BRIEFING ON T-SCORE CALCULATION, DIRECT SCHOOL ADMISSION & SEC ONE POSTING

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PROGRAMME / AGENDA

�PSLE Aggregate Score Explained (T-score)

�Secondary Education Information

�Direct School Admission (DSA)

�Secondary One Posting (S1 Posting)

�Q & A Session

PSLE AGGREGATE SCORE EXPLAINED

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T-score is out of 300.

English and Mother

Tongue are more

important than

Mathematics and

Science.

I can calculate the T-

score of my child by

adding all the marks of 4

subjects, divide by 4 and

multiply by 3.

True or False?

Mother Tongue has a

lower weighting compared

to the other subjects.

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PSLE PSLE –– A Placement ExaminationA Placement Examination

• Need to reflect the relative achievement level of pupils within their peers.

• Places pupils into different courses according to their academic ability.

• Enables posting to secondary schools by merit and as far as possible into a school of their choice.

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What is PSLE Aggregate Score?What is PSLE Aggregate Score?

It is a sum of the T-score of the 4 subjects.

It allows pupils to be ranked fairly.

What are these scores?

Are they rawscores?

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Raw Scores Are Not Usedbecause….

• Different subjects have different levels of difficulty

• Different subjects have different spread of marks from the average mark (i.e. different standard deviation)

Hmmm… Science is more difficult than

Mathematics.

Well, I feel that Mathematics is more

difficult than Science.

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MT

MT Ave= 80

Her performance in MT is very close to that of other pupils.

EL

EL Ave= 60

Sally scores 85% in both EL and MT.Sally scores 85% in both EL and MT.

85%She did much better in EL as compared to other pupils.

( Sally’s score )

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Therefore there is a need for standardisation of the raw scores

Transformed Score

or T-Score

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WHAT IS TWHAT IS T--SCORE?SCORE?

• It is not the mark a pupil obtains in the examination.

• It gives the relative position of a pupil’s performance as compared to the performance of all the other pupils in that subject.

• For example, a pupil who scored 70% in Science would not have performed as well if most other pupils scored higher than 70%.

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How is T-score calculatedfor each subject?

where

X : pupil’s mark for the subject

Y : average mark (mean) scored by all pupils

Z : spread of marks around the average mark

(standard deviation)

Z

Y)(X1050T

−+=

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Example:

• Pupil’s mark (X) in exam = 80

• Average mark (Y) scored by all pupils = 68

• Spread of marks (Z) around the average mark = 14

57.5814

)6880(1050T =

−+=

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How is the Aggregate Score calculated?

• By adding the T-scores of the 4 subjects.

Every subject is equally important!

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• Use of marks obtained in the examination can lead to a wrong ranking of pupils.

• To ensure that subjects are accorded equal weighting.

• Helps to place pupils in the Secondary Schools and the Secondary School Course more fairly.

TT--score is used instead of the raw score is used instead of the raw

marks obtained becausemarks obtained because……

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Grades Combination 2010 2009

Highest Lowest Highest Lowest

4A* 272 264 280 261

3A* 1A 271 252 274 251

3A* 1B - - - -

3A* 1C - - - -

2A* 2A 260 235 270 240

2A* 1A 1B 239 232 239 233

2A* 1B 1C - - - -

2A* 1A 1C - - - -

1A* 3A 254 219 250 225

4A 244 219 245 214

3A 1B 234 211 234 207

2A 2B 228 198 221 200

1A 3B 216 189 216 194

4B 197 185 187 187

Based on BPPS pupils’ aggregate score in 2009 and 2010

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T-score is out of 300.

English and Mother

Tongue are more

important than

Mathematics and

Science.

I can calculate the T-

score of my child by

adding all the marks of 4

subjects, divide by 4 and

multiply by 3.

True or False?

Mother Tongue has a

lower weighting compared

to the other subjects.

FALSE

FALSE

FALSE

FALSE

SECONDARY EDUCATIONINFORMATION

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Secondary Education

• Pupils undergo four to five years of secondary education with different curricular emphasis, depending on the course they are in.

• Apart from the formal school curriculum, pupils should also participate in Co-curricular Activities (CCAs). These include a variety of sports and games such as track and field, basketball or cultural activities such as drama.

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Courses Offered

• Pupils taking the PSLE will be placed in one of

the following three secondary courses based on

their results:

– Express Course,

– Normal (Academic) Course and

– Normal (Technical) Course.

• These courses are designed to match their

learning abilities and interests.

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Express Course

• The Express Course is a four-year secondary course.

Pupils will sit for the Singapore - Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary (GCE ‘O’) Level Examination at the end of the fourth year.

• They will study English Language, Chinese/Malay/Tamil and a range of subjects.

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Higher Mother Tongue Language (HMTL)

• Pupils may opt to offer HMTL (Higher Chinese/Higher Malay/Higher Tamil ) from Sec 1 onwards if they offer MTL or HMTL at the PSLE and are in the

– Top 10% of the PSLE cohort; or

– 11% - 30% of the PSLE cohort and meet the language criteria i.e.

• an A* grade in the Mother Tongue Language

• or at least a Merit in the Higher Mother Tongue Language

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Normal (Academic) Course

• The Normal (Academic) Course is a four to five-yearsecondary course. Pupils will study English Language, Chinese / Malay / Tamil and a range of other subjects.

• They will sit for the Singapore - Cambridge General Certificate of Education Normal (GCE ‘N’) Level Examination at the end of the fourth year.

• Those who do well in this examination will proceed to a fifth year of secondary education and sit for the GCE ‘O’ Level Examination.

• Those who do not qualify to enter the fifth year may take up technical-vocational education and training at Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

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Normal (Technical) Course

• The Normal (Technical) Course is a four-year secondary course.

• Pupils will study English Language and Basic Chinese / Basic Malay / Basic Tamil Language and a range of

subjects.

• They will sit for the GCE ‘N’ Level Examination at the end of the fourth year.

• This course prepares pupils for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

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Integrated Programmes (IP)

• While the ‘O’ Levels serve as a valuable intermediate benchmark for the majority of our students, those who are clearly university-boundcan benefit from spending the last 4 years of their upper secondary/ junior college education from Sec 3 to JC 2 engaging in broader learning experiences.

• The Integrated Programmes (IP) will provide an integrated upper secondary and JC education where secondary school students can proceed to JC without taking the ‘O’ Level Examinations.

• Schools offering IP will optimise the time freed up from preparing for the ‘O’ Levels to stretch students and provide greater breadth in the academic and non-academic curriculum. However, these schools will continue to have school-based assessments to measure students’ progress.

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Integrated Programmes (IP)• IP is offered at the following secondary schools leading to their respective pre-

university qualifications. In addition to Secondary 1, schools offering IP may take in students at other entry points, e.g. Secondary 3.

School Programme Offered• Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) � 6-year IP leading to the International

Baccalaureate Diploma.

• Dunman High School /Hwa Chong Institution / Nanyang Girls’ High School / Hwa Chong Institution National Junior College Raffles Girls’ Secondary School / Raffles Institution Raffles Institution River Valley High School � 6-year IP leading to the ‘A’levels

• NUS High School of Mathematics and Science � 6-year IP leading to NUS High School Diploma

• Temasek Junior College and Victoria Junior College also offer the IP. The IP of these junior colleges take on the form of a four-year High School and will take in pupils at Secondary Three in addition to its mainstream JC programme.

School Programme Offered

• Temasek Junior College & Victoria Junior College � 4-year IP leading to the ‘A’levels

• More details about the IP at the respective schools are available on the schools’websites.

DIRECT SCHOOL ADMISSION (DSA)

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If my child does not

apply through DSA,

he/she will not get a

place in the top few

secondary/IP schools.

True or False?

Direct School Admission

is only meant for smart

students.

Even though my child is

admitted to a school through

DSA, he/she is still allowed

to opt for a school in the

Secondary One Posting

Exercise.

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DSA-Sec Exercise• Rationale:

– Introduced in 2004, DSA-Sec exercise promote holistic education by giving participating secondary schools greater flexibility in selecting students for admission outside the centralised S1 Posting Exercise. Each participating school sets its own criteria for selection, based on the academic and/or non-academic areas that the school would like to emphasise.

Who can apply?

– Students with diverse academic and non-academic achievements and talents.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/dsa-sec/participating-schools/

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84 Secondary Schools to Participate in Direct School Admission Exercise

• About 80 schools will be participating in the 2011 Direct School Admission -

Secondary Exercise (DSA-Sec) for admission to Secondary One in 2012.

School Niche

Bendemeer Secondary School National Education

Chung Cheng High School (Yishun) Chinese Orchestra

Hong Kah Secondary School Soccer

Marsiling Secondary School Environmental Education

Siglap Secondary School Gamelan and Angklung / Kulintang Ensembles

West Spring Secondary School Air Pistol

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• How to apply?

– Obtain information on the DSA schools

• check their websites {All schools participating in the DSA-Sec Exercise are required to publish

their admission criteria on their respective websites in May each year.}

• call the schools

• visit the schools (attend parents’ talk / open

houses)• The application deadline for each DSA secondary school may differ.

DSA-Sec Exercise

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DSA at a glanceStage Stage Name Description Period

1 Selection Schools will conduct their own selection

exercises, and inform students of the results

(Confirmed Offer, placed on Waiting List or

Rejected).

June to

September

2 Exercise

School

Preference

Students may indicate their school

preferences during this stage, based on the

Confirmed Offers and Waiting List offers they

have received. Offers not taken up will be

considered as lapsed. They can indicate their

preferences online or at their primary schools.

October

3 Results

Release

The results of the DSA-Sec Exercise will be

released together with the PSLE results.

Late November

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• During the Selection Stage, the participating secondary schools will conduct selection exercises, which might include trials, interviews or tests, to assess applicants.

• By September, schools will inform their applicants as to whether they:

• have been given Confirmed Offer; or

• have been put on a Waiting List by the school; or

• rejected in their application.

Selection Stage

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Exercise School Preference Stage

• In late October, all students with Confirmed Offers or who have been put on the Waiting List of a school will receive a School Preference Form from their respective primary schools. The School Preference Form will clearly list down:

• all schools which have given the applicant Confirmed Offers; and• all schools which have placed the applicant on their Waiting Lists. • During the Exercise School Preference Stage, students with School

Preference Forms will be able to indicate their preferences for up to 3 schools.

• A student who indicates his preference for a school which had given him a Confirmed Offer will be guaranteed a place in the school, provided that he is eligible for a course (e.g. Express) which is offered by the school.

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Results Release Stage (late November)

• The results of the DSA-Sec Exercise will be released in late November, together with the PSLE results.

• Successful DSA applicants will be informed of the school they have been admitted to through their primary schools. Since these applicants already have a place reserved for them in a Secondaryschool, they will not be allowed to opt for a school in the Secondary One Posting Exercise. However, they may still indicate their interest in a foreign language programme or specify the academic course they would like to pursue where applicable.

• Unsuccessful DSA applicants will also be notified through their primary schools. During the Secondary One Posting Exercise, these students may still opt for the schools that had not been able to offer them a place under the DSA-Sec Exercise. Other than IP schools, 80-95% of places in DSA participating schools will continue to be available to students under the Secondary One Posting Exercise.

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PSLE

• Students who take up Confirmed Offers or Waiting List offers by schools during the DSA-Sec Exercise are still required to take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Those who take up Confirmed Offers are guaranteed a place in the school that has

extended them an offer, provided that their PSLE results meet the minimum requirement for a course [Express/

Normal (Academic)/ Normal (Technical)] offered by the school.

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Number of BPPS students admitted through DSA

Year Number of Students Schools

2004 2 1 NUS High 1 ACS(I)

2005 7 2 Hwa Chong Institution 1 River Valley High

1 SCGS 1 NUS High

1 MGS 1 Nanyang Girls’ High

2006 8 3 Hwa Chong Institution 1 Raffles Institution

1 ACS (I) 1 MGS

1 CHIJ St Nicholas Girls 1 NUS High

2007 10 2 Hwa Chong Institution 1 RI 1 Nanyang Girls

1 Nan Hua High 1 River Valley High 1 NUS High

1 SCGS 1 SOTA 1 St Margaret’s

2008 8 1 Hwa Chong Institution 1 RI 1 SCGS

1 BPGH 1 River Valley High

1 NJC 2 SOTA

2009 17 4 National Junior College 4 NUS High

2 Hwa Chong Institution 3 School of Science and Technology

1 River Valley High 1 Methodist Girls’ School

1 Nanyang Girls 1 Unity Secondary

2010 16 3 National Junior College 3 Hwa Chong Institution 1 SOTA

3 West Spring Sec 2 School of Science and Technology

2 Unity Secondary 2 NUS High

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If my child does not

apply through DSA,

he/she will not get a

place in the top few

secondary/IP schools.

True or False?

Direct School Admission

is only meant for smart

students.

Even though my child is

admitted to a school through

DSA, he/she is still allowed

to opt for a school in the

Secondary One Posting

Exercise.

FALSE

FALSE

FALSE

SECONDARY ONE POSTING

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If I submit my

Secondary One option

form earlier, my child

will get a place in the

secondary school first.

True or False?If my child’s aggregate

score is out of range for

the 6 secondary schools

we have chosen, he/she

might be posted to a

nearby school with

vacancies.

My child will definitely be

admitted to the school he/she

puts as first choice.

The PSLE score range for

secondary school is pre-

determined before posting.

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Timeline S1 Posting Exercise (Tentative)

PSLE Results Release

In November

S1 Option Period

In November

S1 Information Booklet

In October

SEP OCT NOV DEC

S1 Posting Results

December

Registration at Sch

December

AUG

Collection of PSLE

certificate at Primary

School

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Understanding the Posting Process

• Posting is by MERIT, THEN CHOICE.

• Students are first ranked by their T Score.

• The top pupil will be considered for his choices first before the next pupil, and then next, and so on.

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S1 Posting MethodS1 Posting Method

PSLE Scores

285(1st pupil)

284 (2nd pupil)

243(Last vacancy)

242 and below(move on to the next choice)

By Merit :

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Understanding the Posting Process

• A pupil with a better PSLE T score who chooses

a secondary school as his later choice e.g. 5th or

6th choices will NOT be put at a disadvantage as

compared to another pupil who chose the same

school as his earlier choice e.g. 1st choice.

• The pupil who has the better PSLE score will

considered for posting to each of his choices

first.

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Understanding the Posting Process

• The PSLE score range for secondary school is

not pre-determined before posting.

• The previous years’ “cut-off-point” for each school

is the PSLE score of the last PSLE pupil who was

posted to the school.

• It depends on the popularity of the school.

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S1 Option form &

Aggregate Eligibilities Letter

• Together with the S1 Option form, pupils may receive a letter toinform whether the child is eligible for Special Assistance PlanSchools

• Bonus points are available for entry into these schools if the child has taken Higher Chinese in primary school

• Pupils who are interested are advised to select SAP schools among the six school choices

Higher Chinese Grades Bonus Points

Distinction 3

Merit 2

Pass 1

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�Modes for checking of posting results:

�Online (with Internet Access)

- Access S1 Posting website for posting results

�Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)

�SMS via applicant’s mobile number (if provided by

applicants during submission of school choices)

�Going to the child’s primary school.

Release of Posting Results

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Factors to consider when choosing a secondary school

• Last year posting aggregate ranges of the school

– Shows us which schools are popular

– Varies from year to year

– Ensure your 6 choices in your S1 option

cover a spread of PSLE scores

• Distance

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Factors to consider when choosing a secondary school• Consider the programmes offered by the school of your choice

– Integrated Programmes

– Independent schools

– Autonomous schools

– Special Assistance Plans School

– Niche schools

– Specialised Schools• NUS High

• School of the Arts

• Sports School

• School of Science and Technology (SST)

– Art Elective Programme

– Music Elective Programme

– Language Elective Programme

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Factors to consider when choosing a secondary school

• Consider the awards the school has received from the Ministry of Education– School Excellence Award

– School Distinction Award

– Best Practice Awards in Teaching and Learning / Student All Round Development

– Character Development Awards

– Sustained Achievement Award in Academic Value-Addedness.

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Exercising Secondary School Options

� The following groups of PSLE pupils who are promoted to secondary level are eligible to participate in the S1 Posting Exercise:

1. Pupils who did not participate in the DSA-Sec Exercise – to opt for sec schools and Third Languages / Course Option eligibilities (if any).

2. Pupils who are unsuccessful in the DSA-Sec Exercise – to opt for sec schools and Third Languages / Course Option eligibilities (if any).

3. Pupils who are successful in the DSA-Sec Exercise with eligibility – to opt for Third Languages / Course Option eligibilities.

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� Programmes� Higher Mother Tongue Languages (HMT)

� Third Languages

� Art / Music Elective Programmes (AEP / MEP)

� Elective Programme in Malay Language for Secondary Schools (EMAS)

� Regional Studies Programme (RSP)

� Gifted Education Programme

Exercising Secondary School OptionsExercising Secondary School Options

� Eligibilities� Edusave Entrance Scholarships for IS (EESIS)

� Special Assistance Plan (SAP)

� Course Option

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Exercising Secondary School OptionsExercising Secondary School Options

� Edusave Entrance Scholarships for IS (EESIS)

� Awarded to Singaporeans who have performed well in their

PSLE and posted to Independent Schools.

� Eligible pupils will receive a letter informing them that they are

offered EESIS

� Eligible pupils who are interested in the scholarship should optfor Independent Schools among their six school choices.

� EESIS will be awarded to an eligible pupil if he/she is admitted to an Independent School either through DSA-Sec or S1 Posting Exercise.

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Popular Secondary schools among Students and Parents in BPPSSecondary School Numbers of students

posted to the school in 2010

Numbers of students posted to the school in 2009

Aggregate range of 2009

PSLE pupils posted to 2010 Sec 1

WEST SPRING SECONDARY SCHOOL

44 56 Express: 223 – 248

NA : 180 – 199

N(T) : 100 – 159

ZHENGHUA SECONDARY SCHOOL

40 39 Express: 211 – 234

NA : 176 – 199

N(T) : 110 – 158

FAJAR SECONDARY SCHOOL

33 31 Express: 188 – 242

NA : 163 – 188

N(T) : 091 – 147

GREENRIDGE SECONDARY SCHOOL

30 40 Express: 207 – 229

NA : 171 – 199

N(T) : 098 – 156

SWISS COTTAGE SECONDARY SCHOOL

26 29 Express: 234 – 251

NA : 186 – 199

N(T) : 117 – 157

KRANJI SECONDARY SCHOOL

13 19 Express: 229 – 255

NA : 185 – 199

N(T) : 116 – 159

BUKIT PANJANG GOVT. HIGH SCHOOL

9 15 Express: 241 – 268

NA : 194 – 199

N(T) : 148 – 159

CHUA CHU KANG SECONDARY SCHOOL

8 15 Express: 215 – 237

NA : 177 – 199

N(T) : 113 – 156

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Popular IP/SAP Schools among students and parents in BPPS

Secondary School

Numbers of BPPS students posted to the school in 2010

Numbers of BPPS students posted to the school in 2009

Aggregate range of 2009

PSLE pupils posted to 2010 Sec 1

RIVER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL (SAP/IP)

17 9 2009 Express: 254 – 272

2010 Express: 251 – 274

NAN HUA HIGH SCHOOL (SAP) 11 9 2009 Express: 243 – 262

2010 Express: 242 – 262

NANYANG GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL (SAP/IP)

4 6 2009 Express: 263 – 287

2010 Express: 263 – 283

RAFFLES INSTITUTION (IP) 2 3 2009 Express: 262 – 284

2010 Express: 259 – 283

HWA CHONG INSTITUTION (SAP/IP) 9 2 2009 Express: 259 – 283

2010 Express: 257 – 281

NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE (IP) 6 7 2009 Express: 259 – 278

2010 Express: 257 – 281

ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOL (INDEPENDENT)(IP)

4 4 2009 Express: 253 – 269

2010 Express: 250 – 264

RAFFLES GIRLS' SCHOOL (SECONDARY) (IP)

3 NIL 2009 Express: 263 – 281

2010 Express: 260 – 285

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If I submit my

Secondary One option

form earlier, my child

will get a place in the

secondary school first.

True or False?If my child’s aggregate

score is out of range for

the 6 secondary schools

we have chosen, he/she

might be posted to a

nearby school with

vacancies.

My child will definitely be

admitted to the school he/she

puts as first choice.

FALSETRUE

FALSE / TRUE

The PSLE score range for

secondary school is pre-

determined before posting.

FALSE

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