Singapore's levels, in plain words
What each national exam is, what changed recently, and where our sets fit.
Two levels, two exams
Singapore pupils sit a national exam at the end of each stage we cover: the PSLE at the end of primary school and the Singapore-Cambridge SEC (the O-Level until 2026) at the end of secondary school.
Both have changed recently. This page is a short, plain summary; the sources are MOE and SEAB.
Our Primary 3 sets are advanced practice for pupils who want more stretch than the school syllabus; from Primary 4 on, the sets follow the school year and the exam.
Primary and the PSLE
The PSLE covers English Language, Mathematics, Science and a Mother Tongue Language, each at Standard or Foundation level. Each subject is graded from AL1 (best) to AL8, and the PSLE Score is the sum of the four, from 4 to 32.
Higher Chinese, Higher Malay and Higher Tamil are graded Distinction, Merit or Pass. They do not count in the PSLE Score, but they matter for SAP school posting and for taking the higher language in secondary school.
Secondary: subject banding and the SEC
Since the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort there are no more Express, N(A) and N(T) streams. Pupils take each subject at G1, G2 or G3, which match the old N(T), N(A) and Express standards.
From 2027 the O-Level, N(A)-Level and N(T)-Level are combined into one exam, the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC). The 2024 Sec 1 cohort sits it first, in 2027. 2026 is the last year school candidates sit the O-Level. Subject names stay the same, for example Additional Mathematics or Humanities (Social Studies, Geography).
Questions
Not sure which set fits your child? Write to [email protected].
Stretch practice at P3: Advanced Maths and Advanced English. Reasoning: the General Ability sets.
See the Primary setsSources: MOE, SEAB and the International Baccalaureate, checked September 2026.