating secondary schools

– The form will be easy to fill – you only have to key in contact details and your school and talent choices

– You do not need to submit testimonials or hardcopy documents to the secondary school during application.

2. Application using Singpass

– Parents can access the Portal via their SingPass login. Only one parent’s SingPass login is required.

52

3. No application fees

– No fees charged for DSA-Sec application and selection.

– We encourage all students who are passionate about and committed to developing particular talents to apply, regardless of family backgrounds.

4. Making choices in the DSA-Sec portal

– Through the portal, you can easily identify schools that offer programmes for your child’s talent area.

– You can indicate up to three choices. For each choice, you will need to choose a secondary school and a talent area from that school.

– The order of the choices does not matter during application.

– Of the three choices, up to two choices may be used to apply to the same school, for two different talent areas of that school. This is to cater to your child’s multiple interests, and allow your child to choose different schools which can develop his/her strengths and interests.

– You and your child are encouraged to consider your choices carefully, and manage the time and effort participating in multiple trials and interviews.

53

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal

Note: Students can apply separately to School of the Arts and Singapore Sports School, on top of the DSA-Sec choices made through the DSA-Sec Portal.

Examples of Possible Choice Combinations

54

Your child can apply to up to three different schools, with no restrictions on the talent areas.

If your child chooses two areas in one school, he/she can apply to two different schools only,

Your child cannot use all three choices on one school. He/she can leave the third choice blank or choose another school.

NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION PORTAL

EXAMPLE 1

Talent(s) School(s)

Choir School A

Choir School B

Choir School C

EXAMPLE 2

Talent(s) School(s)

Choir School A

String Orchestra School A

Choir School B

EXAMPLE 3(Not allowed)

Talent(s) School(s)

Choir School A

String Orchestra School A

Mathematics School A

What are schools looking for?

DSA-SEC SELECTION

• Schools have updated their selection practices, which arebased on a common set of student-centric principles, withmore emphasis on looking for sound fundamentals andpotential in particular talent areas.

• The DSA-Sec selection process remains objective andtalent-specific.

55

What are the possible DSA-Sec outcomes?

• Confirmed Offer (CO) Your child has a place reserved in the school, as long as his/her PSLE results qualify him/her for a course the school offers (i.e. Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical)).

• Wait List (WL) Your child will be given a place in the school if other students with Confirmed Offers do not take up those offers, and if his/her PSLE results qualify him/her for a course the school offers. Allocation will be based on students’ rank on the school’s Wait List.

• Unsuccessful Your child has not been given a place in the school. If your child still wishes to enter the schools he/she applied for, he/she can apply through the S1 Posting process using his/her PSLE results.

56

SELECTION OUTCOME

How are DSA-Sec places allocated?

Example: Confirmed Offer vs Wait List

Hani is given Confirmed Offer by Courage Secondary. Hani selectedCourage Secondary as her 2nd choice.

Victor is offered a Wait List by Courage Secondary. Victor selectedCourage Secondary as his 1st choice.

Who will be considered for a place in Courage Secondary first?

Hani will be considered for a DSA-Sec place in Courage Secondarybefore Victor, as she has a Confirmed Offer.

57

SELECTION OUTCOME

If my child have a DSA-Sec Confirmed Offer, does it mean that his/her PSLE results will not matter?

• Your child’s PSLE results will still be used to determine the secondary school course he/she is eligible for (i.e. Express, Normal (Academic), Normal (Technical))

• Even if he/she has a Confirmed Offer, he/she must qualify for a course offered by the school to be admitted to the DSA-Sec school.

58

SELECTION OUTCOME

Example: Leo has a Confirmed Offer from Courage Secondary, which offers the Express Course only. However, Leo’s PSLE results qualify him for the Normal (Academic) course. Hence, Leo will not be able to go to Courage Secondary through DSA-Sec. If he is not allocated a place in another DSA-Sec school whose CO/WL offer he had accepted at the School Preference stage, he will participate in the S1 Posting.

59

Where can I find more information on theDSA-Sec?

• Check the MOE DSA-Sec website for important dates and timelines, and for information on how DSA-Sec will be conducted.

• The MOE DSA-Sec website also contains information on DSA categories and secondary schools offering them.

MORE INFORMATION

Useful websites

School website – main events and

school assessmentshttp://www.rivervalepri.moe.edu.sg/

SEAB website - PSLE Exam matters http://www.seab.gov.sg/

DSA – Direct School Admission

https://beta.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa/

Q&A

Thank You