What is Subject Based Banding – Full SBB, and how it will affect your child.
- Written By Klassbook Editorial Team
- Updated on November 3, 2023
In this article, we have tried to compile all the essential questions regarding Full SBB – Subject Based Banding. Most of these questions and answers are taken from the MOE website with additional input from our Editorial Team.
What is Subject Based Banding?
Starting from the 2024 Secondary One cohort, Full SBB – Subject Based Banding, will be implemented in our secondary education system. Students will be grouped into mixed-form classes comprising students from different Posting Groups and will have opportunities to interact and learn with peers of different backgrounds, strengths, and interests.
Full SBB will give greater flexibility to the general secondary education system, with students studying different subjects at different levels. From this point, Sec 1 students will be able to study subjects at three levels, G1/G2/G3 (G stands for General). Express, N(A) and N(T) labels will be removed. This way, our secondary education system can continue to adapt to students’ learning needs while mitigating the labelling and stigmatisation that is associated with streaming.
Students will continue to be posted to secondary schools using 3 PSLE scoring bands. This is to ensure that when students enter Sec 1, they start out by taking subjects at a level suited to their pace of learning. After that, they can take subjects at a more demanding level, depending on their abilities.
Introduction of Applied Learning Modules (ApLM)
ApLM are elective modules in applied areas. The Polytechnics, ITE and private vendors conduct them. From 2023 onwards, in Secondary Two to Secondary Five cohorts, all students will be allowed to participate in these modules, and each student is allowed to participate in up to 3 ApLM throughout their secondary education.
ApLM replaces Applied Elective Modules (AEM) by the Polytechnics for students taking the Express and N(A) streams, and the Elective Modules (EM) by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and private vendors for students taking the N(A) and N(T) streams.
How are new Posting Groups different from the N(T), N(A) and Express streams?
Posting Groups under Full SBB fundamentally differs from the current stream-based system and signals a shift to a more flexible and customised approach. Posting Groups are only used to admit students into secondary schools and to guide the initial subject levels students take at the start of Secondary One. Once in school, students will be grouped in mixed-form classes comprising students from different Posting Groups. They will spend about a third of their curriculum time taking a set of Common Curriculum subjects together, i.e. Art, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE), Design and Technology (D&T), Food and Consumer Education (FCE), Music, and Physical Education (PE).
Beyond Secondary One, students can take subjects at a more demanding level based on their performance in the subject in secondary school and a holistic assessment by the school to ensure that the student can cope with the subject and overall workload.
Will Subject Based Banding be implemented in IP schools?
IP schools design their own curriculum structure and curriculum content, which can be different from the national secondary curriculum. IP leads to either A-level or IB qualifications at the end of 6 years. Hence, these students do not usually branch off to other institutions at the end of sec 4. This makes the intent of SBB irrelevant to IP schools.
How will SBB affect DSA Sec admissions?
As of now, the DSA sec process will remain the same. After PSLE results, if they meet the conditions of the DSA offer and are admitted to the Secondary school Via DSA, for Sec 1, the school will group them under SBB based on their PSLE score.
Will students remain in mixed-form classes throughout their secondary school journey?
Students will be in mixed-form classes in lower secondary. Schools have the autonomy to decide how best to structure their form classes at the lower secondary level to comprise students of different learner profiles based on the school’s unique offerings, programmes, student profile and needs. Students will thus have more opportunities to interact with peers who have different strengths and interests and are taking subjects at different subject levels.
At upper secondary, students have more diverse subject combinations. Schools will assess if the mixed form class experience should be extended to the upper secondary levels, taking into consideration the building of form class identity, the school’s ability to customise support for the students and resource capacities.
Will students still take GCE O- and N-Level examinations at the end of their Sec 4?
Students will continue to take the GCE O- and N-Level examinations until 2026.
Under Full SBB, the GCE O- and N-Level will replace the new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examinations. This will apply from the 2024 Secondary One cohort onwards. From 2027, the national certification will reflect the subject level at which each subject is taken. Students will use the new certificate the following year to enter JC, Polytechnic or ITE in 2028. The common national examination better recognises each student’s unique strengths and abilities. A revised admissions framework will also provide greater support to allow our students to enter a post-secondary course that can best develop their aptitudes and passions.
Also read : DSA Interview and How to Ace It
Will Students in Sec 1 N(A) in 2023 have the option to take Sec 5 in 2027 under Full SBB (i.e. first year for SEC national exam)?
The option of a fifth year will continue to be available for students entering Secondary One N(A) in 2023. Students will sit for the GCE N-Level examination in 2026, and those who are eligible for and wish to take up the fifth year in 2027 can do so. They will then sit for the common national examination, the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), in 2027.
How will Full SBB affect post-secondary admissions?
Students will take a more diverse combination of subjects at different subject levels by the time they complete secondary school. MOE has reviewed the admissions criteria for post-secondary pathways to recognise a more comprehensive profile of learners and provide students with more options while ensuring students have the necessary fundamentals to thrive in their chosen paths.
Option of a Fifth Year in Secondary School
The option of a fifth year in secondary school will continue to be available for eligible students to pace their learning and take subjects at a more demanding level to access more post-secondary pathways.
There will be no change to the Junior College (JC) Admission criteria
Given the rigour of the A-Level curriculum, MOE has assessed that relaxing the Junior College admission criterion is not advisable as students admitted via the relaxed criterion would likely struggle to complete the course in two years. The current criterion ensures that students have (i) sufficient academic foundations to cope with the A-Level curriculum and (ii) meaningful outcomes upon completing the GCE A-Level course.
Changes to Polytechnic Pathway
Students will take a more diverse combination of subjects at different subject levels by the time they complete secondary school. MOE has reviewed the admissions criteria for post-secondary pathways to recognise a more comprehensive profile of learners and provide students with more options while ensuring students have the necessary fundamentals to thrive in their chosen paths.
Changes to the ITE pathway
At present, The Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP) is a 1-year programme offering eligible N(A) students a practice-based preparatory pathway to a polytechnic education. Moving forward, MOE will expand the PFP to allow for a wider profile of learners, offering a different combination of subjects at different subject levels to access the PFP.
The changes will be carried out in 3 different stages.
2024 – the PFP will be expanded to allow a wider group of students to benefit from a practice-based preparatory pathway to a polytechnic education while ensuring that they can cope with the curriculum by:
- Relaxing the grade requirement of two Best subjects in ELMAB3 (English Language, Mathematics, Best 3 subjects), from G2 Grade 3 to Grade 4. And,
- While retaining ELMAB3 (English Language, Mathematics, Best 3 subjects) at a raw aggregate score of 12 points or better (excluding CCA bonus points) and the subject requirements for English Language and Relevant subjects.
2026 – Admissions to the PFP will be restructured to a cluster-based approach. Students in the PFP will enter one of three key broad clusters: Sciences, Design Engineering & Technology or Humanities, Art, Media and Business, before posting to a specific diploma course based on their interest and PFP performance.
2028 – The PFP will also be expanded to allow students taking G3 subjects, or a mix of G2 and G3 subjects to access PFP by mapping their G3 grade to the G2 equivalent – thus removing the current stream-based admission, which is limited to today’s N(A) students.
MOE is also reviewing the polytechnic Year 1 admission criteria.
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