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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_115790" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-115790" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-115790" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318.jpg 1600w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318-800x533.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318-320x213.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318-1536x1023.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/laughing-mother-hugging-with-daughter-and-son-4473318/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>With weeks left to prepare for the Primary School Leaving Examination or PSLE, this is officially the final stretch.&nbsp;
Should your child ramp up revision efforts during this time? Here&rsquo;s our take: if your child has been consistently completing schoolwork and keeping pace with the class, there&rsquo;s really no need to push harder. In fact, cramming can be <a href="https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=oneWAwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA63&amp;lpg=PA63&amp;dq=%22Cramming,+a+form+of+massed+practice,+has+been+likened+to+binge-and-purge+eating.+A+lot+goes+in,+but+most+of+it+comes+right+back+out+in+short+order.%22&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=rqT_693B5g&amp;sig=ACfU3U3da6zkv0OeQIUZNX8IWiYh9IWQCg&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjtkrOxt5-BAxXowjgGHUVrClsQ6AF6BAgIEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Cramming%2C%20a%20form%20of%20massed%20practice%2C%20has%20been%20likened%20to%20binge-and-purge%20eating.%20A%20lot%20goes%20in%2C%20but%20most%20of%20it%20comes%20right%20back%20out%20in%20short%20order.%22&amp;f=false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detrimental</a> &mdash;&nbsp;the more your child tries to absorb information within a short time, the more they may forget!&nbsp;
Instead of signing your child up for additional tutoring sessions or study camps, consider switching your focus to prioritise your child&rsquo;s well-being, both mentally and physically. This approach will ensure they are in the best possible condition to tackle the exams.&nbsp;
Not sure where to start? Read on for some science-backed suggestions!
<h2>Be Mindful of Screen Time</h2>
Several studies have tracked school performance alongside screen time at home, and although findings differ, it&rsquo;s been suggested that even <a href="https://support.rutgers.edu/news-stories/redefining-too-much-screen-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one</a> or <a href="https://www.goguardian.com/blog/does-screen-time-impact-childrens-learning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two</a> hours of recreational screen time per day could already have a negative impact on test scores. We understand that this is a tricky area to navigate, especially when parents rely heavily on their screens too. But it&rsquo;s also good to be aware of <a href="https://support.rutgers.edu/news-stories/redefining-too-much-screen-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what the experts have recommended</a> &mdash;&nbsp;no more than one hour of screen time daily on school days, and four hours per day on weekends.
If you feel that screen time limits are restrictive, consider looking at the types of screen activities that your child is indulging in. Spending several hours learning to code, for instance, is a great activity that should be encouraged. On the other hand, activities such as TV viewing and playing video games have been <a href="https://time.com/5684830/screen-time-school-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked to lower grades</a>, especially for teens.&nbsp;
A good way to think about screen time is whether your child is primarily creating something, socialising with someone, or consuming a ready-made product. If your child&rsquo;s online activities are heavily skewed towards passive consumption, you can encourage your child to branch out and try other activities, such as having an online chat with a friend or picking up a new skill from an e-learning platform.
Often, children spend too much time on screens because they&rsquo;re bored and don&rsquo;t have anyone else to engage with. It&rsquo;s something for parents to reflect on, and there are no easy answers, but even a small improvement is a good step towards a more balanced lifestyle.
<h2>Don&rsquo;t Stinge on Sleep</h2>
In a sleep study conducted several years ago, researchers used Fitbit trackers to collect data on teens&rsquo; sleep patterns for a semester, with <a href="https://www.snexplores.org/article/exam-scores-benefit-from-months-of-regular-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a surprising finding</a> &mdash;&nbsp;a student who sleeps seven hours at night, every night, will do better than a student who sleeps 7.5 hours on one night and 6.5 hours on the next.
The good news is that there&rsquo;s still time to get your child into a healthy sleep routine, of ideally eight hours sleep per night. This means that if your child needs to get up by 6am in the morning, they should be in bed by 9.30 or 10pm at the latest. Do also pay attention to your child&rsquo;s pre-bedtime routines, to ensure that nothing is keeping them awake. For instance, some children enjoy listening to audiobooks before bedtime, but if the stories are compelling, they could end up staying awake much longer than anticipated.
Plan on going to bed much later than your child? Be mindful of the light that filters into your child&rsquo;s bedroom as they sleep. Although it seems harmless, at least<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121114133921.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> one study</a> has shown that chronic exposure to light can elevate one&rsquo;s level of cortisol, a stress hormone that has been linked to depression and lowered cognition. There&rsquo;s an easy solution to this &mdash; simply close your child&rsquo;s bedroom door at bedtime.
<h2>Watch Your Child&rsquo;s Diet</h2>
According to some <a href="https://healthy-food-choices-in-schools.extension.org/3-ways-nutrition-influences-student-learning-potential-and-school-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studies</a>, what children eat can directly impact how well their minds work. For instance, even a mild lack of iron can reduce the brain&rsquo;s ability to use dopamine &mdash; a key chemical for thinking &mdash; and this can lead to problems with learning and memory. Shortages of certain vitamins and minerals like thiamine, vitamin E, vitamin B, iodine, and zinc can also hamper a child&rsquo;s ability to think clearly and concentrate.
If your family often consumes convenience foods and snacks, this can also contribute to a caffeine, sugar, and sodium overload, which may cause your child to feel sluggish or experience mood swings. Naturally, this won&rsquo;t put your child in the best state to study or take an exam.
Only have the bandwidth to make tiny changes? Start with the simple act of cutting down on sweet drinks like sodas and bubble tea, and have your child drink more water instead. For more ideas on how to switch your child to a healthier &ldquo;exam diet,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/the-psle-diet-food-habits-that-can-boost-your-childs-smarts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read our guide</a>.
<h2>Make Exercise Non-Negotiable</h2>
Many parents clear their kids&rsquo; calendars in the weeks leading up to the PSLE, so that more time can be devoted to revision. But when kids are cooped up all day, they may feel restless and frustrated, and develop an increasing aversion to the never-ending pile of work.&nbsp;
In schools, physical education lessons may also be put on hold to give Primary 6 students more time for academics. This is a pity, as exercise is known to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-children-fitness-performance-idUSKBN1E22OC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefit the brain</a>. First, it boosts blood flow to the brain, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients. This helps create new blood vessels and enhances connections between brain cells, making it easier for them to communicate through neurotransmitters.
If your child already loves to play sports, do continue to make that option available for them, at least twice or thrice a week. For children who don&rsquo;t enjoy sports, they can benefit from a long walk in a nearby park, to give them a much-needed break from their books and devices.&nbsp;
Need a compelling reason to encourage children to stay active before the exams? Here&rsquo;s one: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/physical-activity-may-help-kids-do-better-in-school-studies-say/2013/10/21/e7f86306-2b87-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studies</a> have found that&nbsp;children who are more active show greater attention, have quicker mental processing speeds, and perform better on tests than children who are less active!

Want to chat with other parents about PSLE 2023? <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=69&amp;t=92232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Join the conversation on the KiasuParents forum</a>.
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Want Better PSLE Results? Look Beyond Study Habits

What Parents Want to Know About Choosing a Secondary School, and What Schools They Are Searching For!

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_106177" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-106177" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-106177 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nguyen-dang-hoang-nhu-qDgTQOYk6B8-unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nguyen-dang-hoang-nhu-qDgTQOYk6B8-unsplash.jpg 700w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/nguyen-dang-hoang-nhu-qDgTQOYk6B8-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@nguyendhn?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/exam-results?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a></div>Want to help your child set goals for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), without adding stress?
First, let&rsquo;s look at how the most recent cohort performed for the PSLE. Over 39,000 students sat for PSLE 2021, and here&rsquo;s the <a href="https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/new-psle-scoring-system-984-students-progress-secondary-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breakdown</a>:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">68.4% qualified for the Express course</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">18.9% qualified for the Normal (Academic) course</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">11.1% were eligible for the Normal (Technical) course</li>
</ul>
Below are the PSLE Scores needed to qualify for the above courses:
<table style="height: 144px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Course</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">PSLE Score</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">Express</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">4 &ndash; 20</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">Option to choose Express or Normal (Academic)</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">21 &ndash; 22</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">Normal (Academic)</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">23 &ndash; 24</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">Option to choose Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical)</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">25</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">Normal (Technical)</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">26 &ndash; 30 (child must score at least AL7 for English and Maths)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The PSLE Score is the sum of your child&rsquo;s Achievement Level or AL scores for each of the four PSLE subjects &mdash; English, Mother Tongue Language (MTL), Maths, and Science.
<table style="height: 216px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Achievement Level (AL)</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Mark Range</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">AL1</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">&ge; 90</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">AL2</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">85 &ndash; 89</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">AL3</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">80 &ndash; 84</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">AL4</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">75 &ndash; 79</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe;">AL5</td>
<td style="width: 50%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">65 &ndash; 74</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe; height: 24px;">AL6 or Foundation A</td>
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 24px;">45 &ndash; 64 (Standard) or 75 &ndash; 100 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe; height: 24px;">AL7 or Foundation B</td>
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 24px;">20 &ndash; 44 (Standard) or 30 &ndash; 74 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #c2bebe; height: 24px;">AL8 or Foundation C</td>
<td style="width: 50%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 24px;">&lt; 20 (Standard) or &lt; 30 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
For example, if your child scores AL1 (i.e. 90 and above) for all four subjects, he or she will have the highest possible PSLE Score of 4 (1 + 1 + 1 + 1). This means that your child not only qualifies for the Express stream, but will also be able to choose any desired school.
If your child is taking four Foundation subjects and scores A for everything, this is equivalent to an AL6 per subject. Therefore, your child will have a PSLE Score of 24 (6 + 6 + 6 + 6), and can qualify for the Normal (Academic) stream.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>How to Set Goals for the PSLE in the Final Weeks</h2>
If your child is still working on practice questions in the weeks leading up to the PSLE written papers, this is the most useful way to review concepts, according to research!&nbsp;
Although time is running out, efforts in this final lap can still have a positive effect on your child&rsquo;s grades. (Read about the <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/whats-truly-useful-in-the-final-week-of-psle-prep-answers-to-your-last-minute-revision-faqs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best revision methods</a> to focus on during last-minute PSLE prep.)
If you&rsquo;ve not discussed academic goals with your child, it&rsquo;s not too late as well. Simply use the SMART approach to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant or Reward-based, and Time-bound!
Step 1: Define a specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant goal for each subject
The easiest way to do this is to look at your child&rsquo;s P6 preliminary exam results. If you have the papers with you, add up the number of marks lost due to carelessness, or being unfamiliar with a particular topic. These are areas that can still be remedied in the weeks before the PSLE.
As a rule, a 10% increase in grades is considered a specific, measurable, and achievable goal. Going by the AL system, someone scoring between AL2 and AL4 can aim for a jump to the next grade.&nbsp;
From AL5 and below, the scoring bands are broader, and it may be counterproductive and demoralising to set a goal based on ALs or the PSLE Score. Instead, you can focus on setting goals based on effort, such as &ldquo;I aim to revise each subject for 30 minutes at home each day, by working on practice questions.&rdquo; You can also set targets for getting higher scores on these practice questions.
In both scenarios, the relevance or &ldquo;why&rdquo; of goal setting is important, i.e. Why is it important that I achieve this goal?&nbsp;
This could range from &ldquo;I want this PSLE Score to get into my dream school,&rdquo; or &ldquo;I want to qualify for the Normal (Technical) stream and attend secondary school with my friends.&rdquo; Note that students who are not eligible for the Normal (Technical) stream will have to repeat the PSLE, or progress to<a href="https://www.nls.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NorthLight School</a> or<a href="https://www.aps.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Assumption Pathway School</a>.
Step 2: Define the steps needed to achieve the goal, and when they can be carried out
With limited time, it&rsquo;s best to ensure that revision is efficient and effective. Don&rsquo;t overload your child with tuition classes during this time &mdash; if one is scheduled for the day, then there is no need for a home revision session as well.
For children who don&rsquo;t have tuition, it&rsquo;s better to practise open-ended questions rather than multiple-choice questions, because these involve more thinking, which leads to better retention of information.
But if your child is feeling stressed or burned out, working on MCQs and True/False questions is a &lsquo;lighter&rsquo; form of revision that can still help with information retention.
Finally, if your child is already working on practice papers in school, you may want to keep home revision sessions short and sweet. One strategy is to look at your child&rsquo;s recent schoolwork, and pick out a few questions each day for your child to reattempt. You can decide with your child what&rsquo;s a reasonable number of questions to try, such as five questions a day for each subject. Next, assign a fixed time for working on these questions, like 4 to 6PM on weekdays.
After you&rsquo;ve agreed on goals and revision steps, write or print out your agreement, and stick it where your child can see it. This helps to increase accountability and commitment to the goals and action plan.
Step 3: Agree on a reward for achieving goals. (Optional)
Some childhood experts feel that rewards can distract a child as well as reduce their intrinsic motivation to learn. (Read what our KSP members think about <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/rewarding-children-for-good-grades-yes-or-no/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rewarding children for good grades</a>!)
But if you are keen to offer a reward, do make sure that your child is set up for success. For instance, dangling a new gadget as a reward for a child scoring AL5s to aim for an AL1 grade has no benefit, when your child is not likely to meet the target. Set a realistic goal, and together with your child, work out an action plan for getting there.

In the final days before the PSLE written papers, switch your focus to making sure your child has enough rest and sleep &mdash; this can <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/exam-strategy-fix-your-sleep/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boost your child&rsquo;s grades</a>! If your child is not getting an average of 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night, do adjust his or her routine. We wish your child all the best in the exams!
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What PSLE Results Should Your Child Aim For?

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-68979" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/300577_s-800x533.jpg" alt="PSLE result" width="530" height="335">
For Primary 6 children and parents, this is the culmination of a six-year journey: the release of the PSLE results.
How will you and your child respond to the results? A lot may well rest on the expectations of parents and children. But no matter what the results may be, there is one thing that all parents should do, says occupational therapist <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/exam-results-how-should-parents-respond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anita Leo</a>.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;Give your child a hug. Your child has completed a milestone, and this should be celebrated.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
What&rsquo;s next? Find out how to give healthy praise for good results, and how to support your child if results are less than ideal.
<h2>Celebrating Good Results</h2>
Local parents&mdash;including our KiasuParents community&mdash;are <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/rewarding-children-for-good-grades-yes-or-no/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">divided</a> on whether or not to reward children for good results. KSP member Chenonceau has advised parents to &ldquo;flee rewards like the plague&rdquo; because &ldquo;[the] higher the external motivation, the lower the self-motivation.&rdquo;
For parents like her, the reward of good results is the sense of achievement that the child feels.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-69015" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/psle1-800x461.jpg" alt="psle results" width="529" height="273">
Other parents, on the other hand, are not averse to using treats such as a trip abroad, a gift, or a special outing as motivation.
&ldquo;It is better for children to secure good grades first. Later, when they are older, parents can find opportunities to explain to them that they should not expect rewards all the time,&rdquo; says KSP member limlim. &ldquo;The alternative is to miss the chance to motivate them, and when they grow up, they may regret not putting in enough effort to get good grades.&rdquo;
Regardless of your stand on rewards, it&rsquo;s easy to rejoice over the results if your child has met or exceeded his or her targets. However, be careful with your praise, as what you say could shape the way that your child chooses to grow.
For instance, if you praise a child for being &ldquo;clever,&rdquo; you could be hindering the child&rsquo;s ability to persevere with difficult tasks. Here&rsquo;s why:
&ldquo;When we praise intelligence, what we&rsquo;re saying is that the reason you did well is that you have a natural ability,&rdquo; says Dr Paul O&rsquo;Keefe, an assistant professor of psychology at the Yale-NUS College. &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s communicating to them that intelligence is an entity that you have or you don&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
Education experts today often cite the concept of &ldquo;<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/5-ways-to-transform-your-child-s-learning/">growth mindset</a>,&rdquo; a term popularised by Stanford professor Carol Dweck. According to her seminal study, carried out in 1998, students who were praised for intelligence later avoided a challenging task, as they wanted to maintain their reputation for being &ldquo;smart kids.&rdquo; In contrast, those praised for effort saw the challenging task as an opportunity for learning.
If your child has received good results, be sure to focus your praise on hard work and a job well done&mdash;the message should be that effort pays off. (Read more about how certain types of praise can backfire on <a href="https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/why-certain-types-of-praise-can-backfire">Schoolbag.sg</a>.)
<h2>Dealing With Disappointment</h2>
Imagine this scenario: your child has consistently scored well in primary school, but receives a lower-than-expected score for the PSLE.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-69016" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/77514096_s-800x533.jpg" alt="psle results" width="529" height="308">
KSP member Gisten <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1148730#p1148730" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experienced this</a> several years ago when her daughter received her PSLE results. Her daughter had been in the top class since Primary 3, and the expectation was for her to score above 240. However, her daughter&rsquo;s score was 210.
If you should find yourself in a similar situation when the PSLE results are released in November, here&rsquo;s some advice from occupational therapist Anita:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;If there is disappointment, ask yourself, &lsquo;Who is feeling it?&rsquo; It is not uncommon to find children worrying about their parents&rsquo; expectations, rather than their own. If you must express disappointment, make it clear that you are disappointed with the result, but not with your child. &lsquo;You did badly&rsquo; means something different from &lsquo;Your results were not as expected.&rsquo;&rdquo;
</blockquote>
As for school placements, Anita&rsquo;s advice is to leave this discussion for later.
&ldquo;Wait till your child has had some time to let the results sink in,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;In the meantime, equip yourself with information. When your child is ready to talk about secondary schools, you can ask, &lsquo;Would you want to look at what schools we can apply for?&rsquo;&rdquo;
A positive mindset is essential for helping your child to move forward, and a resource that you can consult together is the School Information Service <a href="https://sis.moe.gov.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a>, which helps you in your search for suitable schools based on criteria such as programmes and co-curricular activities.
Remember: there will be many challenges for your child to face in life, and these experiences will help your child to grow. As parents, our role at this stage is to help our children put events in perspective, so they don&rsquo;t lose hope in themselves, or in the future.
&ldquo;There is no evidence that the PSLE matters in the long run. Not everyone from an elite school will become part of the cr&egrave;me de la cr&egrave;me later in life,&rdquo; says Anita. &ldquo;A parent may argue that if one does well in school, one will have more educational and career paths to choose from. But these choices will never dictate your life unless you allow them to. It is when you have confidence in yourself, and are intrinsically motivated, that the world becomes your oyster.&rdquo;
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