Secondary School Cut-Off Points [2023]: Who is Singapore’s Best?

If your child is getting ready to seat for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) this year, naturally, you would have shortlisted some secondary schools for them to aim for. Besides taking into account distance and your child’s own preferences, you may also be wondering how the schools of your choice compare to others and whether it is a realistic aim for your child based on cut-off points.

There are a few different types of secondary schools in Singapore, from independent and autonomous schools to ones offering the Special Assistance Programme (SAP), Integrated Programme (IP) and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Some schools may offer a combination of the above. On top of that, students who excel in one particular area such as sports or the arts may wish to undergo Direct School Admission 9DSA) into a specialised school such as Singapore Sports School or School of The Arts (SOTA).

Before you and your child pinpoint a few schools they should be working towards, it helps to know a bit more about what the different types of schools can offer as well as the cut-off points for each one. You can find out everything you need to know about the secondary schools in Singapore for 2023 in this article!

2023 PSLE AL Score For Secondary Schools

School	Points	Affiliate
Raffles Institution	6	–
Raffles Girls’ School	6	–
Methodist Girls’ School IP	7	–
ACS (Independent) IP	7	–
National Junior College	7	–
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School IP	7 HMT (P)
Nanyang Girls’ High School	7 HMT (M)	8 HMT (M)
Hwa Chong Institution	7 HMT (M)	–
Catholic High School IP	8 HMT (M)	–
Singapore Chinese Girls’ School IP	8	–
Cedar Girls’ Sec Sch IP	8	–
Dunman High School	8 HMT (D)	–
St. Joseph’s Institution IP	8	–
Victoria School IP	8	–
ACS (Independent)	8	13
Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)	8	17
Catholic High School IP	8 HMT (M)	–
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School	9 HMT (M)	14
Singapore Chinese Girls’ School	9	17
Temasek Junior College	9	–
Cedar Girls’ Sec Sch (Express)	9	–
Catholic High School (Express)	9	12
River Valley High School	9 HMT (M)	–
Victoria School (Express)	9	–
CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)	10	20
St. Joseph’s Institution (Express)	10	12
St. Andrew’s Sec Sch	10	22
Anderson Sec Sch	10	–
ACS (Barker Road)	10	22
Nan Hua High School	11 HMT (D)	–
Swiss Cottage Sec Sch	11	–
Fairfield Methodist School	11	20
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School	11	20
Chung Cheng High School (Main)	11 HMT (M)	–
Bukit Panjang Government High School	11	–
Crescent Girls’ School	11	–
St. Margaret’s Sec Sch	11	20
Chung Cheng High School (Yishun)	11	–
Nan Chiau High School	12 HMT (D)	–
Commonwealth Sec Sch	12	–
Ngee Ann Sec Sch	12	16
Maris Stella High School	12	16
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Sec Sch	12	20
Temasek Sec Sch	13	–
Zhonghua Sec Sch	13	–
Fuhua Sec Sch	13	–
Tanjong Katong Girls’ School	13	–
Yishun Town Sec Sch	13	–
Presbyterian High School	13	–
CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent	13	20
St. Patrick’s School	13	22
Tanjong Katong Sec Sch	14	–
CHIJ St. Joseph’s Convent	14	20
Dunman Sec Sch	14	–
Riverside Sec Sch	14	–
Xinmin Sec Sch	14	–
Clementi Town Sec Sch	14	–
Kranji Sec Sch	14	–
Edgefield Sec School	14	–
Jurong Sec School	15	–
Gan Eng Seng School	15	–
Evergreen Sec Sch	15	–
Geylang Methodist School	15	21
CHIJ Katong Convent	15	20
Holy Innocents’ High School	15	22
St. Hilda’s Sec Sch	15	22
Bukit Batok Sec Sch	15	–
St. Anthony’s Canossian Sec Sch	16	22
Hua Yi Sec Sch	16	–
Hai Sing Catholic School	16	–
Bowen Sec Sch	16	–
Pei Hwa Sec Sch	16	–
Ang Mo Kio Sec Sch	16	–
Queensway Sec Sch	17	–
West Spring Sec Sch	17	–
St. Gabriel’s Sec Sch	17	22
Ahmad Ibrahim Sec Sch	17	–
Mayflower Sec Sch	17	–
Pasir Ris Cresr Sec Sch	18	–
Deyi Sec Sch	18	–
North Vista Sec Sch	18	–
Pasir Ris Sec Sch	18	–
Greendale Sec Sch	18	–
Jurong West Sec Sch	18	–
Unity Sec Sch	18	–
Bedok View Sec Sch	18	–
Beatty Sec Sch	18	–
Kent Ridge Sec Sch	18	–
Christ Church Sec Sch	18	–
Yuan Ching Sec Sch	19	–
Compassvale Sec Sch	19	–
Orchid Park Sec Sch	19	–
Bukit View Sec Sch	19	–
Hillgrove Sec Sch	19	–
Woodlands Ring Sec Sch	19	–
Peirce Sec Sch	19	–
Tampines Sec Sch	20	–
Seng Kang Sec Sch	20	–
Bedok South Sec Sch	20	–
Meridian Sec Sch	20	–
Naval Base Sec Sch	20	–
Yishun Sec Sch	20	–
Zhenghua Sec Sch	20	–
Woodgrove Sec Sch	20	–
New Town Sec Sch	20	–
Bedok Green Sec Sch	20	–
Punggol Sec Sch	20	–
Hougang Sec Sch	20	–
Jurongville Sec Sch	20	–
Monfort Sec Sch	20	21
Admiralty Sec Sch	21	–
Serangoon Sec Sch	21	–
Manjusri Sec Sch	21	22
Teck Whye Sec Sch (Choa Chu Kang Secondary after merger)	21	–
Guangyang Sec Sch	22	–
Serangoon Garden Sec Sch	22	–
Regent Sec Sch	22	–
Yio Chu KangSec Sch	22	–
Northbrooks Sec Sch	22	–
East Spring Sec Sch	22	–
Changkat Changi Sec Sch	22	–
Loyang View Sec Sch	22	–
Bukit Merah Sec Sch	22	–
Bartley Sec Sch	22	–
Damai Sec Sch	22	–
Broadrick Sec Sch	22	–
Bendemeer Sec Sch	22	–
Fajar Sec Sch	22	–
Boon Lay Sec Sch	22	–
Marsiling Sec Sch	22	–
Dunearn Sec Sch	22	–
Springfield Sec Sch	22	–
Assumption English School	22	–
Yuhua Sec Sch	22	–
Outram Sec Sch	22	–
Yuying Sec Sch	22	–
Northland Sec Sch	22	–
Peicai Sec Sch	22	–
Sembawang Sec Sch	22	–
Woodlands Sec Sch	22	–
Canberra Sec Sch	22	–
Westwood Sec Sch	22	–
Whitley Sec Sch	22	–
Juying Sec Sch	22	–
Queenstown Sec Sch	22	–

Legend: HMT (M/D/P) - Higher Mother Tongue (Merit / Distinction / Pass)

Admission into Secondary Schools Based on PSLE Achievement Level (AL) Score

The Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore keeps changing policies or amending existing ones. This affects the next batches of students entering secondary school upon completion of the PSLE. Effective from last year, Primary 6 students receive Achievement Levels (AL) instead of grades.

These levels will range from 1 to 8 in each of the four subjects that your child is seating for. The sum of all these subjects will be the final score and the final AL of your child.

To understand more, we have a dedicated post on how to calculate the AL score for your child here (complete with a visual guide!)

What is the PSLE range of AL scores?

Under these new AL COPs, the PSLE score will range from 4 to 32. This means that four will be the best score possible. Before, the scoring system was based on T-scores, with 300 being the maximum score a student can attain.

On the other hand, the AL COP will only have almost 29 possible scores. The goal of doing so will be to minimise the differentiation between students of varying academic abilities. This means that many more students will now share the same scores. As a result, the largest consideration when allocating each student within the same band to a secondary school will be the order of preference they have submitted. That makes it all the more important for your child to make an informed decision about the school they want to spend the next four (or six) years of their academic journey in.

As every child has a different academic ability and each school offers a unique educational experience, parents and students should sit down together to go over their choices. Most importantly, you may be asking if all students have the same post-PSLE options for further studies in secondary school? Of course not!

Every anxious parent and child who just went through the PSLE exams may be struggling with the same questions right now: ‘What are my options?’, ‘Which secondary school shall I pick?’, ‘I want to pursue my higher studies in a particular school. Will I get admission there with my score?’ and many more. If you are a student or parent of a child struggling to find the best secondary school for your child, keep reading to find out the answers to your questions.

Is There A ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Best School for Every Student?

You may wish for your child to pursue their secondary studies at a certain school, but whether they will be admitted depends on their PSLE total achievement level score. Due to immense competition, the AL score plays the major role in your decision. This cut-off limits your choice for a secondary school.

As a general consideration, the lower the AL score of a secondary school, the better is its rank and the more successful your child will be in academic terms. If your child has attained a good AL score, they will have a wider range of schools to pick from and vice versa.

While there are students who manage to get into the school of their choice, others can be indecisive due to a variety of reasons including location, curriculum, fee structure and whether the school is single gendered or co-educational. All these factors can limit the choices of secondary school your child is open to.

Understanding the New Subject Banding System

On top of the change in scoring system, a new subject banding criteria has also been introduced to allow students greater flexibility in customising their education pathway. It will allow students to choose subjects at a variety of difficulty levels in secondary school based on their AL score.

Secondary schools offering Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams will implement the new scoring system and the subject banding criteria. All students in these schools will be eligible to take the same subjects at a more challenging level in Secondary 1 (S1). This eligibility will be based on their AL scores in individual subjects instead of their overall score. These include:

• Mathematics
• Science
• English Language
• Mother Tongue Language

For reference, if a student has an AL score of 5 or more in any subject, they can take that subject at Express Level. On the other hand, students with an AL score of 6 or better in a standard subject or AL A in a Foundation level subject can take it at the Normal (Academic) level.

MOE has introduced these new guidelines so that students can have the opportunity to take challenging subjects based on their previous performance in school. Doing so will allow them to work on their skills and talents even further.

In addition, students who take up HMT as one of their PSLE subjects are given a bonus consideration in their application to their preferred schools. Though the same programmes can be offered by a variety of schools, you may want to look into other contributing factors before arriving at the final decision.

Which Academic Track Will Best Suit Your Child?

When it comes to choosing a school, students will need to carefully consider the path they wish to pursue in future. Parents can sit down with their children and go over the different curriculum options available, which can be summarised into these three pathways:

1. Express Stream (‘O’ Levels and IP): Express Stream students will complete a 4-year programme that culminates in the GCE ‘O’ Level exams. Integrated Programme (IP) students do not have to sit for ‘O’ Levels, allowing them to focus on developing their knowledge and interests for the first 4 years of their 6-year programme, after which they will sit for the GCE ‘A’ Levels, IBDP or NUS High School Diploma.
2. Normal Academic N(A) Stream: At the end of this 4-year programme, students seat for the GCE N(A)-Levels, after which they can apply for admission to the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) in Singapore. Those who do well for their N(A) levels can choose to continue with an additional year in their secondary school, making it a 5-year programme which concludes with ‘O’ Levels.  
3. Normal Technical N(T) Stream: It is a 4-year programme culminating at GCE N(T)-Level exams, after which students will further their studies in one of the three ITEs.

English Language, Mother Tongue Language and Mathematics are the compulsory subjects for all tracks. Students enrolled in the Express or N(A) Track will also have to take on subjects in the Sciences and Humanities, choosing to specialise further in Secondary 3. On the other hand, N(T) students will need to study Computer Applications and Social Studies.

One other pathway is to embark on the international syllabus IB or IGCSE, which also offers a route to a local or foreign university. If you are interested to know more about this track, you can find out more information in our Guide to the Best International (IB) Schools in Singapore.

Elective Programmes Can Help to Bring Out a Child’s Talent

Does your child have a specific interest in arts, music, sports or language? If so, you may wish to encourage them to develop further in that aspect, possibly even making it a future career. If your child is already participating in activities and accumulating achievements in this area, you may want to go over the options available to them and decide together if an elective programme is a good choice for them.

Once your child has decided they are interested in developing their interest in a specific area, you will want to do some research on the secondary schools that offer these elective programmes. These programmes include the Music and Art Elective Programmes, also known as MEP and AEP respectively. On top of that, the Enhanced Art Programme and Enhanced Music Programme are also available for students to further develop their talents.

 

• Music Elective Programme (MEP)

Throughout their 4-year academic journey in secondary school, MEP students will have access to facilities that include music studios and specialised technology. They will be guided and encouraged to develop their skills in areas such as performing, crafting, listening and research.

The schools that offer MEP in Singapore are:

• Temasek Junior College (Secondary)
• Raffles Institution
• Raffles Girls’ School
• Methodist Girls’ School
• Crescent Girls’ School
• Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
• Tanjong Katong Girls’ School
• Catholic High School (Secondary)
• Dunman High School
• CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School (Secondary)

• Art Elective Programme (AEP)

Students who are artistically inclined can choose to enroll in the AEP, where they will dedicate time to honing their skills in painting, sculpting, design, art history, new media and technology and more. Instead of taking Food & Consumer Education or Design & Technology in Lower Secondary, AEP students will take on Higher Art instead.

The schools that offer AEP in Singapore are:

• Hwa Chong Institution
• Nanyang Girls’ High School
• National Junior College
• Bukit Panjang Government High School
• Victoria School
• CHIJ Secondary School (Toa Payoh)
• Zhonghua Secondary School

What Different Types of Schools Are There in Singapore?

Most schools in Singapore are either government schools or government-aided schools. Then, there are others like independent schools, autonomous schools, specialised schools and specialised independent schools (SIS). The fee structure for these schools can differ accordingly.

1. Government and Government-Aided Schools

For many, the fee structure of a school is a big deciding factor. Most government and government-aided schools follow the National curriculum as determined by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and provide education at a subsidised fee.

2. Autonomous Schools

On the other hand, autonomous schools have the liberty to choose their curriculum, programmes and activities. The fee structure of these autonomous schools is on a higher band as they charge the autonomous fee on top of the subsidized fee paid by students of government schools.

Below is a list of autonomous secondary schools in Singapore:

• Anglican High School
• River Valley High School (Secondary)
• Dunman High School (Secondary)
• Catholic High School
• Nan Hua High School
• Bukit Panjang Government High School
• Cedar Girls’ School
• CHIJ Katong Convent
• CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls’ School
• CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)
• Chung Cheng High School
• Commonwealth Secondary School
• Anderson Secondary School
• Crescent Girls’ School
• Dunman Secondary School
• Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary)
• Maris Stella High School (Secondary)
• Ngee Ann Secondary School
• Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)
• St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School
• St. Margaret’s Secondary School
• Tanjong Katong Girls’ School
• Tanjong Katong Secondary School
• Temasek Secondary School
• Victoria School
• Xinmin Secondary School
• Yishun Town Secondary School
• Zhonghua Secondary School

 

3. Independent Schools

Independent schools, as the name suggests have the independence to select their curriculum as well as set up special programmes and activities not on offer in other schools. This provides students with more flexibility to carve up an academic pathway that suits their needs. Hence, you can expect their fees to be higher even than those of autonomous schools. 

The independent schools in Singapore are:

• Anglo-Chinese School Independent
• Hwa Chong Institution
• St. Joseph’s Institution (Secondary)
• Singapore Chinese Girls’ School
• Nanyang Girls’ High School
• Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)
• Raffles Institution
• Raffles Girls’ School

 

4. Special Assistance Programme (SAP) Schools

SAP schools have a focus on bilingualism, particularly in Chinese culture. These schools are also either independent or autonomous and only offer the Express stream.

Below is a list of SAP schools your child can apply to:

• River Valley High School (Secondary)
• Nanyang Girls’ High School
• Nan Hua High School
• Catholic High School
• Anglican High School
• CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School (Secondary)
• Hwa Chong Institution (Secondary)
• Nan Chiau High School
• Maris Stella High School (Secondary)
• Chung Cheng High School (Main)
• Dunman High School

 

5. Specialised Independent Schools (SIS)

Does your child excel in sports or have a specialised interest in the arts or sciences? If so, they may wish to be admitted to one of the four SISs in Singapore, which focuses on an area of specialisation each. These are:

1. NUS High School of Mathematics and Science
2. School of Science and Technology
3. Singapore Sports School
4. School of the Arts

Keep in mind that admission to these schools is based on Direct School Admission (DSA), where students will submit portfolios and undergo a series of tests, interviews and trials. After which, shortlisted applicants will be made a conditional offer, where they have to achieve a minimum AL score in order to be successfully admitted to the SIS.

 

6. Specialised Schools

Students who do not do well enough to enter any secondary school or who attain a high enough AL can be admitted to a specialised school. MOE recognises that some students have strengths that may lie in non-academic areas, and students of specialised schools are educated by a hands-on-learning method by experienced teachers.

The list of specialised schools in Singapore is as follows:

1. NorthLight School
2. Assumption Pathway School
3. Spectra Secondary School
4. Crest Secondary School

Both Spectra and Crest Secondary Schools are open to students who are interested in taking up the Normal Technical (NT) course. All four schools listed above adopt a practice-based approach to learning, where students will pick up relevant skills in an industry of their choice, such as Hospitality and Retail Services.

Students of these schools will also graduate with an ITE Skills Certificate if they manage to pass their course, which will provide them with an edge when it comes to furthering their education and embarking on their chosen career paths in future.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Secondary Schools

Many parents wonder how they will decide on choosing a secondary school for their child. The new COPs that have been introduced means that you will have to look beyond the scores. You need to take a holistic approach and consider other factors before making a list of school options in order of your preference.

Here are some considerations to take into account when it comes to making an informed decision:

1. 1. Location & Travel Time

Nobody wants to spend hours travelling to and from school every day. Before deciding whether a school should be on your child’s shortlist, find out where it is and consider all the possible routes and travel options. After which, you and your child can come to a conclusion whether the distance and travel time is something they are willing to put up with for 4 years.

1. 2. Subjects Offered

Not every secondary school offers all subjects. Some may have a stronger focus on science courses whereas others may specialise in the humanities. Here is where it may be helpful to look up the ‘O’ Level subject combinations each school offered, as not every possible combination is offered by every school.

So, have a discussion with your child and understand what it is they wish to study during their time at secondary school. Choosing the right school defines the future roadmap for your child.

From there, make sure you choose a school that offers the programme your child wishes to study later on. It will help them build a solid base that they can continue to work on in the future.

1. 3. Learning Environment & Culture

The best way to get a feel of the learning environment and culture you can expect in each school is to attend their open house. If you want to know more about a school, you should visit their open house before making your decision. It will help you understand if it is the right fit for your child as you will get to talk to the teachers and understand their teaching styles.

1. 4. Future Goals

Some parents make the mistake of overriding their child’s decision, and you should never do that. After all, this is your child’s academic journey and future. Take the time to understand the path your child wishes to pursue in future before chiming in with your own insights. Doing this will help you have a healthy discussion with your child whose needs will be your priority.

Most importantly, your child will feel that you value their opinion, which will help them look forward to the next stage of their educational journey. Giving them this sense of autonomy early on can also prove to be a critical first step in cultivating good decision-making abilities in the future.

Success Looks Different for Everyone

Now that you have all the information you need to choose the right secondary school for your child, it’s time to start getting excited about where this next stage will take them! Understandably, the transition from primary to secondary school is an important one in every student’s life and as a parent, you will want to do your best to support them.

It is up to you to make the transition easier for your child and include them in decisions regarding their future. Instilling this sense of accountability now will also help your child stay focused and enjoy their academic journey. Choosing the right secondary school for your child’s abilities and interests will go a long way in helping them reach their future career goals.

Considering engaging primary school tuition to improve your child’s PSLE AL score? Regardless of the specific subject(s) your child struggles with, be it Maths, Science, Chinese or English, Tutor City can match them with a qualified and experienced tutor who can help them. Contact us to get started today!

 

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