Are You Stressed About Understanding the PSLE Grading System? Worried That Your Child Isn’t Doing Well?
You’re not alone. Many parents feel anxious when trying to navigate the PSLE grading system and what it means for their child’s future. With the right information, you can guide your child confidently through this important milestone.
What is the PSLE Grading System?
The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) grading system in Singapore underwent a major change in 2021, shifting from the traditional T-score system to the Achievement Level (AL) system. This change aims to reduce excessive competition among students and encourage a focus on individual learning progress rather than relative performance.
How Does the Achievement Level (AL) System Work?
The Ministry of Education (MOE) introduced the new scoring psle grading system to ensure that students are placed in schools that best match their learning abilities. Instead of being ranked against their peers, students now compete within defined AL bands, making placement more predictable.
Under the new AL psle grading system, each subject is graded based on a student’s actual performance, instead of being ranked against their peers. The AL system has 8 levels:
- AL1: 90 – 100
- AL2: 85 – 89
- AL3: 80 – 84
- AL4: 75 – 79
- AL5: 65 – 74
- AL6: 45 – 64
- AL7: 20 – 44
- AL8: Below 20
A student’s total PSLE score is the sum of their AL scores across four subjects (English, Mathematics, Science, and Mother Tongue). The best possible score is 4 (AL1 in all subjects), and the lowest is 32.
Understanding the PSLE Grading System and Secondary School Placement
From the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort onwards, the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express streams will be replaced by Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB). Students will be assigned to secondary schools based on Posting Groups 1, 2, and 3. As they progress through secondary school, they will have greater flexibility to offer subjects at different subject levels.
Your child’s PSLE score determines their eligibility for different secondary school courses:
PSLE Score |
Posting Group(s) |
Indicative level for most subjects at start of Secondary 1 |
4 – 20 |
3 |
G3 |
21 – 22 |
2 or 3 |
G2 or G3 |
23 – 24 |
2 |
G2 |
25 |
1 or 2 |
G1 or G2 |
26 – 30 |
1 |
G1 |
(Source: MOE)
What This Means for Parents and Students
Many parents wonder how this affects their child’s future. The key takeaway is that the focus should be on consistent improvement rather than chasing the highest marks. Here’s what you can do to support your child:
1. Encourage Steady Progress
The AL PSLE grading system rewards steady learning rather than last-minute cramming. Help your child establish good study habits early on to perform consistently in all subjects.
2. Understand Your Child’s Strengths
Every child has unique strengths. While scoring AL1 in every subject is ideal, it’s more important to focus on areas where your child can improve and excel.
3. Choose the Right Secondary School
Instead of fixating on an elite school, consider a secondary school that aligns with your child’s learning needs, interests, and strengths. Schools now have Subject-Based Banding (SBB), allowing students to take subjects at a more advanced level based on their strengths.
4. Reduce Exam Stress
With the new PSLE grading system, students are no longer competing for minute score differences. This means less stress about small mark variations and more focus on genuine learning.
Preparing for PSLE Success
The best way to approach the PSLE is with proper preparation. At WRITERS AT WORK, we help students improve their English skills through structured lessons, model compositions, and targeted practice to excel in Paper 2 and the Oral Examination.
Need Extra Support for PSLE English?
Let us take care of your child’s English results! At WRITERS AT WORK, we provide a dynamic curriculum tailored to Singapore’s evolving educational standards. With our exam-focused English lessons, structured writing programs, model compositions with vocabulary lists, and comprehensive oral and comprehension practice, your child will embark on an engaging learning journey designed to build skills and track growth from day one.
Interested in independent revision but not sure where to start? WRITERS AT WORK has just uploaded some teacher-recognized Note Collections on our website, including our latest PSLE Oral Model Responses + Video Karaoke aimed at offering expert answers with a clear stance, while adding a fun element to keep students excited for their next revision session.
Final Thoughts
The PSLE grading system is designed to create a more balanced and holistic education experience. Instead of worrying about small differences in marks, focus on your child’s learning journey. With the right strategies, consistent practice, and expert guidance, your child can succeed in PSLE and beyond!
🚀 Need help? Contact WRITERS AT WORK today and give your child the confidence to excel!
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Commonly Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How Long Should You Study for PSLE?
Parents should take around a year or two to prepare for PSLE as learning about subjects like English requires a long-term effort, as opposed to short cramming.
2. Is PSLE Compulsory?
PSLE is compulsory for everyone to enter secondary school in Singapore.
3. How to Study for PSLE?
Parents should make a list of everything a child should study for all their PSLE subjects. Engaging a tuition teacher or practising with workbooks and past year papers may help students tackle the exam format of PSLE and feel more confident taking the exam.
4. How Do I Motivate My Child to Do PSLE?
Children should be motivated to do PSLE by being taught that it is important for their future. Explaining to them the reasons to do the exam may work better than forcing them to study.
