It doesn’t matter how many children you’ve guided through Primary 6; the suspense never gets easier. And this year brought a familiar mix of relief and surprise: 98.5% of students who sat for the PSLE in 2025 qualified for secondary school, exactly the same as last year.
If you’re wondering what this number actually means for your child, or how the posting process works under full subject-based banding, let’s break it down in a way that actually helps.
A Closer Look at the 2025 PSLE Cohort
A total of 37,926 Primary 6 students took the PSLE this year, according to a joint update from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB). With 98.5% qualifying, this year’s performance mirrors the strong showing of the 2024 cohort.
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But here’s the thing—qualification is only the first part of the story. What happens next matters just as much.
What About Students Who Didn’t Qualify?
A small group of students—those assessed as not ready for mainstream secondary school—still have meaningful options:
- Retake the PSLE in 2026, giving themselves more time to strengthen foundations
- Apply to:
- Assumption Pathway School (APS)
- NorthLight School
These schools aren’t “fallbacks.” They’re built for students who thrive better with hands-on, experiential learning rather than traditional academic routes. If your child learns by doing rather than memorizing, these pathways can unlock strengths that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Full Subject-Based Banding: What Parents Should Understand
One of the biggest shifts in Singapore’s education system is full subject-based banding (Full SBB), and it continues to take shape with the 2025 cohort.
About 65% of students in Posting Groups 1 and 2 can now take at least one subject at a more demanding level in Secondary 1.
Think of it this way: instead of a single score boxing your child into one stream, Full SBB gives them room to stretch where they’re strong—whether that’s:
- English
- Mother Tongue
- Mathematics
- Science
This flexibility helps students grow based on actual strengths, not just overall aggregate scores. As someone who has seen countless parents stress over “streams,” I can tell you this: the new system gives far more breathing room than the old Express/NA/NT structure ever did.
Madrasah Students Also Showed Strong Results
From the 332 Singaporean Primary 6 madrasah students who took the PSLE in 2025, 99.1% passed—a number worth celebrating. It’s a sign of how well madrasahs continue to support students in both religious and academic learning.
What Happens Now: The Secondary 1 Posting Exercise
Once students receive their PSLE results, they’re also given their Secondary 1 Option Form, which opens the door to the next big decision: choosing their six secondary schools. All submissions go through the online S1 Portal, and the deadline this year is 4:30pm on Dec 1.
A little practical advice I often share with parents:
Don’t choose all six schools with cut-off points tighter than your child’s score.
MOE and SEAB recommend picking at least two to three schools where the previous year’s cut-off points are more comfortable. That’s not playing it safe—it’s keeping options open.
Final posting results will be released on Dec 18 or 19.
For parents who like to dig into details, the MOE SchoolFinder tool is genuinely helpful. You’ll find:
- CCAs
- Programmes
- Subject options
- Unique school cultures
…across 141 secondary schools involved in the 2025 posting exercise.
Why These Numbers Matter More Than You Think
It’s easy to see statistics and forget the children behind them. The truth is, PSLE isn’t about a single exam deciding a child’s worth. With Full SBB, flexible subject levels, and multiple school pathways, a child’s next step is no longer locked by one performance.
As a parent or guardian, your reassurance matters far more than any grade slip. What your child needs right now is your confidence that secondary school is not the end of a journey—it’s the beginning of one.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does qualifying for secondary school guarantee a spot in my preferred school?
Not necessarily. Posting depends on your child’s PSLE score and each school’s demand. Choosing a balanced mix of schools increases the chance of getting a suitable match.
2. Can my child take subjects at a higher level under Full SBB?
Yes. Students in Posting Groups 1 and 2 can offer subjects at a more demanding level if their PSLE subject scores meet the requirement.
3. What if my child wants a less academic, more applied-learning approach?
Schools like APS and NorthLight provide strong, practical programmes for students who learn better through real-world, hands-on experiences.
