The PSLE Scoring System in 2025 to Enter into Secondary School
Singapore’s education system always tops among the best globally for its high standards and exceptional student outcomes. The system has changed to excel and adapt to the global trend over the years. On the other hand, the primary school leaving examination (PSLE) scoring system decides the placement of a student’s secondary education.
It’s challenging for parents to help their children prepare for the PSLE. Here comes the need to understand the PSLE scoring system. In recent years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has implemented significant changes in the PSLE scoring system, effective 2021. The primary goal of the revised scoring system is to reduce stress and competition among students.
Let’s delve into this article to understand the PSLE scoring system 2025.
A Short Glimpse of the PSLE Scoring System
The PSLE Singapore is now focusing on the Achievement Level (AL) Scoring System instead of the T-Score System, which was followed before 2021. The AL system is structured to help students improve their performance more fairly and reduce the differentiation between students.
Are you excited to know why the new AL system is more beneficial to students? Let’s get a clear grasp of it.
- Primary 6 students will now have a more comprehensive selection of secondary schools with the same cutoff point.
- Reduce anxiety for children and their parents alike.
- Encourages students to pursue their interests and develop their strengths.
- Reduce the chances of young learners losing confidence.
For each subject, students are given an AL score from 1 to 8, where AL1 represents the highest achievement and each AL corresponds to a specific range of marks.
The table below provides a detailed overview of the AL Scoring system.
| Raw Mark Range | Achievement Levels (Als) |
| Above 90 | 1 |
| 85-89 | 2 |
| 80-84 | 3 |
| 75-79 | 4 |
| 65-74 | 5 |
| 45-64 | 6 |
| 20-44 | 7 |
| Below 20 | 8 |
How Do You Calculate the PSLE Score Under the AL System?
The final PSLE score is calculated by summing the ALs received for each subject. The Score ranges from 4 to 32, where a lower score indicates better performance.
Here’s a simple example to help you calculate your overall PSLE Score from 4 subjects.
| Subject | Score |
| Mathematics | AL1 |
| Science | AL3 |
| English Language | AL1 |
| Mother Tongue Language | AL4 |
| Total PSLE Score = | 1+3+1+4 = 9 (out of 32) |
How Will Secondary School Posting Be Decided in the Event of a Tie? Will There Be Further Balloting Involved?
In the event of a tie for school posting, where two or more students have the same PSLE Score and have selected the same school, the Ministry of Education (MOE) uses a series of tie-breaking mechanisms rather than further balloting.
Let’s overlook the tie-breaking system!
- Citizenship: Singapore Citizens are prioritised over Permanent Residents and International Students.
- School Choice Order: The order of preference listed by the students is considered. Students who have ranked the school higher on their list are given top priority.
- Computerised Balloting: If a tie still exists after sorting out citizenship and school choice orders, a computerised balloting system is usually used to allocate the students.
This system or procedure aims to ensure a fair and transparent process for all students during the school posting for secondary education.
How Will PSLE AL Scores Impact Student’s Secondary School Placement?
Until 2023, students’ secondary school placements were decided based on their PSLE scores, categorising them into one of three academic streams. They are:
- Express
- Normal Academic (NA)
- Normal Technical (NT)
However, at the beginning of 2024, a new three-level Posting Group (1,2 and 3) was introduced to replace the former Express, NA, and NT streams.
| PSLE Score (AL Scoring System) | Placement | Posting Groups |
| 4 – 20 | Express | G3 |
| 21 – 22 | Express or Normal Academic (NA) | G2 or G3 |
| 23 – 24 | Normal Academic (NA) | G2 |
| 25 | Normal Academic (NA) or Normal Technical (NT) | G1 or G2 |
| 26 – 30 Note: Students must score AL7 or better in both Mathematics and English |
Normal Technical (NT) | G3 |
Students who do not qualify for any secondary school program need not worry. They can retake the PSLE, which gives them a second chance to achieve a higher score and qualify for their desired secondary school program.
Final Takeaway
So, we hope you have understood the PSLE Scoring System in 2025. The new scoring system focuses on creating a more balanced and stress-free academic environment for students. With the new PSLE Scoring System’s clear perspective, help your child prepare for the exam. Moreover, it is recommended that you seek support from the best online tuition centres like Explico to help your child score high on their PSLE exam with confidence.
