What’s New: Full Subject Based Banding In Secondary Schools

Talk to anyone who has studied in Singapore’s public education and they would know what Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) streams mean. But that will soon become history as the Ministry of Education will be removing the three streams in favour of full Subject-Based Banding (SBB).

Under the new SBB system, students will be able to take subjects at different levels according to their ability. Instead of classes where every student is in the same stream, form classes will have students from a mix of abilities – this is to promote integration amongst students of different strengths and interests.

Have questions about the full SBB system? If you have a child entering secondary school in 2024 or beyond, we highly suggest you take some time to understand the new system, as it will also affect how the secondary school selection process is done.

What is full subject-based banding?

Subject-based banding is a system in which students will learn each subject at a level that is suitable for them. For example, a student who is strong in English but weaker in Math can do English at a more demanding level, and Math at a less demanding level.

The subject-based banding system is in contrast to the streaming system (Express, N(A), N(T)) of the past, in which the difficulty of the subject is determined by the stream the student is in. For the streaming system, for example, you will take all subjects in Express level if you are in the Express stream, even if you are weaker in Maths and stronger in English.

Under the full subject-based banding system, students will be in form classes that consist of classmates doing subjects at different levels. This promotes more interaction and cohesion across students of different abilities and passions.

While subject-based banding has been implemented in some schools and for selected subjects before, the Full Subject-Based Banding now includes banding for Humanities subjects, in addition to the core subjects from PSLE (English, Math, Science, Mother Tongue Language).

Students will take subjects in the Common Curriculum in their form classes. These include examinable subjects like Art, Design and Technology, Food and Consumer Education; and non-examinable subjects like Music, Physical Education, and Character and Citizenship Education.

When will the changes take place?

Some schools have already implemented full subject-based banding or partial subject-based banding. By the Secondary 1 cohort in 2024, all secondary schools should be running the full subject-based banding system.

How will this affect the secondary school selection process?

When students receive their PSLE results and eligibility letter, they will receive their Posting Group. The Posting Group is allocated based on the student’s PSLE score, similar to how Express, N(A) and N(T) streams were offered.

Each school has a set number of vacancies for accepting students in each posting group, and this will also be used to allocate the student’s subject banding for Sec 1. You can check out the 2022 cut-off-points for secondary schools in our earlier post.

The table below describes the PSLE score, corresponding Posting Group and subject levels for Sec 1 students. 

Can students change their subject level after Sec 1?

For Secondary 1, students’ PSLE results will be used to guide which subject band (G1, G2, or G3) they can enter.

Beyond Secondary 1, there will be flexibility for students to change their subject level based on their interest and academic performance.

Which subjects are offered in different levels?

English Language, Mother Tongue Languages, Mathematics, Science, and Humanities subjects will be offered at G1, G2 and G3.

Students will go to different classes for each subject based on their subject level.

Which subjects do not have banding?

Students will spend about one-third of their curriculum time with their form class, attending classes in the Common Curriculum.

These subjects include examinable subjects like Art, Design and Technology, Food and Consumer Education; and non-examinable subjects like Music, Physical Education, and Character and Citizenship Education.

Teachers will adopt a range of teaching approaches to meet the different learning needs and pace of their students in the same form class.

What will exams be like for subjects with banding?

Starting from the 2024 Sec 1 cohort – of which majority will graduate in 2027 – they will take the new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC). These exams will have different papers for each subject level, similar to H1, H2, and H3 levels at A Levels.

Conclusion

It’s natural to have plenty of questions and concerns whenever there are big changes to the education system. But you can have one less worry knowing that our Future Academy team is here to support your child’s learning, ensuring they continue to receive excellent education to navigate the changes.

Whether your child wants to excel further and would benefit from an IP Math Tutor, or they find themselves struggling and need help from attending an O Level English Tuition class, we have your back!