We know that parents in Singapore can get stressed over the PSLE, and recently, we held a KiasuParents Huddle webinar, to help families thrive during the last lap of the PSLE.

Do watch our partial recording, where our webinar panellists address these questions:

• How to prevent stress from building up, running up to the PSLE?
• Is there a good way to prevent mental blocks?
• How do we know if we are raising the bar high enough for our kids, versus overstretching them?
• Is it OK to offer screen time as a reward for completion of homework or test papers?
• How do we handle a child who does not want to do any extra work, besides what the school is giving them?
• What if your child is academically weak, and doesn’t seem to comprehend the impact of the PSLE?
• Any PSLE revision advice for children with ASD or ADHD?
• Is there a healthy and/or strategic way of managing your child’s time during the final weeks?
• How can a parent balance work and supporting a child through the PSLE?
• How to calm a child if they come out of the exam hall crying?

In addition to the above, there were other thoughtful questions that we couldn't cover during our webinar. To support PSLE parents, we’ll continue to address some of these questions over the coming weeks. 

We hope you’ll find these insights useful. Wishing you and your child all the best in the lead-up to the PSLE!

If the end goal is a prestigious university, what are the available routes to a top secondary school, besides the GEP or DSA?

First, we would like to clarify that the Gifted Education Programme or GEP does not provide priority entry to any Singapore secondary school. 

When your child eventually applies to universities, especially abroad, the learning and growth experiences from the GEP may set them apart, but again, this depends very much on the individual, and how their stories are presented in an application essay or during an interview.

Second, the GEP will be revamped so that it can benefit 10 percent of the cohort, and every primary school will be equipped to identify and develop its high-ability students. (The programme currently benefits around one percent of each year’s primary school cohort.)

The new selection process begins in 2026 for Primary 3 students. In other words, those starting Primary 4 in 2027 will be the first batch of students under the new programme. Going forward, you should be aware that the programme will not be as exclusive, and experiences may vary from school to school. On the whole, this may impact how the programme is viewed by others as well.

You should also know that entry to Singapore secondary schools is either through one’s PSLE grades, released at year end, or via the Direct School Admission (DSA) process. 

However, we do hear of students transferring schools at the end of Secondary 2. If your child does not make it to a desired school or pathway (e.g. the Integrated Programme) in Secondary 1, you can enquire with your schools of interest to find out about school transfers. Apart from meeting the grade requirement, your child may also have to sit for written tests, make a presentation, or go through an interview.

In terms of eventually being selected by a “prestigious” university — if you’re looking at brand-name universities in the US, the acceptance rates can be as low as below 3%, especially for international students. 

If your budget permits, reach out to Singapore-based education consultants like Crimson Education for targeted advice. What we can say is that demonstrating one’s suitability depends on much more than good exam scores or being from top Singapore schools. Your child will have to show passion and initiative across different areas, with concrete examples that highlight what they've done and how they've grown.

How can we ensure the best results from our kids for the PSLE?

Before we talk about goal setting for your child, let’s think about the role that a parent should play. Bear in mind that you shouldn’t need to be your child’s tutor, and in most cases, trying to tutor your own child will only add additional stress.

Instead, you could think of yourself as a performance coach. You set the tone at home, provide logistical and emotional support, and create an environment that protects your child’s ability to focus and recharge.

As a parent coach, these are four ways to support your child during the PSLE:

1. Shift from correcting to prompting. Instead of marking your child’s work or correcting mistakes right away, prompt them to reflect. Say “What do you think the question is really asking?” or “How would you explain your answer to a classmate?” This encourages metacognition (the ability to monitor and evaluate one’s own thinking), which is one of the most effective ways to improve performance under exam conditions.
2. Support spaced and active recall. Many students think they’re revising when they re-read notes, but that’s passive. Instead, encourage your child to quiz themselves, cover and recall, or explain a concept aloud from memory. These active recall methods strengthen long-term memory, especially when paired with spaced repetition — that is, reviewing the same material at increasing intervals (e.g. after a day, then three days, then a week). This helps prevent forgetting and makes learning stick.
3. Protect sleep and recovery time. A tired child retains less, takes longer to complete tasks, and is more prone to emotional outbursts. Studies show that sleep plays a key role in memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and problem-solving. During this high-stakes period, it’s critical to protect consistent bedtimes and allow time for mental breaks.
4. Model calm and self-regulation. Children pick up on stress cues. If you’re tense, rushing, or constantly checking their progress, they may internalise that anxiety. Try grounding yourself first: take a walk, write down what’s in your control, or share the mental load with another adult. When speaking to your child, use neutral, task-based language. For example, instead of “You still don’t know this?”, say “Let’s look at how you approached this question. What could you try differently next time?”

What is the “best result” that your child could obtain? We don't recommend chasing an abstract score. Rather, aim to have your child performing at their personal best, while staying healthy.

Start by looking honestly at your child’s recent performance in each subject. Identify specific gaps, for example, “consistently losing marks in Maths word problems” or “low confidence in Science open-ended questions.” Turn these into concrete, achievable targets, such as “get at least 80% accuracy in two practice papers for Paper 2” or “score full marks in the next three sets of Science MCQs.”

Next, break those targets into smaller steps with short timelines. Instead of saying “Improve Paper 2 by five marks before the PSLE,” work backwards: “This week, master speed-time graphs” or “Write three full answers for experiment design questions.” Each milestone should be something you can check off within a week or two, giving your child a sense of momentum.

For a smoother process, make sure that your child owns the goals. They can suggest the order of tackling topics or choose practices to work on, so they feel they’re part of the plan rather than being managed. 

Review progress together weekly. Ask, “Which question type still feels tricky?” or “Which method helped you remember better?” Adjust the plan if needed, especially if fatigue or stress levels rise.

And importantly, balance outcome goals (grades, marks) with process goals (study habits, exam technique). For example, “complete all timed practices within the time limit without skipping questions” is a process goal that directly supports performance. Over time, this mix helps your child develop both skill and confidence, which is what truly delivers their best result when it matters most.

How do I get my child to be more self-driven towards achieving better results?

Self-drive is not something that can be handed to your child. Instead, it’s something that grows when they experience ownership, see progress, and feel capable of meeting challenges without being micro-managed.

As a parent, your role is to create the right conditions for this to happen, and to avoid actions that erode it.

Research on motivation in education highlights three key needs for building intrinsic drive: autonomy (having choice), competence (believing “I can do this”), and relatedness (feeling understood and supported). 

Here's how to build these in daily life:

• Start with structured choice. Give your child a say in the order or method of their work: “We need to do X and Y this week — which do you want to start with?” This increases buy-in without letting go of the overall plan.
• Create short, visible goals. Big targets like “get an AL1” can feel distant, while smaller ones like “finish Paper 2 in time without skipping questions” or “score 80% in the next Science MCQ set” are easier to act on. Track progress visually — a wall chart, notebook, or shared spreadsheet — so that improvement is tangible.
• Link responsibility with support. Review progress weekly, but focus on problem-solving instead of fault-finding. Say “These questions seem tricky — what’s your plan for tackling them next time?” This keeps your child in the driver’s seat while knowing help is there.
• Protect downtime and energy. Studies on learning and memory show that breaks, hobbies, and sleep are not wasted time. In fact, they’re essential for sustaining motivation. A well-rested, recharged child is far more likely to take initiative than one who is feeling drained, overwhelmed, and simply going through the motions.
• Encourage reflection and self-monitoring. Before a practice paper, ask your child to predict their score. Afterwards, compare the result to the prediction and talk about what helped or hurt performance. This builds metacognition — the skill of evaluating and adjusting one’s own approach — which is a hallmark of self-driven learners.
• Model the behaviours you want to see. Let your child see you learning something new, persisting through challenges, and talking openly about how you adjust your strategies when things don’t work. Children absorb far more from what we do than from what we say.

At the same time, here’s what to avoid:

• Over-helping at the first sign of struggle. Jumping in to explain the answer too soon robs your child of the chance to wrestle with the problem, and to feel the satisfaction of working it out themselves. Research calls this the “desirable difficulty” effect: grappling with a challenge strengthens learning and confidence.
• Celebrating speed over depth. Praising your child for finishing fast can backfire, as it signals that speed is more important than thoroughness. This can lead to rushing, careless mistakes, and a dislike of complex problems. Instead, acknowledge when they slow down to check their reasoning or find a new approach.
• Using “if… then…” motivation constantly. “If you finish this paper, then you can play” works for occasional tasks, but when used daily, it trains your child to see studying as something to endure for a reward, rather than as valuable in itself. Over time, this reduces intrinsic motivation.
• Unrealistic ‘catch-up’ expectations. If your child has a weaker subject, pushing them to “catch up to the top of the class” in a short period can lead to discouragement. Self-drive thrives when goals feel challenging but achievable. Oversized goals risk reinforcing a “why bother?” mindset.
• Talking about your own stress too much. It’s natural to share that you’re concerned, but repeatedly telling your child how anxious you are about their performance can make them feel they’re carrying your emotional load as well as their own. This triggers avoidance, not drive.
• Fixating on one metric of success. When all the focus is on PSLE marks or a single subject grade, your child may downplay or ignore progress in other areas that matter for long-term confidence, such as improving in oral presentations, writing more structured answers, or managing time better.

Self-drive doesn’t appear overnight, and it will have ups and downs. But by weaving good work habits and values into everyday life, you can help your child build the habits and mindset that will sustain them through the PSLE and beyond.

Want to chat with other parents about the PSLE? Join the conversation on the KiasuParents forum!