2023 PSLE Discussions and Strategies (Children born in 2011)

[lazygal21]

i would say do not be too conc on getting the kid into IP. also hv to see if the kid can perform well in IP. pace of teaching in IP is fast. Like in my gal’s school,they already going to teach finish the algebra stuff for Sec 2 in Sec 1 (algebra in Sec 2A textbook). only term 2, already got classmates failing subjects for WA. and IP sometimes have weird modules that are graded, and parents are unable to help much or difficult to find tuition. Less hand holding in IP also.

Yes the pros are no O levels to take and a near guaranteed place in a JC, but kid have to be motivated to do well which I m trying very hard to get my girl to do. my gal now is at most average in school only, no longer in the top few like in P6.
So not that one is better than the other. It is what suits your kid. One of my fren who is a teacher shared that she has seen student who has tuition in all subjects in sec school. Come to JC he does not know how to study by himself. in the end drop out of JC to go poly.

[phtthp]

lazygal21\" post_id=\"2108965\" time=\"1684420227\" user_id=\"115005:

i would say do not be too conc on getting the kid into IP. also hv to see if the kid can perform well in IP. pace of teaching in IP is fast.

Like in my gal's school, they already going to teach finish the algebra stuff for Sec 2 in Sec 1 (algebra in Sec 2A textbook). only term 2, already got classmates failing subjects for WA. and IP sometimes have weird modules that are graded, and parents are unable to help much or difficult to find tuition. Less hand holding in IP also.

Yes the pros are no O levels to take and a near guaranteed place in a JC, but kid have to be motivated to do well which I m trying very hard to get my girl to do. my gal now is at most average in school only, no longer in the top few like in P6.
So not that one is better than the other. It is what suits your kid. One of my fren who is a teacher shared that she has seen student who has tuition in all subjects in sec school. Come to JC he does not know how to study by himself. in the end drop out of JC to go poly.

:goodpost:

[sembgal]

lazygal21\" post_id=\"2108965\" time=\"1684420227\" user_id=\"115005:

i would say do not be too conc on getting the kid into IP. also hv to see if the kid can perform well in IP. pace of teaching in IP is fast. Like in my gal's school,they already going to teach finish the algebra stuff for Sec 2 in Sec 1 (algebra in Sec 2A textbook). only term 2, already got classmates failing subjects for WA. and IP sometimes have weird modules that are graded, and parents are unable to help much or difficult to find tuition. Less hand holding in IP also.
Yes the pros are no O levels to take and a near guaranteed place in a JC, but kid have to be motivated to do well which I m trying very hard to get my girl to do. my gal now is at most average in school only, no longer in the top few like in P6.
So not that one is better than the other. It is what suits your kid. One of my fren who is a teacher shared that she has seen student who has tuition in all subjects in sec school. Come to JC he does not know how to study by himself. in the end drop out of JC to go poly.

I agree with you that not all PSLE kids are suitable for IP even if they are the top 10% performers in the current primary schools. Consultations with the form teachers and the subject teachers through parent teacher meeting or email would give you the answer if your child is suitable to thrive in IP or O level programme.

By not going to an IP school, it opens up the ocean for the big fish to swim and explore which JC or poly to swim to eventually after they sit for O levels
exam. By going to IP school, be prepared to sleep after midnight to complete projects or assignments especially for those top IP schools.

If the child is self-directed and very self-disciplined, this type is suitable for IP. If the child is not, then consider the O level programme is a better option.

It is also true that too much tuition can be harmful. By taking away time for more tuition, why not let the child have more sleep ? Sometimes, it is the lack of sleep that cause inattention and parents will just blame it on the child not studying hard enough without considering how much sleep is the child actually getting.

By going to IP school is not a walk in the park. If your child can score single digit PSLE score without tuition or parents’ help, this child is most suitable to go IP. If not, reconsider as parents cannot handhold so much in Sec or JC.


https://www.reddit.com/r/SGExams/comments/13jtp89/nus_merit_scholarship_rejection_update/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=3

Read the Reddit Post. With full points RP 90, the child has to face rejection of not getting a scholarship or a place in Uni, I wonder how much intense competition for those students with full points RP70 in 2026 going to face when they go Uni.

PSLE is just the beginning, do not sweat too much and burn your money on excessive or crash tuition.

[phtthp]

sembgal\" post_id=\"2108973\" time=\"1684452356\" user_id=\"5559:

I agree with you that not all PSLE kids are suitable for IP even if they are the top 10% performers in the current primary schools. Consultations with the form teachers and the subject teachers through parent teacher meeting or email would give you the answer if your child is suitable to thrive in IP or O level programme.

By not going to an IP school, it opens up the ocean for the big fish to swim and explore which JC or poly to swim to eventually after they sit for O levels
exam. By going to IP school, be prepared to sleep after midnight to complete projects or assignments especially for those top IP schools.

If the child is self-directed and very self-disciplined, this type is suitable for IP. If the child is not, then consider the O level programme is a better option.

It is also true that too much tuition can be harmful. By taking away time for more tuition, why not let the child have more sleep ? Sometimes, it is the lack of sleep that cause inattention and parents will just blame it on the child not studying hard enough without considering how much sleep is the child actually getting.

By going to IP school is not a walk in the park. If your child can score single digit PSLE score without tuition or parents’ help, this child is most suitable to go IP. If not, reconsider as parents cannot handhold so much in Sec or JC.


https://www.reddit.com/r/SGExams/comments/13jtp89/nus_merit_scholarship_rejection_update/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=3

Read the Reddit Post. With full points RP 90, the child has to face rejection of not getting a scholarship or a place in Uni, I wonder how much intense competition for those students with full points RP70 in 2026 going to face when they go Uni.

PSLE is just the beginning, do not sweat too much and burn your money on excessive or crash tuition.

:goodpost:

[Imp75]

Offering another perspective……IP may not be as daunting as it sounds. My 3 girls survived IP in NYGH w no tuition or remedial in school. I think as long as their PSLE results are decent (ie not too far off Sch cop), pay attention in class, do bare minimum (yah my girls do not do extra or “overstudy”), it is actually ok la……not tops but not bottom as well and they can still manage their intense cca with leadership respos and enjoyed the 4y there.

[MrsKiasu]

Recently while searching for tuitions I came to know some can be quite dependent on tutors. This morning I asked dds coz I know some have many tuitions…upon confirming I then say poor daughter no wonder so behind. Then the poor daughter says no leh…some have no tuition and get A1s. So I guess depend on child too.

[manorway]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2108909\" time=\"1684378357\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2108909 time=1684378357 user_id=53606]
From Prelim:
English AL4
Science AL5
Math AL5
Chinese AL5
Total AL19

To PSLE:
English AL2
Science AL4
Math AL5
Chinese AL5
Total AL16

Not to say that we didn’t try hard to improve for all subjects (we did). But only saw improvement for Science and English. For Science, I think it was the 2 crash courses that helped (on top of the regular weekly Science tuition). For English (no tuition), I think it was our strategizing on the Compo section. All along school teachers never gave him high marks for Compo, but I taught him to memorize a few versatile compos that he could tweak to fit any topic. It worked out in the end.

Of course watch to see the child’s stress level. They must be willing to attend any crash course otherwise the money is wasted before even step into lesson. Parent needs to have a heart to heart talk about why aiming for a certain goal. If child is not keen on final sprint now, then no point to force.[/quote]

Thanks Zac's mum. I also recommend heart to heart talk with kid. Even if kid is willing to attend crash course, I don't think crash courses benefit every student.

[manorway]

sembgal\" post_id=\"2108973\" time=\"1684452356\" user_id=\"5559:

I agree with you that not all PSLE kids are suitable for IP even if they are the top 10% performers in the current primary schools.

If the child is self-directed and very self-disciplined, this type is suitable for IP. If the child is not, then consider the O level programme is a better option.

It is also true that too much tuition can be harmful.

By going to IP school is not a walk in the park. If your child can score single digit PSLE score without tuition or parents’ help, this child is most suitable to go IP. If not, reconsider as parents cannot handhold so much in Sec or JC.

IP is most suitable for those who can make it without tuition, already self-motivated and independent learner.
But I think scoring single digit with some help in Pri sch is still OK and does not straightaway rule out the child's suitability for IP. If kids need tuition for most subjects just to get to IP, and continue to need tuition in IP, then tuition may have become a crutch.

While IP is not a walk in the park, it can still be manageable once kids learn the skills needed. I believe in growth-mindset and giving kids the room to learn, fail, pick self up, try again etc in the IP years.

To us, going IP or not is not important. It is all about picking the path that suits my kids most, so I can be hands off as soon as possible. The most important is my kids tried their best and we, as parents have tried out best too when they were little.

[Imp75]

I think students who don’t 读死书 might actually like IP due to the projects involved esp in lower sec (upper sec unfortunately these are scaled down to catch up on syllabus).

Projects I remembered:
Projects lasting few months involving community service and conceptualising products/presenting ideas to panel judges on improvements to the community they work with
Geog investigation: something about analysing the sand and producing empirical evidence to prove some hypothesis
Historical/humanities investigation: I recall my gal going around spore interviewing tea shops to sample their tea and asking about origins/culture or smthg
Boarding Sch experience about communal living
“Industrial attachment” ie work in retail or participate in Maths/Science projects with organisation and come up with some reports etc
Would I put my gals in IP again? Definitely.

[zac's mum]

manorway\" post_id=\"2108997\" time=\"1684471736\" user_id=\"9303:

Thanks Zac's mum. I also recommend heart to heart talk with kid. Even if kid is willing to attend crash course, I don't think crash courses benefit every student.

Correct that crash courses won’t benefit everyone across the board. It is not a miracle cure either. For my son’s case, one of the crash courses was by a centre that had a track record 50% of their past year students scored AL1-2. That meant nothing to me cos he didn’t get the distinction like the rest. There was no miracle leap in grades either. Just a one AL improvement. And I did not sign up crash course for Math or Chinese because I knew it would be too high-level for him & unfruitful.