S1 Posting Results: How To Appeal To Another Secondary School

As the Secondary School posting has just concluded, some parents and students might be celebrating, while some might be a little disappointed. What happens if you are unhappy with the Secondary School posting, and you really want to change schools?

There is the option to appeal to go to another school, but the process is not the easiest, nor does it guarantee success. Let’s run through what you need to do if you wish to appeal!

Appealing for medical reasons

A valid reason for appealing to another school is for health reasons. If your child has a serious health condition that requires special accommodations, you may appeal to transfer to a school which can better accommodate your child’s needs.

Do note that you need to apply in person at the secondary school that your child has been posted to. The deadline for appealing is 12pm on the next working day after the school posting results are released.

For school transfers due to medical reasons, you need to bring along relevant documents to prove that your child requires the accommodations requested, such as doctor letters and medical reports.

As the appeal process takes time, do still report to your child’s posted secondary school on the first day of school, and attend that school until the appeal results are released.

Schools will only consider your appeal if the student meets the cut-off point and if the school still has vacancies. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee you a school transfer.

Appealing for non-medical reasons

Let’s say you want to change schools because of personal preference (e.g. school is too far away, you just don’t like that school, etc.). The process will be harder because it is not a ‘valid reason’. But, you can still try your luck!

For appeals due to non-medical reasons, you should appeal directly to the school that you want to enter. Do take note that different schools may have different cut-off times for accepting appeals – so make sure to check their websites as soon as possible if you are considering an appeal.

Appeals based on preference are managed by the schools themselves, and some may require additional documents or entrance interviews. Do check the school’s website to find out what to expect.

To ensure fairness, schools will only consider applicants who meet their cut-off point, so don’t think about appealing to a school with a vastly different cut-off point.

As the appeal process takes time, students are advised to report to their allocated school on the first day of school, and attend that school until they are notified of the appeal results.

Conclusion

Is it worth appealing? The appeal process can be tedious and the chances of success are slim (for non-medical appeals). MOE discourages students from appealing as it may disrupt their learning if the appeal outcome is released late.

That said, there is not much to lose – except for time and effort. If you feel very strongly about going to a certain school, you can take your chances without getting your hopes up.

While a school can make a huge difference in the education of a child, your attitude is also a huge factor in determining how they develop and learn. We hope all students will enter secondary school with a positive outlook and willingness to learn, no matter which school they end up in!

Regardless of the school, Future Academy supports IP and G3 students in their studies, providing personalised guidance and systematic revision plans to aid them throughout their secondary school journey. Minimise the dreaded ‘grade drop’ in Sec 1 when you enrol in our secondary school math tuition or IP science tuition classes for the upcoming year!

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