The official document for PSLE Cut Off Point is the MOE PSLE Cut Off Point Booklet. Comprising of 200 pages, it contains all the official past year cut-off points for the various secondary schools for express and normal streams.
We showcase some of the PSLE Cut Off Points (for 2017 Sec 1) of various schools. Basically, Cut Off Points are unlikely to vary much throughout a period of 5 years, hence this list of cut-off points should be valid for at least 2018, 2019, 2020, until the new PSLE Scoring takes effect. Though, if your child is very close to the borderline cut-off point, it is wise to study the latest trend of cut-off points carefully.
The Cut Off Points List shown below are non-affiliation scores. If your child is affiliated, possibly a discount of 10 points or more are allowed. E.g. for Nanyang Girls’ High School, the non-affiliated cut-off is 264, but for affiliated students, 250 is sufficient to get in. Some schools have two tracks, IP track and O-level track, in which case the O-level track cut-off point (COP) is invariably lower than the IP track COP.
Tier 1 Schools are universally agreed “top schools” in Singapore, the “creme de la creme”. Due to their popularity, they usually have a very high PSLE cut-off. Do note that one should not choose a school solely by its cut-off point, school culture and the right fit is very important too.
Read our previous blogposts on how to choose schools not solely based on cut-off points:
- Which Secondary School to Choose?
- Is the highest-ranked school the right one for your child? (Singapore)
Tier 1 Top Schools PSLE Cutoffs (250 and above)
- NANYANG GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL: 264
- RAFFLES GIRLS’ SCHOOL (SECONDARY): 261
- RAFFLES INSTITUTION: 260
- HWA CHONG INSTITUTION: 259
- METHODIST GIRLS’ SCHOOL (SECONDARY): 255
- CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: 252 (248 for O-level track)
- VICTORIA SCHOOL: 252 (245 for O-level track)
- ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOL (INDEPENDENT): 250
- CEDAR GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL: 250
Tier 2 top schools are universally considered good schools too. Most of them are very established schools with a long history in Singapore, with a strong school culture. Some of them have specialized CCAs which they are strong in.
Tier 2 Top Schools PSLE Cutoffs (240 and above)
- ST. ANDREW’S SECONDARY SCHOOL: 246
- ST. JOSEPH’S INSTITUTION: 245
- BUKIT PANJANG GOVT. HIGH SCHOOL: 245
- NAN HUA HIGH SCHOOL: 243
- NAN CHIAU HIGH SCHOOL: 241
- CRESCENT GIRLS’ SCHOOL: 241
- FAIRFIELD METHODIST SCHOOL (SECONDARY): 241
- CHUNG CHENG HIGH SCHOOL (MAIN): 240
- SWISS COTTAGE SECONDARY SCHOOL: 240
A very notable mention is top neighborhood schools. Neighborhood schools, as the name suggests, are close to densely populated towns with many HDBs. Hence, it can be immensely convenient for many people. Imagine walking to your school in 5-10 mins, the amount of time you save in 4 years can be staggering. It can be a nurturing environment, with much less of the competitiveness present in the Tier 1 top schools.
Top Neighborhood Schools PSLE Cutoffs (230 and above)
- NGEE ANN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 237
- COMMONWEALTH SECONDARY SCHOOL: 237
- MARIS STELLA HIGH SCHOOL: 236
- YISHUN TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 235
- CHIJ ST. THERESA’S CONVENT: 234
- XINMIN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 233
- FUHUA SECONDARY SCHOOL: 232
- TANJONG KATONG SECONDARY SCHOOL: 232
- ZHONGHUA SECONDARY SCHOOL: 232
- CHIJ ST. JOSEPH’S CONVENT: 231
- KUO CHUAN PRESBYTERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 231
- PRESBYTERIAN HIGH SCHOOL: 231
- RIVERSIDE SECONDARY SCHOOL: 231
- TEMASEK SECONDARY SCHOOL: 231
Interesting Phenomena: Chess CCA Schools are mostly Tier 1 or Tier 2 Top Schools or Top Neighborhood Schools
Something interesting I observed, all schools who list Chess/Chinese Chess/Weiqi CCA in the MOE Official PSLE Cut-off Book are mostly top schools, either Tier 1 or Tier 2 Top Schools, or else Top Neighborhood Schools. Note that some schools may have Chess CCA, but did not list it in their specialty in the MOE Official PSLE COP Book. Is it correlation or causation, i.e. does chess help to improve academic results, or are students with good academics naturally attracted to chess?
Chess CCA Schools and Their PSLE Cutoff Point
- ACS(I) (both International and Chinese Chess): 250 COP
- CHUNG CHENG HIGH SCHOOL (MAIN) (Chinese Chess): 240 COP
- CRESCENT GIRLS’ SCHOOL: 241 COP
- HWA CHONG INSTITUTION (Chinese Chess & Weiqi): 259
- METHODIST GIRLS’ SCHOOL (SECONDARY): 255
- NAN CHIAU HIGH SCHOOL (Chinese Chess & Mind Games): 241
- NAN HUA HIGH SCHOOL: 243
- NGEE ANN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 237
- PUNGGOL SECONDARY SCHOOL: 188
- RAFFLES INSTITUTION: 260
- TANJONG KATONG SECONDARY SCHOOL: 232
- VICTORIA SCHOOL: 252
- YISHUN TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL: 235
Updates (2019 PSLE Cutoff Points)
Thanks to a helpful reader of our website, we provide the following corrections to reflect the updated 2019 PSLE COP:
Corrected:
ST. JOSEPH’S INSTITUTION : 250 (O level – 245)
https://www.sji.edu.sg/admission/o-level-n-integrated-programme/entry-into-secondary-1
TEMASEK JC: 250
https://www.temasekjc.moe.edu.sg/others/frequently-asked-questions-faqs
Based on the new update, St. Joseph’s Institution and Temasek JC can also be classified under Tier 1 Top Schools in Singapore.
Mathtuition88 
Reblogged this on Free Exam Papers.
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