1. Principal-Meets-Parents 2018 Secondary One Curriculum (12 Jan)
A very warm welcome to all.
We are so happy to see you this evening. Your presence here means a lot to everyone.
(1) To your child – it means that my parents are concerned about my learning and have made time to be here to support me.
(2) To the staff and school leaders
– it means that parents want to know more about the school and work closely with us.

2. Applied Learning Programme (ALP) and Learning for Life Programme (LLP)
Curriculum
Academic
Student Development
Applied Learning Programme (ALP) and Learning for Life Programme (LLP)
They complement academic and student development programmes, and help students acquire a broad and deep foundation for life and lifelong learning. 
This is the overview of my sharing - teaching and learning and our key programmes in Visual Communication, Student Leadership, Design Thinking and performing arts.

3. Time-table
We follow a 10-days cycle and refer to the time-table as Odd and Even weeks.
Each period is 35 minutes with CCE/Assembly lasting 50 minutes.
Students are dismissed at 2.50pm from Mon – Thu (1NT non-SBB students are dismissed at 2.15pm) and 12.25pm on Fri.
There are two 35-minute breaks, recess (9.35am) and lunch (12.30pm).
CCAs start from 3.10 pm, mostly on Tue and Thu.
Meridian Art Programme (MAP) takes place on Mon from 3pm to 5pm.
Now that your child is in a secondary school, what are some things to take note of?
Firstly, for express and Normal Acad, the number of examinable subjects has increased to 10.
In red, you will see the 4 familiar subjects taken in P6 - English, Maths, Science and Mother Tongue. The other subjects in black are new, namely, Design and Technology, Food and Consumer Edn, Art, History, Geography and Literature.
For your info, to help your child, some subjects are run in a modular manner, eg, D&T and FCE, Hist and Geog. This means effectively your child has 2 fewer subjects to study in a semester.

4. Sec 1 Exp / NA Sec 1NT *non-examinable English Language (EL)
Mathematics
Science
Mother Tongue
Design and Technology
Food and Consumer Education
Art
History
Geography
Literature
Physical Education*
Music*
English Language (EL)
Mathematics
Science
Basic Mother Tongue
Design and Technology
Food and Consumer Education
Computer Applications
Social Studies*
Art*
Physical Education*
Music*
Many subjects offered in Sec 1 require a strong foundation in English. Promotion criteria depends on English too.
This is why the school places much emphasis on developing the habit of reading in your child.
For your info, a reading programme is in place for your child to develop a reading habit in Meridian Sec.
Reading takes place on 4 mornings immediately after flag-raising for English and MT.
*non-examinable

5. Applied Learning (ALP)
Visual Communications
Level-wide programmes that develop an understanding of how visual images, texts and contexts in poster art or other print communication graphics can be used creatively to communicate powerful messages to your intended audience in an authentic setting.
Sec 1 students will embark on their own picture book illustration module.
In Visual Communication, we have programmes for different levels to help your child learn how to use visual images to powerfully bring across messages.
In Sec 1, they will embark on a picturebook illustration module. They will engage in story-telling, characterization and composition making, all useful tools to help in communication.

6. “Developing Leaders of Sound Character”
Learning for Life (LLP)
Community and Youth Leadership
“Developing Leaders of Sound Character”
In Meridian, we believe that leadership is about influence and that every student has the potential to lead.
Sec 1 students are exposed to the Growing Leaders Programme that focuses on Self-Leadership, Connecting with Others and Leading Others
In Visual Communication, we have programmes for different levels to help your child learn how to use visual images to powerfully bring across messages.
In Sec 1, they will embark on a picturebook illustration module. They will engage in story-telling, characterization and composition making, all useful tools to help in communication.

7. Stretched Programmes Mathematics Humanities Science English Language
- Singapore Math Olympiad (Lower Sec) - AEM (Maths and POA)
Humanities
- Humanities Scholars Programme
Science
- Science Research Programme - AEM (Biology)
English Language
- Meridian Speakers’ Programme
- AEM (Public Speaking)
Mother Tongue
- Author in Residence (Upper Sec)
D&T/Art
- Meridian Art programme (MAP)
- Enhanced Art Programme (EAP)
These are examples of stretching programmes in the various subject areas, eg, students in the Normal Acad streams are given the opportunities to do O-level subjects in MT, Humanties, Math and Design and Technology.

8. Grades System Express Normal AcademicB3 B4 C5 C6 D7 E8 F9
100 – 75
74 – 70
69 – 65
64 – 60
59 – 55
54 – 50
49 – 45
44 – 40
39 & below
Normal Academic
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade U
100 – 75
74 – 70
69 – 65
64 – 60
59 – 50
49 & below
The grades system for express, NA and NT are in this slide for your info.
For Express, the grade ranges from A1 to F9 and passes are from A1 to C6.
In NA, numbers are used. Grade 1 to 5 are for passes.
In NT – passes are from A to D.
Normal Technical A B C D U
100 – 75
74 – 70
69 – 60
59 – 50
49 & below

9. Promotion Criteria Sec 1E to Sec 2E
Pass in EL and at least 50% in the average of all examinable subjects.
(Laterally transferred to 2NA if student does not meet promotion criteria)
Sec 1NA to Sec 2NA
Pass in EL and 2 other subjects OR
Pass in 4 subjects.
(Retention in 1NA if student does not meet promotion criteria)
(Laterally transferred to 2NT if deemed suited)
Sec 1NT to Sec 2NT
Pass in 2 subjects, one of which must be EL or Math.
(Retention in 1NT if student does not meet promotion criteria)
To be promoted from Sec 1 Exp to Sec 2 Exp, your child will need to pass English and obtain at least 50% in the average of ALL examinable subjects. Otherwise, he would be laterally transferred to 2NA.
For promotion from Sec 1 NA to Sec 2 NA, you will need a pass in English and 2 other subjects OR Pass in 4 subjects if he or she fails EL. If he does not meet the promotion criteria, he will be retained in Sec 1 NA.
For Sec 1 NT to Sec 2 NT, your child will need to pass 2 subjects and one of them must be EL or Maths.

10. Lateral Transfer Sec 1NA to Sec 2E
70% or higher in the average of all subjects and deemed able to cope with the Express Course
Sec 1NT to Sec 2NA
70% or higher in the average of all subjects and deemed able to cope with the Normal Academic Course
To be eligible for lateral transfer, your child will need to obtain 70% or higher in the average of all subjects and be deemed able to cope in the more demanding stream.

11. What’s in it for your child?
We want to nurture young Singaporeans who ask questions and look for answers, and who are willing to think in new ways, solve new problems and create new opportunities for the future. And, equally important, we want to help our young to build up a set of sound values so that they have the strength of character and resilience to deal with life’s inevitable setbacks without being unduly discouraged, and so that they have the willingness to work hard to achieve their dreams.
Results are important but sound character is equally important if not more.
Besides building a strong academic foundation for our students, we also focus on developing them as confident individuals with a heart – a heart for others and z heart for Singapore.

12. Role of Parents Support and complement school efforts
Working towards similar goals
We urge all parents to complement what the school does. It is very important that schools and home work closely together and have the same expectations so that your child receives the same consistent messages. So let’s work together and nurture Meridians that we can all be proud of.

13. Thank You
On a lighter note, sharing with you something that’s on You-tube. So please excuse the grammatical errors and we look forward to working very closely with our parents. Thank you.