W@W’s Guide to DSA (Direct School Admission)
The Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise is a national school programme which allows students admission to their desired secondary school or Junior College (JC) based on their various talents and interests. If offered a place of admission, students will be able to develop these talents and skills in their respective secondary schools and Junior Colleges. The following talents are eligible for DSA: (1) sports and games, (2) visual, literary, and performing arts, (3) debate and public speaking, (4) STEM, (5) languages and humanities, (6) uniformed groups, and (7) leadership (like if the student is a prefect in primary school.
What is the Purpose of DSA?
DSA-Sec and DSA-JC are alternative methods to enter reputable institutions, considering factors aside from a student’s academic standing. Even before taking their PSLE or GCE-O Level tests, students can use DSA to gain entry to their secondary schools and JCs. Secondary school students wanting to apply to polytechnics can participate in the Polytechnic Early Admissions Exercise (Poly EAE). Students with DSA talent areas will find that the DSA exercise is a popular choice for students to apply. However, students must still meet the minimum eligibility criteria to enrol in the school, which means that they need to maintain a good PSLE or O Level score in addition to these particular abilities or passions they have.
How Should Parents Go About Choosing Their Child’s Next School?
Parents should think about their child’s aptitudes, both the academic and non-academic requirements of the new school, and the programmes within the school which will develop their children’s area of talent. Parents should ultimately do the best for their children, and the DSA exercise may be the key to getting them accepted into a prestigious secondary school or one with a specialised area of learning. If their child is good in a particular area, parents should allow them to develop such an area so they can be well-rounded individuals in future.
What is the Selection Process Like?
Each institution will have different DSA talent areas or components to apply for. Students must make sure that their chosen school has a programme for the area of talent they are applying for. Students may need to prepare the following documents: (1) a portfolio showcasing their talents and achievements, (2) their primary or secondary school results, (3) CCA records, (4) a personal statement, and (5) a character reference. After applying to a school, students may need to attend interviews or take part in sports trials or auditions.
Parents wanting more accurate information should visit the websites of the participating DSA schools. MOE also has dedicated resources to make your DSA journey easier, such as SchoolFinder, the DSA-Sec and the DSA-JC website.
What Happens After a Student is Accepted Into a School via DSA?
Students will receive a notification of their DSA application results. Then, they need to decide whether to accept the offer by a specified date before the announcement of the PSLE or O Level results. When a student accepts such an offer, they are committed to studying and furthering their talent in that field at the particular school. They cannot then participate in the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) or the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise or transfer to another school, as they need to commit to their chosen school for the duration of the programme.
To ensure that children from low-income households are not deprived of important milestones in their lives, MOE provides financial help through many different programmes such as the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) and Opportunity Fund. If a student wants to apply to Independent Schools, they can use the Independent School Bursary (ISB) and the Edusave Scholarship for Independent Schools (ESIS) to help cover higher tuition costs at these institutions. Furthermore, the UPLIFT scholarship offers qualified low-income students applying to independent schools an annual financial reward of $800.
Secure Your Child’s DSA Spot With W@W!
English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.
At WR!TERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!
If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WR!TERS@WORK has expanded to 8 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WR!TERS@WORK!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
1. How Can I Improve My English Creative Writing Skills?
The secret to writing better is to practice more while emulating good examples of writing. Having constructive feedback is extremely important in honing your creative writing skills, as often, students are not aware of what they are doing right or wrong. Trying to copy good examples of writing will help the student intuitively pick up essential skills like grammar rules and vocabulary. Reading good examples of writing will also give the student more ideas.
2. What is the Main Purpose of Creative Writing?
Creative writing helps students express their thoughts more clearly and develop a sense of logic. In crafting a believable plot which flows properly given the premise and characters the story features, a student will be able to hone their critical thinking and their ability to put things in a systematic manner. Creative writing is further important for communicating ideas concisely.
3. What is the Benefit of Creative Writing Classes?
Having good feedback will help a student tremendously, as parents often leave creative writing to the student to “do their best and see how it goes”. However, this is the wrong approach to creative writing – like all skills, creative writing can be taught. It will require a significant amount of work and trial and error to get right, but it is certainly a skill worth learning.
4. How Do You Make a Creative Writing Class Interesting?
Making a creative writing class interesting is something that W@W specialises in! Teachers are engaging, fun, and witty, allowing students to explore many possibilities of plots and characters. Our composition topics are funny and memorable, allowing students to draw on them when they face their actual exam questions. Students participate in discussions with their classmates, giving them the chance to speak up and voice out their own thoughts and ideas during the lesson.
5. Who Benefits From Creative Writing?
The benefits from creative writing are lifelong – all throughout our lives, we will need to communicate with people important to us, not only at work but also in our personal lives. Being able to express our thoughts and ideas clearly is highly important to ensure other people understand what we are saying. By having a logical flow to our thoughts, other subjects in school will become much easier to learn. After all, the English language is the foundation to everything.
