Good Morning

2019 PSLE & DSA Briefing

for Parents

12 January 2019

Agenda

1. Important Information on PSLE

2. Secondary School Education

3. Secondary 1 Posting

4. Direct School Admission (DSA)

5. Q&A

IMPORTANT DATES

ALPS P6 EXAM SCHEDULE Date

SA1 LISTENING COMPREHENSION TERM 2 WK5

SA1 ORAL EXAMINATION TERM 2 WK6

SA1 EL/FEL & MTL PAPER 1 TERM 2 WK7

SA1 WRITTEN EXAMINATION TERM 2 WK8 & 9

PRELIM LC TERM 3 WK5

PRELIM ORAL

PRELIM WRITTEN EXAMINATION TERM 3 WK8 & 9

2019 PSLE EXAMINATION CALENDAR

(TENTATIVE)

Date

PSLE REGISTRATION 11-25 MARCH

PSLE ORAL EXAMINATION 15-16 AUG TERM 3 WK7

PSLE LISTENING COMPREHENSION 20 SEP TERM 4 WK1

EL / FEL (PAPER 1 & 2) 26 SEP TERM 4 WK2

MA / FMA 27 SEP

MTL (PAPER 1 & 2) / FMTL (PAPER 1) 30 SEP TERM 4 WK3

SCI / FSCI 1 OCT

HIGHER MTL 2 OCT

RELEASE OF PSLE RESULTS &

S1 POSTING EXERCISE

21 / 22 NOV (TENTATIVE)

PSLE REGISTRATION

• Verify candidates’ particulars & subject information

• Photocopy of the Birth Certificate

• Name of candidate must be according to BC

(Statutory name and name in Chinese characters)

• Require deed poll signed by both parents for any

amendment to name

• Update residential address

• PSLE fees only for non-SC: GIRO / Cash

Intent of PSLE

• Placement Examination

• Assign students into different courses

according to their academic ability.

• Enables posting to secondary schools by

matching students’ learning pace, ability

and inclination.

PSLE Grading System

PSLE Grades (STANDARD SUBJECTS)

Grade Mark Range Descriptors

A* ≥91 Has very good understanding of the subject

A 75 - 90

Has good understanding of the subjectB 60 - 74

C 50 - 59 Has adequate understanding of the subject

D 35 - 49 Has fair understanding of the subject

E 20 - 34 Has elementary understanding of the subject

U < 20 Has not met the requirement for the minimum

grade

Refer to Pg 12 of Student Diary

PSLE Grades (FOUNDATION SUBJECTS)

Grade Mark Range Descriptors

G1 ≥85Is very good in the subject at the foundation

level

G2 70 - 84 Is good in the subject at the foundation level

G3 50 - 69Has an adequate grasp of the subject at the

foundation level

G4 30 - 49Has an elementary grasp of the subject at the

foundation level

U < 30Has not met the requirement at the foundation

level for the minimum grade

Refer to Pg 12 of Student Diary

PSLE Grades (HIGHER MTL)

Grade Mark Range

DISTINCTION ≥ 80

MERIT 65 – 79

PASS 50 – 64

U < 50

Refer to Pg 12 of Student Diary

How is PSLE aggregate score

calculated?

PSLE T-Score

• T-Score is the transformed score of each

subject.

• It is based on raw scores, mean &

standard deviation.

• Considers the relative achievement level

of the student among his or her peers at

the national level.

PSLE T-Score

• Aggregate Score = Sum of the T-scores of

all 4 Subjects

• All 4 Subjects have equal weightage

John

I scored 85

marks in both

English and

Mother Tongue

Language !

H U R R A Y !

John scores 85 marks in both EL and MTL

85marks

EL

EL ave

= 60

MTL

MTL ave

= 80

His performance in MTL is very

close to that of other students

He did much better

in EL as compared to

other students

0 100

A need for standardisation of

the raw scores

Transformed Score

or T-Score

T-Score

ave = 60

EL MT

ave = 80

50

85 85

T-Score converts average mark of each subject to a

common score of 50 points.

It also converts other marks taking into consideration

the extent to which they differ from the average and

the size of spread of the marks around the average

How T-Score is calculated for each subject

where

X: student’s mark for the subject

Y: average mark (mean) scored by all students

Z: standard deviation

(spread of marks around the average mark)

Z

Y )-( X10 50T +=

PSLE T-score

PSLE T-Score

Example (a): Most students scored high marks

T = 50 + 10 (80 - 70)

10

= 60

Student’s mark in exam (X) 80

Average mark scored by all students (Y) 70

Spread of marks (Std deviation) (Z) 10

PSLE T-Score

Example (b): Most students scored lower

T = 50 + 10 (80 - 50)

12

= 75

Student’s mark in exam (X) 80

Average mark scored by all students (Y) 50

Spread of marks (Std deviation) (Z) 12

Courses offered in Mainstream Secondary

Schools

Courses Overview

Express • 4 year course

• GCE ‘O’ Level

Normal Academic (NA) • 4 year course – GCE ‘N’ Level

• May proceed to GCE ‘O’ Level (Sec 5) /

Polytechnic Foundation Programme

(PFP) / Higher Nitec (ITE) /

Direct-Entry-Scheme to Polytechnic

Programme (DPP)

Normal Technical (NT) • 4 year course

• Geared towards technical vocational

education at ITE

Types of Secondary Schools

• Integrated Programme (IP Schools)

• Special Assistance Plan (SAP) Schools

• Independent Schools

• Autonomous Schools

• Specialised Schools

For more details, please visit

https://beta.moe.gov.sg/schools/types/

What’s next after PSLE?

ST video: Choosing a Secondary School after PSLE

https://youtu.be/ZUYBJbV9JyU

Secondary School Posting

• Centralised S1 Posting Exercise

• Direct School Admission

* If your child is admitted to a secondary school

through DSA, he/she will not be allowed to submit

school choices during S1 posting exercise.

Centralised S1 Posting Exercise

• On PSLE result release day, students eligible for

secondary schools will receive a Sec 1 Option

Form with an S1 PIN to go online to select the

secondary schools of their choice.

• Students are emplaced in Secondary Schools

first by MERIT (PSLE Aggregate Score) then by

CHOICE.

Posting Process Mechanism

• When PSLE result is released, all students will be ranked according to their aggregate scores:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

John

Aggregate-260

Sch A Sch B Sch C Sch D Sch E Sch F

Jonathan

Aggregate- 245

Sch A Sch C Sch B Sch D Sch E Sch F

Jensen

Aggregate 220

Sch E Sch D Sch F Sch X Sch Y Sch Z

John will be considered first, then Jonathan, and finally Jensen.

For John, MOE will try to admit him to his 1st choice school, if not possible, then 2nd choice, if not then 3rd choice and so on…until schools have filled up their vacancies

UN-POSTED STUDENTS

If a student

could not get

into any of the

schools in the 6

choices

Post to a school

within the same

Postal District that

still has vacancy

Post to a school

in a neighboring

Postal District

that still has a

vacancy

Post to a school

anywhere in

Singapore that still

has a vacancy

Direct School Admission

Direct School Admission (DSA)

• Started in 2004

• Provides opportunities for enrolment based on

talents, potential and achievements that cannot be

demonstrated through PSLE

• Schools decide their own admission criteria

• Students are accepted before release of PSLE

results

Direct School Admission (DSA)

• Specialised secondary schools that admits

students entirely through DSA:

- School of the Arts (SOTA)

- NUS High School of Math & Science

- School of Science & Technology (SST)

- Singapore Sports School

Direct School Admission (DSA)

8 Nov 2018 Press Release

on DSA Changes in 2019

Direct School Admission (DSA) in 2019

Recording of Students’ Achievements in ALPS

• Information on student’s academic results, CCA, school-

based achievements/awards will be recorded in the MOE

School Cockpit (SC).

• Besides the above mentioned, school will key in the

achievement of students who represented ALPS in

external competitions or performances in SC.

• For enquiries on recording of students’ achievement, you

may contact HOD/PE & CCA, Mr Foo at

foo_weng_hong@moe.edu.sg

Direct School Admission (DSA) in 2019

Changes in 2019

• Apply through the portal via one of their parents’

SingPass login

• Each applicant can choose up to 3 schools and three

talent areas

• Explore schools with developmental programmes for

their talent area by visiting schools’ websites and

attending open houses

Open House Dates : www.schoolbag.sg

Direct School Admission (DSA) in 2019

Choice

(Unranked)

DSA school choice DSA Talent Area

(1) School A Art

(2) School B Badminton

(3) School C Ballet

Example: Applicant can apply up to three different schools, with

no restrictions on the talent areas.

*Applicants can only apply up to 2 talent areas from the same school.

Direct School Admission (DSA) in 2019

• More details on the centralised DSA application

procedures will be available in April 2019 via the

MOE DSA-Sec webpage

https://beta.moe.gov.sg/dsa/

* Except SOTA & Singapore Sports School

What is suitable for my child?

Considerations for choosing Secondary School

• Key Question:

Is the school a ‘good fit’ for my child?

• Consider the school’s

- Distinctive Programmes

- Culture

- Cut-off Point

- Distance from home

Considerations for choosing Secondary School

• Choose schools judiciously, selecting only those

offering programmes that can develop your

child’s strengths and interests, and at a suitable

learning pace

• Do NOT place your hope on appeals after PSLE

release of results / Sec Sch Posting

• Exercise your CHOICE wisely

Information on Secondary Schools

• MOE School Information Service -

http://sis.moe.gov.sg/

• Secondary School websites

• Secondary School Information booklet

(distributed to all P6 students around Sept – Oct)

• Secondary School Talks in ALPS

• Secondary School Open House

Holistic Development of our Children

It’s PSLE year! But life still goes on…

1. Motivational & Stress Management Talks

2. Educational & Career Guidance (ECG)

3. After School Clinic Sessions

4. Remediation Programme during June & Sept

holidays

5. CCA will continue in Term 3

(Scale down for some students on a needs basis)

6. Post-PSLE Activities

Our children are Gifts to us.

Their worth is not measured

by any score,

neither is our love for them.

Let them know this everyday.

Thank you!