Before the start of PSLE, many parents worry over their child’s selection of secondary schools as a entering a good school often means a brighter future. A school’s values and culture can also shape its students into better individuals.
Your child’s classmates, teachers, the school’s mission and vision will shape your child’s education path.
With PSLE coaching and selecting the right secondary school, you may not have time to navigate the Secondary 1 posting exercise. Let us summarise what you need to know below:
Shortlist and submit school choices
Once your child gets their PSLE results, they will immediately get their Secondary 1 Option Forms. When they receive this form, both the parent and the child need to decide the selection of schools before submitting the completed form online through the Secondary 1 Internet System.
The platform is open through the Ministry of Education’s website and cannot be amended once it is submitted. Students can also submit their school choices to their primary school and can be done within certain time slots.
It is important to note that if your child doesn’t get into one of their 6 chosen schools, they will be placed in the school closest to your location that has the most vacancies. If students aim to apply for affiliated secondary schools, list down the affiliated school first in the form to get priority. However, this does not guarantee that they will get into the school.
How your child is posted prior to 2021
Your child’s S1 posting is based on their PSLE score. It is matched with their school choices and the available vacancies. If they have a high PSLE score, they will get better chances of getting in the vacancies of their chosen school.
Should students have the same score, Singaporean citizens are given priority followed by permanent residents and international students. As an international student entering into a government school, you may be subjected to additional exams such as AEIS.
If the tied students have the same citizenship, their posting will be decided through a computerised ballot that will provide both students with a chance to get the placement.
A student’s list of their chosen schools will not provide them with priority just because they listed one specific school first in their list.
As noted above, if the chosen schools do not have any vacancies, the student will get placed in a school that is closest to their residences. Parents are advised to update their addresses with their child’s current school before October.
Changes to the S1 posting process from 2021
For the 2021 S1 Postings, a choice order will be used to determine the placement for students who will end up having the same score.
With this said, if the students are tied and have the same citizenship status, they will look into the order of schools listed by the student in their S1 Option form. If one student placed the school higher on their list, they will be considered first for the vacancy. That means choosing which school to place has an impact in 2021 S1 Posting process.
If their order is the same, it is only at that time when the students’ placement will be decided by a computerised ballot.
Use of HCL for Admission into SAP School
If students are applying for SAP schools, Higher Chinese Language will also be considered. Parents will have to consider this carefully as Chinese learning in Primary School is different from Secondary School as evident here.
While it does not count in their PSLE, students who match in PSLE scores and apply for a limited vacancy slot for an SAP school will have to show that they have a higher HCL grade to get the slot. This will also be done before the S1 tie-breaker process will be used.
The release of Secondary 1 Posting Results
The 2020 S1 Posting Results is scheduled to be released either on December 22, 2020 (Tuesday) or December 24, 2020 (Thursday). The results will be posted online, sent to the parent or student’s SMS number or in the child’s primary school announcement board.
If parents will check the results online, they can check the S1-1S platform and log in using their child’s PSLE number and either their Birth Certificate or FIN serial number.
Report to school
Once students get their results, students must report to their posted school on the next office day.
They will also need to bring the following and be in their school uniform:
- Student ID card
- PSLE Results
- Report book or card from their primary school
It is recommended that parents accompany their children when they report to their posted secondary school because some schools do offer orientation activities for both parents and students.
We also recommend parents to prepare your child ahead of time on the transition from primary to secondary school.
Students should still report to the school even if a transfer appeal is pushed.
Appeal for transfer for serious medical conditions
If the student has serious medical conditions or requirements, parents can file for an appeal if they think the posted school cannot provide for their children’s needs. The appeal can be filed at the student’s posted secondary school immediately after the posting results are released.
Before filing for a transfer, parents and students must consider the following:
- Only appeals pertaining to students with serious medical conditions or physical impairments will be considered.
- Appeals must be supported with the right supporting documents such as the child’s medical record
- The staff in the posted school will assist you to file the appeal and the results will be announced in January
- Students who have made an appeal for transfer will be required to attend their classes in their posted school until they wait for the appeal to be decided.
- Approval for transfers to your chosen school may depend on their current vacancies.
If parents will be appealing for a transfer due to other concerns, they may reach out to the schools directly. However, the school will check your child’s PSLE results and see if they meet the school’s criteria for admissions. They will also see if they can accommodate your request based on their vacancies.
Conclusion
While you and your child are preparing to receive your PSLE results, it is important that you look into individual secondary schools ranking and merit. You should also be familiar with the new posting rules because it will help you in case you wish to file for an appeal for your child’s behalf.
For more information on secondary school admission, check out these articles:
Singapore Direct School Admission Exercise to Continue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Deciding To Opt For Direct School Admission?
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