P4 Parents Briefing 9 March 2012

Subject-Based Banding in Primary Schools 2012 An Overview

Why Subject-based Banding (SBB) ? Guiding Principle - To provide Ability Driven Education - Pupils have different strengths and talents Philosophy To customise and differentiate the learning experiences for pupils of varying abilities so that they will be able to learn at a pace that is most suitable for them in order to achieve as high a level of learning as possible.

What SBB means? Differentiated subject curriculum - Based on pupils aptitude & abilities Flexibility - Pupils can offer combination of subjects Standard (more subject content) Foundation (less subject content)

How does SBB work? School recommends a subject combination based on P4 examination results Parents can opt for a different combination or take up the schools recommendation SBB Option Form is issued to Parents Pupils take the subject combination that parents have opted for in P5

Subject Combination – 4S 1HMT PerformanceRecommendation Passes all subjects Performs very well in MT language 4 Standard Subjects Higher MT language

Subject Combination - 4S PerformanceRecommendation Passes all 4 subjects 4 Standard Subjects

Subject Combinations - 4S PerformanceRecommendation Passes 3 subjects 4 Standard Subjects

Different Subject Combinations PerformanceRecommendation Passes 2 subjects or fewer 3S 1F 2S 2F 1S 3F

At the end of P5 Pupil takes the subject combination determined by the school Pupils who do very well upgrade or continue with the same subject combination Pupils who do not meet expectations will switch to taking the subject at F level Decision is based on his / her results in P5 Note: Pupils taking all F Subjects will continue with the subjects in P6

In Summary

4 Standard (S) + HMTL 4 Standard (S) 3 Standard + 1 Foundation (3S1F) 2 Standard + 2 Foundation (2S2F) 1 Standard + 3 Foundation(1S3F) 4 Foundation (4F)

Curriculum hours outside school hours - exposure time differs for S and F - additional time for HMTL Impact of subject content when pupil moves to secondary school

A) STANDARD SUBJECTS - Express Course - Normal Academic N, O levels, A Levels… B) COMBINATION SUBJECTS - Express Course - Normal Academic / Normal Technical Note: F Maths has less content C)FOUNDATION SUBJECTS - proceed to ITE after NT Exam

Pupils who Pass PSLE PSLE score decides –which secondary school courses eligible for –posting to secondary schools If offer Foundation subjects –3 examinable foundation subjects not likely to be eligible for the N(A) –4 examinable foundation subjects or at least 1 subject at the standard level more likely able to be eligible for the N(A) / N(T), if they do well in these subjects at PSLE

Monitoring of childs / wards work, revision every day Regular attendance in school, for remediation, enrichment Home support – someone to address pupils queries

17