North Vista Secondary School

Subject-Based Banding (SBB)

Information for Parents

(Slides will be uploaded to the school website)

By Mr Mohamed NasimVice-Principal

CONTENT1. Subject Based-Banding (SBB) and Possible Benefits of taking

higher-level subjects

2. Eligibility Criteria

3. Support for SBB students

4. Administrative matters Opting forms

Booklists

5. Additional information: Post-Secondary Educational Progression for Sec 4N(A) and Sec 4N(T) students (Information will be uploaded to the school website)

What is Subject-Based Banding (SBB)?• Every student is unique and possesses different

strengths. Taking subjects at a higher academic level can help students nurture their strengths and give them more opportunities throughout their educational journey, so that they are more engaged in learning.

• Previously, students in N(A) and N(T) courses can take higher-level subjects starting from Secondary 3. With SBB, your child can start doing so from the start of Secondary 1, to build a stronger foundation in subjects that they are good at.

3

What are the possible benefits of taking higher-level subjects?

• Some students (and parents) have shared that SBB allows the students to challenge themselves, and to have more options for Sec 3 subject combinations and post-secondary courses.

• A strong foundation in literacy, numeracy and reasoning, would ensure students are better prepared for various post-secondary progression pathways (e.g. to ITE and Polytechnic).

4

Eligibility Criteria and Opting into SBB

• Eligible N(A) and N(T) students should have received an

application form, based on the following criteria:

• Each student should take no more than 3 higher-level subjects

so as to ensure that he/she can cope with the overall academic

demands.

Course PSLE Standard Grade PSLE Foundation Grade Option to offer subject at

N(A) A*, A - Express

N(T)A*, A - Express/ N(A)

B, C 1 N(A)

5

Other Opportunities to Take Higher-Level Subjects

• Beyond the start of Sec 1, students who do well in school-

based examinations may be considered to take higher-level

subjects if found suitable to do so by our school.

• Eligible N(A) and N(T) students will receive an application form

in the middle of Sec 1 or after the year-end examinations,

based on the school criteria.

• Our school will provide support through bridging programmes

for these new SBB students. 6

What if my child struggles with the higher-level subject?

• Students are encouraged to continue with the higher-level subjects until the end of Sec 2, as students do need time to adjust to the higher academic demands.

• Our school will monitor students’ progressin the higher-level subjects as well as overall progress in all subjects.

• Our school is mindful of students’ socio-emotional and academic needs and will endeavour to provide the necessary support to students to help them cope.

7

Will my child continue with the higher-level subjects all the way to Sec 4?

• Your child may continue with the corresponding higher-level subject at upper secondary if he/she meets our school’s criteria at the end of Sec 2.

• Schools typically allow students to continue with the higher level subject as long as they have obtained at least a pass at the end of Sec 2.

8

SBB ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

By Mdm Yow Sok Fun

SBB Coordinator

OFFER LETTER (OPTING INTO SBB)

10

OPTING INTO SBB

Each student should take no more than 3 higher-level subjects so

as to ensure that he/she can cope with the overall academic

demands.

Please delete accordingly to indicate your decision.

accept / reject*(to accept) OR accept / reject (to reject)*

EXPRESS / NORMAL (ACADEMIC)* OR EXPRESS / NORMAL (ACADEMIC)*

Please complete the form to indicate the subjects your child

wishes to take (or not to take) at a higher level. Submit the

completed form to the General Office by 27 Dec 2018, 5 pm.

11

To submit completed SBB Offer Letters to the General Office by Thursday, 27th Dec 2018, 5 pm.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION (1)

To buy books for the SBB Subjects only after you have made the decision to accept / reject the offer to take up higher subject(s).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION (2)

You may purchase books from the school bookshop on the dates stated in the booklist.

Operations hours: 9:00am – 3:00pm (Lunch time: 12.00 noon – 1.00pm)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION (2)

Date Level(s)

20-12-2018 (Thursday) Sec 1 only

21-12-2018 (Friday) Sec 1 F.A.S.

26-12-2018 (Wednesday) All Levels

27-12-2018 (Thursday) All Levels

28-12-2018 (Friday) All Levels

1. To submit completed SBB Offer Letter to the General Office by Thursday, 27th Dec 2018, 5.00 pm.

2. To buy books for SBB Subjects only after you have made the decision to accept / reject the offer to take up higher subject.

3. SBB Coordinator : Mdm Yow Sok Fun (68793930)

Email: yowsokfun@moe.edu.sg

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Post-secondary

Educational Progression

for Sec 4N(A) students

Progression opportunities for Sec 4 N(A)

• Sec 4 N(A) students have the following progression opportunities:

• To apply for any of the programmes above, students must satisfy the

minimum entry requirements of the specific programmes.

• A strong foundation in literacy, numeracy and reasoning would

ensure students are better prepared for these progression pathways.

• Therefore, students are encouraged to deepen their knowledge in

English, Mathematics and Science. 17

Polytechnic Foundation

Programme (PFP)

Direct-Entry-Scheme to Polytechnic

Programme (DPP)

Nitec Courses Secondary 5 N(A)

PFP and DPP

• Posting is based on merit and subject to vacancies in open competition.

• Applicants may combine their GCE ‘O’ and ‘N(A)’ Level results to

compute their ELMAB3 aggregate score, for merit-based admission into

PFP and DPP.

18

GCE ‘O’ Level Grade GCE ‘N(A)’ Level Grade

A1 – B3 1

B4 – C6 2

D7 3

Conversion Table for ‘O’ Level to ‘N(A)’ Level Grade

Note:

• For PFP, GCE ‘O’ Level grades of E8 & F9 and GCE N(A) grade of U will not be

considered for the computation of the aggregate score.

• For DPP, GCE ‘O’ Level grade of F9 and GCE N(A) grade of U will not be

considered for the computation of the aggregate score.

• If a student has taken the same subject at both the GCE ’N’ and ‘O’ Level

examinations, only the better of the two grades will be used in the computation of

his/her ELMAB3 aggregate.

PFP

Minimum Entry Requirements for PFP

Refer to https://pfp.polytechnic.edu.sg/PFP/index.html for full range of courses under

Groups 1 and 219

Course

cluster

Minimum entry requirements

• Group 1

courses

• ELMAB3 ≤ 12 (raw aggregate excluding CCA bonus points)

• EL ≤ 3

• MA ≤ 3

• Comb Sci / F&N / D&T ≤ 3

• Any other two subjects (excluding CCA) ≤ 3

• Group 2

courses

• ELMAB3 ≤ 12 (raw aggregate excluding CCA bonus points)

• EL ≤ 2

• MA ≤ 3

• POA / Eng Lit / Hist / Geog / Humanities / Art ≤ 3

• Any other two subjects (excluding CCA) ≤ 3

DPP

Minimum Entry Requirements for DPP

Refer to https://www.ite.edu.sg/wps/portal/definitely-des for full range of courses

under the course clusters.

20

Course cluster Minimum entry requirements

• Applied Sciences

• Engineering

• Info-

Communications

Technology

• ELMAB3 ≤ 19

• EL ≤ 4

• MA ≤ 4

• Any other three subjects (excluding CCA) ≤ 5

• Business &

Services

• ELMAB3 ≤ 19

• EL ≤ 3

• MA ≤ 4

• Any other three subjects (excluding CCA) ≤ 5

Post-secondary

Educational Progression

for Sec 4N(T) students

Progression opportunities for Sec 4 N(T)

• Sec 4 N(T) students have the following progression opportunities:

• To be eligible, students must satisfy the minimum entry requirements

of the specific course.

• A strong foundation in literacy, numeracy and reasoning would

ensure students are better prepared for these progression pathways.

• Therefore, students are encouraged to deepen their knowledge in

English, Mathematics and Science.22

Nitec

Courses

Transfer to

Sec 4 N(A)

Posting of applicants to Nitec courses

• Posting is based on merit and subject to vacancies in open competition.

– Based on aggregate of the best 4 GCE ‘N’ Level subjects, including

pre-requisite subjects and bonus points (where applicable); and

– Met course-specific entry requirements.

• Many Nitec courses require a pass in subjects such as English,

Mathematics and Science – good foundation in these subjects is

critical to students performing well in the corresponding Nitec courses.

• Doing well in these subjects in secondary school, especially at the higher

level, will position students better to perform well in ITE.

23

Computation of ITE aggregate points

• The computation of ITE aggregate points for N(A) and N(T) subject grades

for merit-based admission is shown in the tables below.

24

N(A) Grade ITE Aggregate Point

1, 2 1

3 2

4 3

5 4

U 5

N(T) Grade ITE Aggregate Point

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

U 5

ITE bonus points

• Bonus points are awarded when an applicant has been deemed eligible

and is being considered for posting based on merit.

• We would like to encourage students, if they are able, to challenge

themselves by taking N(A)-level subjects.

25

Types of Bonus Points Number of Bonus Points Awarded

N(A) Passing Grades:

Grades 1–5 for pre-requisite

subjects (e.g. English,

Mathematics, Science) for the

course applied for

2 points for each pre-requisite

subject, up to a max of 4 points

CCA Grades:

• A1 – A2

• B3 – C6

2 points

1 point