Welcome to

Shuqun Primary School

P4 Subject Based Banding (SBB)

and

Overview of Direct School Admission (DSA) Briefing

14 February 2020

WHY SBB?

To provide more flexibility to students with strengths

and abilities that vary across subjects

To encourage greater interaction among students

with different strengths

Every child will be encouraged to do the subjects

at the levels that best meet his abilities

WHAT ARE SOME CHOICES AVAILABLE?

If your child (for P4 exam) Your child may be recommended to take

Passes all 4 subjects and

performs very well in

Mother Tongue Language

4 standard subjects + Higher Mother Tongue

Language

Passes all 4 subjects 4 standard subjects

Passes 3 subjects 4 standard subjects

Passes 2 subjects or less

4 standard subjects; or

3 standard subjects + 1 other foundation subject; or

2 standard subjects + 2 other foundation subjects; or

1 standard subject + 3 other foundation subjects; or

4 foundation subjects

We offer primarily 6 subject combinations that meet the needs of our students :

4 Standard subjects + 1 Higher Mother Tongue Language (4S1H)

4 Standard subjects (4S)

3 Standard subject + 1 Foundation Mathematics (3S1FMA)

3 Standard subject + 1 Foundation MTL (3S1FMTL)

2 Standard Subjects (EL&MT) + 2 Foundation Subjects (FMA&FSC)

(2S2F)

4 Foundation Subjects (4F)

SQPS SUBJECT COMBINATIONS

Offering HMTL

• The school would offer 4S1H if we have found the

student suitable for this course.

(85 marks and above for CL, TL or ML and at least 80

marks for the other subjects)

• Student taking 4S1H must ensure that he/she is able

to meet the demands of a rigorous curriculum.

• Student will HAVE TO sit for the HMTL paper in PSLE.

• Students will not be allowed to drop the subject

halfway.

Note regarding Offering HMT

• When applying to SAP schools, HCL students will

continue to receive an advantage.

• Although HCL results do not count towards the PSLE

Score, if students with the same PSLE Score are vying

for limited places in the same SAP school, those with

better HCL grades will be allocated a place ahead of

other students. This applies before the tie-breakers for

S1 posting.

Only for application to SAP schools

Movement after P5

*At the end of P5, if

child scores Band 1

in his foundation

subjects, he can opt

to do the subject at

standard level.

However, he may

have to repeat the

level at P5 so as to

catch up with the

rest of the subjects.

*

SUBJECT-BASED BANDING (PRI) AND SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSION:

HOW ARE THEY RELATED? Progression to secondary level depends on your child’s PSLE

score. The different expectations of standard and foundation subjects will be taken into account when your child’s PSLE score is tabulated. If he excels in his subjects, he will have the opportunity to pursue higher-level options at

secondary school.

Offering subjects at the foundation level is not a disadvantage to your child. It enables him to focus on

building up strong fundamentals in these subjects and better prepares him for progression to secondary school.

PSLE SCORE

Each subject will be scored using 8 bands known as

Achievement Levels (AL), with AL1 being the best

score and AL8 being the lowest score. The ALs reflect

the student’s level of achievement in the subject.

The student’s total PSLE Score will be the sum of the

four subject scores.

PSLE SCORE

The PSLE Score will range from 4 (best) to 32.

CHOICE OF STUDY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Students will continue to be assigned to Express,

Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) courses.

This enables us to better customise our teaching to

support the needs of the children, so they can learn at

a pace comfortable to them and make good

progress.

Course consideration will be based on PSLE Score.

Likelihood of 2S+2F or 4F students to be channeled to

Normal Technical is high (there are exceptions).

CHOICE OF STUDY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Educational Pathways after Primary School

Shuqun

Primary

School Express

4 years

Normal(Acad)

4 years

Normal(Tech)

4 years

‘O’ Level

‘N(T)’ Level

‘N(A)’ Level

Integrated Programme

6 years

PSLE

Sec 5N(A)

1 year

Junior Colleges/

Centralised Institute

2-3 years

Alternative

Qualifications

Polytechnic

3-4 years

‘A’ Level

Universities

3-5 years

Work

Secondary Schools

ITE

1-2 years

Primary6 years

Secondary4-5 years

Post-Secondary3-6 years

Diploma

• Integrated Programme (IP) Course: 6-year programme leading to the

GCE A-Level Examination

• Express Course: 4-year programme leading to the GCE O-Level

Examination

• Normal (Academic) Course: 4-year programme leading to the GCE N-

Level Examination; A 5th year leading to the GCE O-Level examination

made available to N(A) students who perform well in their GCE N-Levels

• Normal (Technical) Course: 4-year programme leading to the GCE N-

Level Examination; programme prepares students for a technical-

vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE)

Progression to Secondary School

How the school will

work with your child

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Your children move to different classes according to

their P2 SA2 performance we do so to better

match their learning pace but your child also needs

to keep up and aim to improve his / her

performance

He / she is able to interact with and appreciate

students of different abilities in his / her own form

class helps to broaden the circle of friends

How the School will Work with your Child

14/02/2020 18

Do take note that the children tend to do very well

in P4 SA2 because certain test items are pitched at testing fundamental knowledge

Quite a few children experience a drop in

performance in P5 because of the amount of new

knowledge and former knowledge they are

expected to master

Many of them will catch up, with effort, by end of

the year

How the School will Work with your Child

Tips for Parents

14/02/2020 20

How parents can work with the school

– Communications

We will be keeping you informed if your child is

underperforming and we need your support.

Please refer to your child’s Shuqunite Diary daily for homework updates / important announcements.

Should you need to meet with a teacher, please

make an appointment ahead of schedule and refrain

from contacting him / her after 6 p.m. and on

weekends.

14/02/2020 21

How parents can work with the school– Assessment Matters

Taking homework seriously and completing it on time

Having your child attend all lessons and extra sessions

recommended by the school

Taking assessments seriously - A poor performance

can mean the offering of a Standard Subject at

Foundation level in P5 or P6

14/02/2020 22

How parents can work with their children

– Supporting your child

Pacing your child and monitoring his / her work and recreational activities

Ensuring that he / she attends school regularly and

is punctual

Providing balance between work and play

Limiting screen time on mobile devices

Role modelling wherever possible

14/02/2020 23

How parents can work with their children– Understanding your child

In terms of :

His / her physical development

His / her interests and aspirations

His / her interpersonal relationships

What is happening at home

14/02/2020 24

In a nutshell …

We intend to work with and build up your

child’s capacity over the years

We appreciate their active participation

during lessons

We continue to strive to partner you in

realising your child’s potential

Direct School Admission for Secondary Schools (DSA-Sec)

Please take note that you can only participate in DSA, if

your child is eligible, when he or she is in Primary 6.

The following slides are therefore for your reference.

Entering a secondary school

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PSLE/S1 Posting Process DSA-Sec

• Based on a student’s PSLE score• Most students enter secondary

schools this way

• Based on a diverse range of talents and achievements in specific academicsubjects or non-academic areas, beyond what the PSLE recognises

• Allows students to access school programmes to develop their talents

Is the DSA-Sec right for my child?

28

If your child has specific talents

which a school offers the DSA-

Sec in

And is passionate about

and committed to

developing his/her

strengths and interests

Talent

PassionCommitmentDSA-Sec can support

his/her development in

that talent area

Which school should my child apply to? Look for a school with programmes that match your child’s

strengths and interests

Schools are looking out for students whose interests and talents they

can develop further

Learn more about the secondary school’s pace of learning and

overall range of programmes

Get the latest information about what each school offers by:

Visiting schools’ websites

Attending schools’ Open Houses to also experience their

environments and cultures

Visiting the MOE’s DSA-Sec website (will be updated around April

2020) 29

DSA-SEC APPLICATION

30

A new DSA-Sec Application Portal

•To encourage students to tap on the expanded DSA opportunities, the DSA-Sec application process will be simplified.

•Students will be able to apply for DSA through a centralised DSA-Sec Application Portal, using a common application form.

NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION PORTAL

Gathering Information on DSA Sec Schools

Application (May – Jun)

Selection by Schools (Jun – Aug)

Selection Outcome (End Aug – Early Nov)

School Preference Indication (Oct)

Results (Late Nov)

DSA-SEC EXERCISE PROCESS

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal1. Centralised online applications

Applications will be centralised across all participating secondary schools.

The form will be easy to fill – you only have to key in contact details and your school and talent choices.

Optional: The portal will also allow you to indicate any non-school-based achievements and activities related to the talent areas you applied for.

You do not need to submit testimonials or hardcopy documents to the secondary school during application.

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NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION

PORTAL

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal2. Application using Singpass

Parents can access the Portal via their SingPass login. Only one parent’s SingPass login is required.

Parents who are unable to access their SingPass can approach the primary school for assistance.

3. No application fees

No fees charged for DSA-Sec application and selection.

We encourage all students who are passionate about and committed to developing particular talents to apply, regardless of family backgrounds.

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NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION

PORTAL

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal

4.Making choices in the DSA-Sec portal

Through the portal, you can easily identify schools

that offer programmes for your child’s talent area.

You can indicate up to three choices. For each

choice, you will need to choose a secondary

school and a talent area from that school.

The order of the choices does not matter during

application.

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NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION

PORTAL

Features of the DSA-Sec Portal

4. Making choices in the DSA-Sec portal (cont’d)

Of the three choices, up to two choices may be used to apply to the

same school, for two different talent areas of that school. This is to

cater to your child’s multiple interests, and allow your child to choose

different schools which can develop his/her strengths and interests.

You and your child are encouraged to consider your choices

carefully, and manage the time and effort participating in multiple

trials and interviews.

35

Note. Students can apply separately to School of the Arts and

Singapore Sports School, on top of the DSA-Sec choices made

through the DSA-Sec Portal.

NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION

PORTAL

Examples of Possible Choice Combinations

36

NEW – DSA-SEC APPLICATION

PORTAL

EXAMPLE1

Talent(s) School(s) Your child can apply up to three different

schools, with no restrictions on the

talent areas.

Choir School A

Choir School B

Choir School C

EXAMPLE2

Talent(s) School(s)If your child chooses

two areas in one school, he/she can

apply to two different schools only.

Choir School A

String Orchestra School A

Choir School B

EXAMPLE3

(Not allowed)

Talent(s) School(s)Your child cannot use

all three choices on one school. He/Shecan leave the third

choice blank or choose another

school.

Choir School A

String Orchestra School A

Mathematics School A

What are schools looking for?

37

DSA-SEC SELECTION

• Schools have updated their selection

practices, which are based on a common set

of student-centric principles, with more

emphasis on looking for sound fundamentals

and potential in particular talent areas.

• The DSA-Sec selection process remains

objective and talent-specific.

What are schools looking for?

38

DSA-SEC SELECTION

Talent, passion, commitment

•Schools may look at achievements and participation (e.g. in Junior Sports Academy).

•Schools may also conduct tests, trials or selection camps to identify students with strengths, or sound fundamentals and potential, in particular areas.

Strong personal qualities

• Schools may look at CCA records and VIA participation.

• Schools may also conduct interviews.

Good academic fit

• Schools may look at primary school results to ensure students can benefit from the school’s pace of learning.

Students, be sincere, be genuine, and be yourself –

if you are a good fit for the school, it will show.

• The selection process differs across schools, and across different

DSA-Sec categories.

• Generally, schools are looking for candidates with:

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Where can I find more information on the DSA-Sec?

•Check the MOE DSA-Sec website for important dates and timelines, and for information on how DSA-Sec will be conducted.

•The updated DSA-Sec information will be published around April 2020.

•The MOE DSA-Sec website also contains information on DSA categories and secondary schools offering them.

MORE INFORMATION