[quote=\"bb_ mom\"]I have a friend who keeps telling me that N(A) students can only go ite at the end of the course. Really? I thought the students still take o levels but after 5 years instead of 4 years.

I have one nephew who was in NA. He did well in his N levels so he proceeded to take O levels a year later. Now he is in the Poly.

I have another nephew who was in NT. Although he did well in his N levels, he went to ITE n didn't do his O levels. He is now taking up Aviation course. I think his next step will be to continue his studies in the Poly.

So regardless whether N(A) or N(T), the kid will get a shot a o levels if do well at n levels. What would be considered well enough to be allowed to take o levels? And if no o levels means cannot get into poly directly? Must go ITE and then poly if results are good?[/quote]


NT students cannot take O level regardless, ITE is the only route after N levels.
In St margs, to progress to O levels from N levels, you need to get an EMB3 19 points and below

Anybody choosen NA instead of Express stream?


In what ways would a child be demoted, from a Express to NA?

My girl got 189, wanted her to go Express but she choose NA of a better school… As her reasons, doesn’t want to be in the "last" class in express…

In order to be demoted from express, in st Margaret’s it means to fail English. once you fail English you will have to retain or drop to NA. another example would be to fail 3-4 subjects in the 5- subjects you have and your teachers think you don’t have the capability to continue in that stream

I read that the top 5% of NA students can skip O levels and do a foundation course or module for poly courses. It will be good to find out more about this, whether the lack of an O level cert would limit the child’s option at poly courses, and what are the kinds of poly courses available to this group of NA students. If the child has the intention to do one of these courses, going to NA and emerging as one of the top 5% could be a good idea.

Yes this is the PFP I was talking about. I am in the programme now and we have almost all the polytechnic courses to choose from and the requirement is EMB3 11 points and below. Good pathway, parents, go read about it! DPP is another good option!

I personally do not agree that going to NA is a waste of a year. Look at it this way; If your child is a late bloomer, he/she wouldn’t cope therefore wouldn’t do well for o’levels resulting in a retake or an ITE pathway, many more wasted there isn’t it? Slow and steady, wins the race.


More about PFP, basically we do well for n’levels, skip o’levels and go straight to polytechnic for a foundation programme which would replace your sec5 year and it is much relaxed and recognised in many universities locally and internationally. Very good pathway I would say. DPP is another good option, direct polytechnic programme whereby you go to poly through ITE in a span of 4 years you would get your diploma, similar to PFP whereas the requirements are different. PFP is comparably tougher

Hey guys, my brother scored 192 and I'm convincing my parents to opt for NA in a good school. Coming from NA stream in St Margaret's sec I think it's a really good choice. Reason being that there is a new pathway known as PFP, polytechnic foundation programme which many parents don't know about. It only started in 2012. I am currently in this programme. The requirement to get into PFP is to get 11 points and below for EMB3 in which English and Math is higher than B3. I wasn't academically intelligent but I would say my classmates play a very big role in helping me be in where I am today. Furthermore, I was in the worse class in my school but in comparison to the neighbourhood school, we were much better. Just my two cents worth. I would also encourage single sex school, lesser distraction. :rahrah: