With the Secondary School posting for 2025 opening soon, parent groups on the internet are now abuzz with the cut-off points for various secondary schools in Singapore. The cut-off points are useful for those who are applying for secondary schools this year, as well as for parents with kids who are entering their PSLE year soon.

Trends in Secondary school COP

In 2024, there is a noticeable trend of lowered COPs across the board. A significant proportion of schools have lower COPs compared to the previous year, indicating increased competition in this year’s secondary school selection exercise.

One likely reason is the larger-than-usual cohort size due to 2024’s batch being of the Dragon Year. There tends to be a peak in births during the Dragon Year in Singapore. This resulted in 40,894 pupils taking the PSLE in 2024, more than the 38,088 who sat the exam in in 2023, and 37,095 in 2022.

As a result of the drop in COPs, some parents have reported that their child did not get accepted into any of their 6 choices, despite checking that their child’s scores were within the COP of previous years, and having added ‘safety net’ options within their choices.

However, MOE assured parents that such cases were an exception rather than the norm. Over 80% of students managed to get into a school within their top 3 choices, while 90% were posted to a school that was amongst their 6 choices.

Secondary school cut-off points for 2025 admissions

Here is the list of the 2024 PSLE cut-off scores for secondary schools (2025 admissions).

Note: These scores were reported by fellow parents and compiled by various users on Facebook and Reddit, and should be taken as a guide, not official information.

PSLE cut-off points for Posting Group 3 (2025 admissions)

PSLE cut-off points for IP (2025 admissions)

How to read the cut-off point

The cut-off point is determined by the score of the last student who is admitted into the school for that year. It is not a pre-determined requirement set by the school. This explains why it changes from year to year according to factors like the cohort size and demand for the school.

The letters D, M, and P stand for Distinction, Merit, and Pass. These are grades for Higher Chinese, which is taken into account during a tie-breaker to enter a Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school.

Conclusion

This year’s trend highlights how cut-off points can fluctuate across the years, emphasising the importance of selecting your secondary school options carefully! Ensuring that your score is within the COP is not enough – it is always good to have a buffer of 1 to 2 points for your ‘safety net’ options.

And if you are still trying to improve your score to reach your desired AL score, we have the solution for you! For students approaching their PSLE year, our expert PSLE tutors in Singapore are here to guide you in understanding the material better and equipping you with exam skills to maximise your score. Get help from Future Academy’s friendly and passionate tutors to start your year with ease and confidence!

Read more like this…