KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

Singaporean children returning from overseas and wishing to join secondary schools and junior colleges at the start of the academic year in 2010 can register for the School Placement Exercise from August 3.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissi ... gaporeans/

Hi, my elder boy is returning to Singapore to take SPERS-Sec test in this October to enter into Secondary 1 next year. Would be grateful if anyone could advise me how to prepare my son for this test and where can I get practise papers for him. He only needs to take English and Mathematics. According to the MOE website, the format seems to be quite different from PSLE

Hi happies, I am in same situation, and had called MOE to ask for past year exam questions. This is apparently not available and bookshops do not sell them. The MOE website shows the syallbus which th kid must know, which is essentially the PSLE type syllabus, and also the SPERS format which is slightly different from PSLE. So, I think, no choice, have to study PSLE past year exam questions. Have you thot abt which school/zone to target for?

Hello paz, i've not thought on which school to target as my son is not the intelligent type. I'll just go along when the result is out. I am getting him to practise on past year papers too. Good luck to your child:D

happies wrote:Hello paz, i've not thought on which school to target as my son is not the intelligent type. I'll just go along when the result is out. I am getting him to practise on past year papers too. Good luck to your child:D

If you can get a tutor and just focus on Sgp type Maths topics which are different from what your son has been used to, and the English composition (200-300 words),that would be give you and him a better chance. I could not find any tutoring centers that would give dedicated classes (crash course type), and there are some private tutors who may be able to spend time with your kid.

MOE has said that returning PR are not discriminated against the rest of the kids doing PSLE, so Good Luck!

Hi happies and paznwrkz, may I know how was the experience of the SPERS testing for your kids?
After the results, how many schools were u given on the list? Did u encounter any difficulties in securing a secondary school?

sandunes wrote:Hi happies and paznwrkz, may I know how was the experience of the SPERS testing for your kids?
After the results, how many schools were u given on the list? Did u encounter any difficulties in securing a secondary school?

Depending on the child, SPERS in my opinion is one of the more efficient ways of getting into good school (compared with approaching school, DSA, PSLE). I guess you could prepare for Math by getting trying to catch up with Singapore maths. Test as far as I can tell from DD is multiple choice and a few open ended, topics not strictly singapore system but also includes a few IQ questions. Not sure how to prepare for English - multiple choice and a few open ended as well.

Those I know who have taken it tend to be admitted to good schools, ie IP and independent schools. The list of schools you get is the "score" and I think the odds of getting the first or 2nd choice of the schools on the list is high. In my opinion, it's easier through SPERS than through PSLE.

Chinese and Science not tested. Note that if a SAP school is on the list, you may have to take a Chinese test if you get posted there and if you dont make the cut, you may not have a school to go to (at least that's what I have been warned). Good luck!

sandunes wrote:Hi happies and paznwrkz, may I know how was the experience of the SPERS testing for your kids?
After the results, how many schools were u given on the list? Did u encounter any difficulties in securing a secondary school?

According to my son, Maths was quite manageable but he couldn't finish the paper on time. He also told me there were some verbal reasoning questions in the English paper.

MOE sent us a full list of schools (excluding girls' school) for us to choose 6 schools. The only problem we faced was that MOE did not want to disclose his marks and hence we had difficulties selecting the schools.

Good luck if your child is taking the test:)

happies wrote: MOE sent us a full list of schools (excluding girls' school) for us to choose 6 schools. The only problem we faced was that MOE did not want to disclose his marks and hence we had difficulties selecting the schools.

Good luck if your child is taking the test:)

The list of schools is the "score". Eg, if you see RI , HCI on the list, means the child did well. If the child didnt do well, you wouldnt even see these schools on the list of schools to select. You can choose any school on the list; my feel is many people get their first choice (havent heard of anyone not getting their first choice although my sample size is only 3). So just pick the best of what you get.

The list of schools is the "score". Eg, if you see RI , HCI on the list, means the child did well. If the child didnt do well, you wouldnt even see these schools on the list of schools to select. You can choose any school on the list; my feel is many people get their first choice (havent heard of anyone not getting their first choice although my sample size is only 3). So just pick the best of what you get.[/quote]

We didn't choose those top schools as we thought the reason they were in the list was because they offer express stream. Although I felt a bit pity not trying but still happy to get our first choice