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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_109219" style="width: 1610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-109219" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-109219 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681.jpg 1600w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681-800x533.jpg 800w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681-320x213.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681-1536x1023.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-young-girls-sitting-at-the-table-5212681/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>For children in Primary 6 this year, they will sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination in the latter half of the year. Oral exams will be held in August, followed by the Listening Comprehension exams in September, and finally, the written papers in late September and early October. (Get the PSLE timetable <a href="https://www.seab.gov.sg/home/examinations/psle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.)
Are you a first-time PSLE parent, or simply new to the updated scoring system? You may have a few questions on your mind. Read our quick guide for the information that you need to know!
<h2>&ldquo;How do I read the new PSLE results? What does AL mean?&rdquo;</h2>
In PSLE lingo, AL stands for &ldquo;Achievement Levels.&rdquo; For each subject, your child will receive a raw score of 1 to 100, and this will be converted to an AL grade of 1&ndash;8:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 82.5213%; height: 216px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Achievement Level (AL)</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Mark Range</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL1</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">&ge; 90</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL2</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">85 &ndash; 89</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL3</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">80 &ndash; 84</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL4</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">75 &ndash; 79</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL5</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">65 &ndash; 74</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL6 or Foundation A</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">45 &ndash; 64 (Standard) or 75 &ndash; 100 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL7 or Foundation B</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">20 &ndash; 44 (Standard) or 30 &ndash; 74 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 33.5244%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #b0aeae;">AL8 or Foundation C</td>
<td style="width: 48.9971%; height: 24px; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">&lt; 20 (Standard) or &lt; 30 (Foundation)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
To get your child&rsquo;s PSLE score, add 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.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Example 1:&nbsp; 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).&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Example 2: If your child is taking four Foundation subjects and scores A for everything, this is equivalent to an AL6 per subject, and a PSLE score of 24 (6 + 6 + 6 + 6).</li>
</ul>
Your child&rsquo;s PSLE score will determine his or her next course of study. From 2024, <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/teachers-students-adapt-to-full-subject-based-banding-say-it-caters-to-diverse-interests-and-strengths" target="_blank" rel="noopener">these courses will be known as &ldquo;posting groups&rdquo; instead of streams</a>:
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 72.3486%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">Course</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #000000;">PSLE Score</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #aeaeae;">Posting Group 3, formerly Express</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">4-20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #aeaeae;">Option to choose between Posting Groups 2 and 3</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">21 &ndash; 22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #aeaeae;">Posting Group 2, formerly Normal (Academic)</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">23 &ndash; 24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #aeaeae;">Option to choose between Posting Groups 1 and 2</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 38.6667%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #aeaeae;">Posting Group 1, formerly Normal (Technical)</td>
<td style="width: 31.4599%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;">26 &ndash; 30 (child must score at least AL7 for English and Maths)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
You can look up secondary schools on the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Secondary%20school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Education&rsquo;s SchoolFinder page</a> to see what the entry scores for specific secondary schools are. These are known as cut-off points or COP. For details on the new PSLE scoring system, refer to the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s guide <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/psle/main.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<h2>&ldquo;Are &lsquo;posting groups&rsquo; the same as &lsquo;streams?&rsquo;&rdquo;</h2>
They&rsquo;re supposed to be quite different.&nbsp;
The purpose of the new posting groups is to give students access to a fluid learning pathway, where they can take some subjects at a more demanding level if they&rsquo;re good at it. (Subjects will be offered at three levels, G1 to G3, with G3 being the most challenging.) It also gives students a broader social network, as they will spend one-third of their curriculum time in mixed-ability environments, taking common subjects like art and physical education classes together.&nbsp;
You can read more about this on the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/full-subject-based-banding/faq.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAQs page</a>.
<h2>&ldquo;What&rsquo;s a good PSLE or AL score?&rdquo;</h2>
For context, here&rsquo;s the <a href="https://mothership.sg/2022/11/psle-results-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nationwide PSLE performance for 2022</a>:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">68.4% qualified for the Express stream</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">18.7% qualified for the Normal (Academic) stream</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">11.3% qualified for the Normal (Technical) stream</li>
</ul>
As we move into a new system without the above labels, some parents may still cling to the mindset that &ldquo;Express is best.&rdquo; Others might even feel that a PSLE score is only &lsquo;good&rsquo; if it allows one to qualify for the Integrated Programme (typically a single-digit PSLE score).&nbsp;
For your child&rsquo;s sake, do broaden your perspective &mdash; set a realistic PSLE score target and celebrate it if the score is met, regardless of how your child&rsquo;s peers are performing. If the target is not met, focus on celebrating your child&rsquo;s efforts instead.
With this in mind, what&rsquo;s the best way to approach PSLE goal setting with your child? As a rule, a 10% increase in grades is considered a reasonable academic goal. Going by the AL system, someone scoring between AL2 and AL4 for school-based exams could aim for a jump to the next grade.
However, if your child is currently scoring AL5 and below, these scoring bands are broader, and it may be demoralising to set a goal based on ALs. Instead, your child can focus on productivity goals, such as &ldquo;I aim to revise each subject for 30 minutes at home each day, by working on practice questions.&rdquo; Your child can also set targets for getting higher scores on these practice questions.
<h2>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve heard of kids making a secondary school&rsquo;s cut-off point or COP but not being posted to the school. Why is this so?&rdquo;</h2>
Yes unfortunately, this can happen when a group of students with the same PSLE score are vying for the last available places in a school. This is when tie-breakers are applied to decide who can gain entry.&nbsp;
In order of importance, these tie-breakers are:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Citizenship status (Singapore Citizens have priority)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">School choice order (so pick your schools wisely!)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Computerised balloting</li>
</ol>
<h2>&ldquo;How will I know what&rsquo;s the cut-off point for the year? If my child meets the cut-off point for a secondary school but doesn&rsquo;t get posted there, can we appeal?&rdquo;</h2>
You won&rsquo;t know this year&rsquo;s cut-off points until after the school postings have taken place, so you&rsquo;ll need to use the indicative scores (from last year) to choose schools.&nbsp;
The best and quickest way to get information on this year&rsquo;s cut-off points is to call your desired secondary schools on the day that school posting results are released. You can definitely appeal if your child meets the school&rsquo;s cut-off point, but entry will be subject to available vacancies, as well as any other admission criteria that the school might have. It probably helps if your child has good co-curricular activity records (e.g. school team representation) or school leadership experience.&nbsp;
However, please be prepared that the appeal may not be successful &mdash; you may have to take the lead in helping your child to deal with this disappointment, as well as adjust to the new school year.&nbsp;
<h2>&ldquo;If a child meets last year&rsquo;s cut-off point for a particular secondary school but doesn&rsquo;t gain entry, can he or she appeal?&rdquo;</h2>
Sadly no. The Ministry of Education has stated that meeting the previous year&rsquo;s cut-off point for a secondary school does not guarantee admission. That&rsquo;s because the previous year&rsquo;s cut-off points were based on the PSLE scores and school choice patterns of the previous year&rsquo;s cohort &mdash;&nbsp;they serve as a guide, but things will fluctuate from year to year.&nbsp;
Although Primary 6 students are free to select up to six schools during the Secondary 1 posting process, the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s advice is to choose at least two to three schools where your child&rsquo;s PSLE score is better than the school&rsquo;s cut-off point. They have also stated before that cut-off points will typically fluctuate by 1 point &mdash; meaning that if a school&rsquo;s cut-off point was 8 last year, this year it could be either 7 or 9.
If you are a risk-averse parent, you might want to list a &lsquo;dream&rsquo; school as the first choice, followed by safety schools for the remaining five choices. But again, ease of entry would depend on the popularity of the schools that your child is applying for.
To avoid stress, don&rsquo;t overthink the process. In 2022, more than 80% of students were <a href="https://tnp.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-80-cent-pupils-posted-one-their-first-3-secondary-school-choices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted to one of their first three secondary school choices</a>, and only 10% of pupils underwent computerised balloting. So the most important thing is to choose schools that your child has a good chance of qualifying for, and make sure that your child is happy with the final list of six!
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 here</a>.
</body></html>

PSLE Scoring System: What is a Good PSLE Score and More Questions Answered!

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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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Is your child taking the Primary School Leaving Examination in 2021 and beyond? Singapore&rsquo;s Ministry of Education has held webinars to help parents familiarise themselves with the new PSLE scoring system, and they&rsquo;ve also created official videos to answer questions that parents have raised:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2neOdzIJd0&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MOE: Top Questions on PSLE Changes Answered! (Part 1)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcgIBgi20qY&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MOE: Top Questions on PSLE Changes Answered! (Part 2)</a></li>
</ul>
If you have 10 minutes to spare, it is well worth your time to watch the videos, especially if your child is in the first batch of students who will fall under the new PSLE scoring system.
Your child&rsquo;s school would also have held a briefing session to reiterate the MOE&rsquo;s points, and to allay your concerns about the new system. The MOE&rsquo;s advice to parents is: Don&rsquo;t be anxious, and don&rsquo;t feel as if you have to absorb all the new information at once. In due time, you will receive all the necessary information, so that you can make an informed decision regarding your child&rsquo;s secondary school.
Below, we&rsquo;ve put together a three-step guide for supporting your child in the new PSLE &ldquo;AL&rdquo; system &mdash; AL is short for &ldquo;Achievement Levels.&rdquo; Remember: it&rsquo;s not about surviving the PSLE, but about thriving and keeping the spirit of learning alive.
<h2>Step 1: Think differently about the PSLE</h2>
Local parents have been frustrated by the PSLE for decades, and change has arrived. Will the new PSLE scoring system be better for our kids? That is the intention, as the new system was created to reduce the overemphasis on grades.
Here&rsquo;s the difference:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">With the now-defunct PSLE T-score, students&rsquo; scores were finely differentiated &mdash; students could get an aggregate score/T-score of less than 80 to more than 280, i.e. there were over 200 possible scores that one could receive. Furthermore, the T-scores were norm-referenced; this means that a student&rsquo;s performance was calculated against the performance of his/her peers. For instance, if a student had obtained a certain raw score, but his/her peers performed better, the student would receive a lower T-score. To be blunt, the T-score showed you where you stood in your cohort, which was demoralising for many students, regardless of the score.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">With the new PSLE AL system, PSLE scores (the sum of a student&rsquo;s AL scores for each subject) will range from 4 to 32, which means there are only 29 possible scores that one can receive. (<a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/psle-2021-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View AL scores and mark ranges</a>.) And unlike the previous scoring system, AL scores only measure a child&rsquo;s mastery of knowledge and skills. The performance of other students will not affect a student&rsquo;s AL score.</li>
</ul>
Problem: You have your heart set on your child entering particular schools or a particular stream.
Solution: Sadly, the PSLE AL system could be more stressful for you. You will be anxious about your child&rsquo;s performance, the new entry requirements for popular schools, and potentially, increased competition for places if more students are awarded the same scores.
Thankfully, that&rsquo;s not the only way forward. You can also choose to have faith in the good intentions of the system, be patient with teething issues, and do your part to support the change. Remind yourself that the objective of the PSLE is not to champion top performers while leaving the rest to flounder. Instead, it is a placement exam designed to match students with a curriculum that best suits their learning abilities.
Until schools release more information, you can view the indicative cut-off points for secondary school entry on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moesingapore/photos/pcb.10160226648972004/10160226641512004/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MOE&rsquo;s FB page</a>. By mapping your Primary 6 child&rsquo;s current scores to <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/psle-2021-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AL scores</a>, you can estimate what your child&rsquo;s PSLE score might be, and what options might be open to him/her.
If you have time, get to know more secondary schools apart from the popular ones &mdash; it is always better to have a spread of options to consider, and <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/posting-to-secondary-school/faqs.html#s1-posting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice order</a> will take on greater significance from PSLE 2021. Above all, don&rsquo;t make the PSLE central to your child&rsquo;s life, and yours. There is so much more to your child&rsquo;s learning and development. For starters, you can <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/want-to-raise-successful-kids-follow-this-formula-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read about the eight parenting roles you can play</a> to help your child find success in life.
<h2>Step 2: Keep a healthy perspective on grades</h2>
Why are AL bands narrower at the top? Why are the AL6, 7, and 8 bands so wide? Here&rsquo;s what the MOE has shared with parents:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Typically in the PSLE, 50% of P6 students score 75 points or higher, in terms of raw marks, and 50% of students score 74 points and below.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Within the 75&ndash;100 mark range, four ALs (AL1-4) were introduced, to avoid the &ldquo;bunching of results&rdquo; and &ldquo;too many balloting cases&rdquo; during the school application phase.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">For the lower mark range (below 74), the students are already fairly spread out. Introducing more ALs for these students would not help in posting or matching them to the right course.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Ultimately, the ALs facilitate matching of students to secondary schools and courses. Having too many ALs would again result in a highly differentiated grading system.</li>
</ul>
Problem: You are worried that your child could fall into a lower grade band just by scoring one mark less.
Solution: Unfortunately, this is an inevitable feature of all grading systems. There will be a boundary, and yes, someone who scores a mark less could fall into a lower grade band, while someone who scores a mark more may get a higher grade. But the MOE has tried to make this less of a concern &mdash; it is your child&rsquo;s overall score that determines his/her eligibility for a course.
What you can do is to work with your child to <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/every-parent-know-goal-setting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set goals for improvement</a>, with actionable steps. But be realistic about what can be achieved. One can&rsquo;t make a 10-point jump overnight, but 1&ndash;5 points is less of a stretch, if you know what is required to get the additional points. Or in another common scenario: it could be hard for your child to score an AL1 or 2 in a language that your family doesn&rsquo;t speak &mdash; you could certainly invest in more tutoring if you can afford it, but is it worthwhile in the long run, or can that time be better spent developing other skills?
Take heart that students who qualify for the Express stream will be able to take all subjects at the Express level, even if they have done poorly for one subject. And if students have qualified for the Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) stream, but have a strong subject, they can take that subject at a higher level because of <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/full-subject-based-banding/main.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Subject-Based Banding</a>, which will be fully implemented in all secondary schools by 2024.
<h2>Step 3: To reduce stress, create a study plan</h2>
The PSLE scoring system has changed, but the curriculum remains the same, and the exams won&rsquo;t be any easier or harder than in previous years. Here&rsquo;s a good way to introduce the concept of the AL scores to your kids:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">When we learn something new, after some initial practice, we often find ourselves improving significantly.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">But as we get better, the improvements happen in smaller increments.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The ALs were designed to reflect this reality of learning, and using the AL scores, teachers can gauge if students are ready to access the curriculum at the next level.</li>
</ul>
Problem: Your child seems to be exhibiting signs of stress when you talk about the PSLE and the new changes.
Solution: Check with your child if he/she is feeling anxious about the PSLE, and what the concerns are.
You might want to ask yourself: are you part of the solution, or part of the problem? For instance, children are often told that their best efforts are enough, but they may pick up conflicting messages from their parents&rsquo; tone, facial expressions, or gestures.
Do let your child express his/her emotions, and there is no need to jump straight into problem-solving mode. One of our KSP members has offered tips on <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/helping-children-cope-with-exam-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">helping children to cope with exam stress</a>, which you may find useful.
When your child is ready, ask if he/she would like your help to draw up a study plan together. This is where you can teach your child good habits, such as being organised, breaking larger tasks down into smaller parts, and doing consistent work. Read our post to find out <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/what-exam-savvy-parents-do-differently-to-support-their-kids-during-revision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what exam savvy parents do differently to help their children prepare for exams</a>.
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How to View the New PSLE Scoring System Positively, and Transform Your Child’s Learning

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1. When will students start getting AL grades?
From 2020, students entering Primary 5 will receive an AL grade for each subject.
2. For those taking the PSLE in 2021, how will they know what the cut-off points of secondary schools are?&nbsp;
By mid-2021, the MOE will release the indicative cut-off points for every secondary school, based on the new AL system. These cut-off points will be derived from the PSLE scores and choice patterns of the 2020 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise.
3. With this new system, won&rsquo;t more students have the same PSLE score?
Yes, that is the intention. This way, schools will be less differentiated by their cut-off points as well.
4. How will secondary school streaming be affected?
From 2021 to 2023, students with a PSLE score of between 4 and 20 will be eligible for the Express stream, while those scoring 21 to 22 points could opt for the Express or Normal (Academic) streams.&nbsp;
Those with 23 points and above will be streamed into Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) routes.
Under this system, a student taking a combination of Foundation and Standard subjects may still qualify for the Express stream.
In 2024, PSLE students will be posted to secondary schools where subjects are offered at three levels: G1, G2, and G3.&nbsp;
G1 would generally correspond to the Normal (Technical) level, G2 to the Normal (Academic) level, and G3 to the Express stream.
The MOE has said that students with a PSLE score between 26 and 30 will be offered the G1 suite of subjects. Those who score between 4 and 20 will be offered the highest G3 suite.
Those who score 25 can choose either G1 or G2 subjects, and those who score 21 or 22 can choose between G2 and G3 subjects.
5. What if students with the same PSLE score are vying for limited places in a school?
If there is a need for a tie-breaker for students with the same PSLE score, the following criteria will apply:
<ol>
<li>Citizenship</li>
<li>Choice order of schools (this is a new development, to encourage families to look beyond schools&rsquo; cut-off points, and think deeply about which school would best suit their child&rsquo;s strengths and interests.)</li>
<li>Computerised balloting</li>
</ol>
6. How will those who are exempted from the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) be affected?
As is currently the case, students who are exempted from MTL will still be assigned a score under the new PSLE system. The assigned MTL score in the AL system will take reference from MTL scores of peers with similar English, mathematics, and science scores.
7. What about students who are interested in taking a Higher Mother Tongue Language (HMTL) in secondary school?
Currently, students who take a HMTL at PSLE level are graded with Distinction, Merit, or Pass. Under the new PSLE system, students will be given either a &lsquo;D&rsquo; for Distinction or &lsquo;M&rsquo; for merit.&nbsp;
To take a HMTL in secondary school, students will need:
<ol>
<li>A PSLE score of 8 or better; or</li>
<li>A PSLE score of 9 to 14, but with an AL1/AL2 in MTL or a Distinction/Merit in HMTL.</li>
</ol>
Higher Chinese Language (HCL) students will continue to receive a posting advantage for admission to Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools. For example, if two students have a PSLE score of 8, the student who has a Distinction in HCL will be allocated a place in a SAP school ahead of a student who has a Merit in HCL. This posting advantage for admission to SAP schools applies before the tie-breakers for Secondary 1 posting.&nbsp;
What does the KiasuParents community feel about these changes? Read our <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/psle-scoring-changes-parents-predict-what-the-future-holds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a> to find out!
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7 Questions You Need To Ask About PSLE 2021

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body>Will your child be affected by the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring changes that will take effect in 2021?&nbsp;
With a <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/press-releases/updates-to-psle-2021-scoring-system--enabling-students-to-progress--regardless-of-starting-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fresh round of updates</a> delivered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) last week, our KSP community is once again <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&amp;t=93831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buzzing</a> with questions and concerns.&nbsp;
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-77069" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/psle-1.jpg" alt="" width="842" height="568" srcset="https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/psle-1.jpg 842w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/psle-1-320x216.jpg 320w, https://wp.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u133359/psle-1-800x540.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px">
But first, a recap of the latest news that parents should know about:
<ul>
<li>From 2020, students entering Primary 5 will receive an Achievement Level (AL) grade for each subject, which will range from 1 (90 marks and above) to 8 (below 20 marks).&nbsp;</li>
<li>This will allow students to get used to the new system, where a student&rsquo;s overall PSLE score will be the sum of his or her AL grades for English, Maths, Science, and Mother Tongue Language (MTL). Click <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle/images/reference-raw-marks.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the raw mark range for each grade, and <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle/FAQs/scoring-changes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to read the official FAQs about the new scoring system.</li>
<li>By mid-2021, the MOE will release the indicative cut-off points for every secondary school, based on the new AL system. These cut-off points will be derived from the PSLE scores and choice patterns of the 2020 Secondary 1 Posting Exercise.</li>
<li>Posting to Secondary 1 will continue to be based on the overall PSLE score. With wider scoring bands, more students will have the same PSLE score, and schools will be less differentiated by their cut-off points.&nbsp;</li>
<li>If there is a need for a tie-breaker for students with the same PSLE score, the following criteria will apply:</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Citizenship</li>
<li>Choice order of schools (this is a new development, read about the rationale for this decision <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle/FAQs/posting-changes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>)</li>
<li>Computerised balloting</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>For students who wish to take a Higher Mother Tongue Language (HMTL) in secondary school, they will need:</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>A PSLE score of 8 or better; or</li>
<li>A PSLE Score of 9 to 14, but with an AL1/AL2 in MTL or a distinction/merit in HMTL.</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Those who take Foundation level subjects will receive grades of AL A to AL C &mdash; the equivalent of AL 6 to 8 scores. Click <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle/images/raw-mark-ranges.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to view the raw mark range for each grade.</li>
</ul>
What does our community have to say about all of this? Read on to find out!
<h2>Will More Students Need To Ballot?</h2>
&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s say a school&rsquo;s cut-off-point is AL5, and suppose there are 60 students with AL5 who chose this school. Does this mean all 60 students will enter computerised balloting?&rdquo; asked one parent.
Hypothetically, if there are fewer than 60 places left in the school, and all 60 students in this tie-breaker scenario are Singapore citizens and their choice order is the same, then they would indeed enter the computerised balloting phase.&nbsp;
However, the MOE has said in its FAQs that the majority of students will not need to go through tie-breaking by balloting. According to the MOE, based on past cohorts&rsquo; choice patterns, only about <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle/FAQs/posting-changes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 in 10 students</a> would need to go through the balloting stage.&nbsp;
That said, the eventual balloting figure will still depend largely on the choice patterns of students, so it remains to be seen how this will play out in 2021.
<h2>Tougher To Get A &ldquo;Top&rdquo; Score?</h2>
More than one parent has lamented that under the existing T-score system, a student can be &ldquo;weak&rdquo; in one or more subjects, but if he or she is strong in the remaining subjects, a score of 250 and above is still possible.&nbsp;
&ldquo;With the new scoring system, a child will need to be strong in all four subjects to score a 4. In the current system, if a child scores 90+ for Maths, 90+ for Science, 90+ for English, and 85 for Chinese, he will probably qualify for a top-tier Integrated Programme (IP) school. But under the new system, this student will get AL5. Can he still get into the top IP schools?&rdquo; asked one parent.
&ldquo;[One] extra mark in a subject might help you jump to the next level, which might give you access to a different calibre of schools,&rdquo; said another parent. &ldquo;So it&rsquo;s important to buck up for the weakest subject, which incidentally for most children is their mother tongue.&rdquo;
If many parents are thinking along these lines, it&rsquo;s understandable that the new system could create more PSLE stress for families. However, it&rsquo;s good to bear in mind the MOE&rsquo;s intent for introducing these changes &mdash; to help our children make learning, and not marks, their key focus. To encourage students to focus on their own learning, the new scoring system will show students how well they have learnt, and not how they have done in comparison to their peers. Also, with our increasingly diverse secondary school landscape, there will be a variety of quality schools for every student to choose from.
<h2>AL Scores Vs T-Scores?</h2>
Despite the scoring changes, the school syllabus will remain the same. As such, some parents have been wondering if the current PSLE T-score system can provide some reference points for the future AL scores.
One parent surmised that an AL score of 8 would place a student in the top 10% of the PSLE cohort, while a score of 14 would place a student in the top 30% of the cohort:
&ldquo;Under the current T-score system, those who are <a href="https://acsj.moe.edu.sg/departments/mother-tongue/higher-mother-tongue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eligible to take HMTL</a> in secondary schools are either in the top 10% of the PSLE, or ranked top 11&ndash;30% with an A* grade in MTL, or at least a Merit in HMTL, in the PSLE.&rdquo;
Other parents have made attempts to peg the new AL scores to the existing T-scores &mdash; interested parents can <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&amp;t=93831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">view the discussion</a>, but do note that these score calculations are merely speculative. All enquiries about scoring should be <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directed to the MOE</a>.
<h2>How To Choose A Secondary School Based On ALs?</h2>
With choice order playing a bigger role in school allocations from 2021, how will the decision-making process change?
&ldquo;With balloting and other unknown factors about the ALs and which schools to apply to, I think there may be more appeals after the posting results,&rdquo; said one parent. &ldquo;I shudder to think about how schools will manage the overwhelming number of appeals.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If you are concerned about freak results, the best solution would be to put more care and thought into the school selection process,&rdquo; said another parent.
A possible strategy for selecting schools was outlined by a parent, as follows:
&ldquo;If you have a score of AL10, you will probably have a target list of 10+ AL10 schools. You will pick two of them.&nbsp;
You will probably have a list of schools that you are also keen on from the AL8 or AL9 group. Pick one of them.&nbsp;
For the rest of your choices, fill it up with AL11 and AL12 schools.&nbsp;
Your selection should look like this:
<ol>
<li>AL8 or AL9</li>
<li>AL10</li>
<li>AL10</li>
<li>AL11</li>
<li>AL11</li>
<li>AL12</li>
</ol>
On the other hand, if your score is AL10, and you choose to put AL10 schools as your third, fourth, and fifth choices, good luck, because the chance of you ending up with none of them is very high. You will also have to hope that your sixth choice school is available to you, otherwise, you will be subjected to an MOE posting. In my opinion, this is no different from the current T-score posting exercise.&rdquo;
Feeling anxious already? Don&rsquo;t worry, you are not alone. &ldquo;Your kid is only one out of close to 40,000 students in the cohort,&rdquo; said one parent. &ldquo;It affects everyone, and not just you. If everyone chooses sensibly, things will fall into place.&rdquo;
Let us know what you think about the new PSLE scoring system! Join the conversation <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&amp;t=93831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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