If your child is taking the PSLE in 2024, reviewing previous years’ secondary school cut-off points (COPs) can be helpful for both you and your child.

Why is this necessary? Well, despite the national move to reduce the emphasis on grades, your child’s PSLE score will still determine their eligibility for secondary schools. Knowing the different COPs will help you and your child to make an informed choice after the results are released.

If you’re a first-time PSLE parent, don’t worry — it can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to help. Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know!

What are the best secondary schools in Singapore?

Before we answer this question, we need to stress that there is a difference between the hardest secondary schools to qualify for, and the secondary school that will be the best for your child.

Based on 2023 scores, the three hardest secondary schools to qualify for in Singapore are Methodist Girls’ School (IP), Raffles Girls’ School (IP), and Raffles Institution (IP). All three schools have had a cut-off score of six points, and there was no change in the COPs between 2022 and 2023:

However, in the local context, there is a broader definition of ‘top’ secondary schools — parents are usually referring to schools with a single-digit COP, or schools that offer the Integrated Programme (IP). 

Below, we’ve highlighted 16 IP secondary schools in Singapore, and you can see that they all have single-digit COPs:

Not listed above is the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. This school does not participate in the Secondary 1 Posting exercise. Instead, interested students will typically apply through the Direct School Admission (DSA) process. If there are vacancies after the DSA, a supplementary intake exercise may be carried out at year end.

Based on the above tables, we might say that with a PSLE score of nine, the chances of getting into an IP school are less certain, and furthermore, there may only be one or two schools to choose from.  

In fact, some children who do well at the PSLE will opt for the O-Level pathway. There could be several reasons for this, such as:

• They like a certain school but have narrowly missed the mark for the school’s IP stream.
• They prefer the structure of the O-Level programme, and like the idea of having a ‘checkpoint’ at the end of Secondary 4.
• They prefer having more school options to choose from.

Below is a list of IP secondary schools that also offer the O-Level pathway. As you can see, the COPs are very competitive as well. But a child scoring nine points would have more options if they were willing to consider the O-Level pathway:

What if my child has done well for the PSLE, but didn’t get a single-digit score?

Whether a child has done ‘well’ or not is relative to your expectations. Generally speaking, a score of 10 to 12 is still considered very good, and your child will have many schools to choose from.

These are secondary schools with a COP of 10 in 2023:

 

Here are secondary schools with a COP of 11 in 2023:

 

Finally, here are secondary schools with a COP of 12 in 2023:

As you can see, there are many well-known secondary schools that a child scoring between 10 and 12 points can qualify for.

Will my child still be able to find a good school if their PSLE score is more than 13 points?

The answer to this is yes! However, this may be a school that you’ve not heard much about, so you’ll have to be open-minded to explore schools that are lesser-known. One place to start is by reading our guide to hidden-gem secondary schools. 

We know it’s not always easy to deal with PSLE disappointment, but it may reassure you to know that many parents have dealt with situations where their children scored AL15 and above during the PSLE. By attending open house events with a positive attitude, you’ll get to meet bright, well-spoken, and helpful students in every school, which can help to set your mind at ease about finding a good environment for your child.  

To view secondary schools with a COP of 13 and above, refer to this dashboard on Tableau Public and use the filters to narrow down the options.

What if my child scores more than 20 points? Can they still find a good school?

Yes they can!

First, it’s useful to know that there is no passing or failing mark for each PSLE subject, or the PSLE as a whole. 

Does this mean that all children will proceed to secondary school, regardless of their PSLE score? In reality, a student can score 30 points for the PSLE and still progress to a secondary school, to take subjects at the G1 (formerly Normal Technical) level. But one condition applies — the student needs to have scored an AL 7 or better in both English and Maths, or an AL B at the Foundation level for these subjects.

For PSLE scores beyond 30, students may be offered the option to repeat the PSLE, or they can progress to NorthLight School or Assumption Pathway School with their principal’s endorsement.

If a child has scored 20 points, they will still be able to take all of their subjects at the G3 (formerly Express) level. If they have scored 21 to 22 points, they will be asked if they wish to take their subjects at the G2 (formerly Normal Academic) level instead. 

Here’s an overview of PSLE scores mapped to posting groups and subject levels:

PSLE Score	Posting Group	Level for most Secondary 1 subjects
4 to 20	3	G3
21 to 22	2 or 3	G2 or G3
23 to 24	2	G2
25	1 or 2	G1 or G2
26 to 30 (with AL7 or better in EL and Maths)	1	G1

To view secondary schools with a COP of 20 to 22, refer to this dashboard on Tableau Public and use the filters to narrow down the options.

For schools with COPs above 22, please use the Ministry of Education’s SchoolFinder website. On the website, you should see a menu bar on the left. Look for the option “PSLE score range…” and expand it to indicate the score range that you wish to search for.

 

Need more advice? Join our KSP Family Huddle on 28 August 2024, for an online conversation on helping children to succeed in secondary school and beyond. Or chat with us on the KiasuParents forum!