How to Get Rid of Math Anxiety? Practical Strategies for Students and Parents
- 10 August 2025
If you’re a parent navigating the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) for the first time, it’s normal to feel a little lost when it comes to interpreting your child’s results. Unlike the previous T-score system, the current PSLE scoring model, based on Achievement Levels (AL), can feel unfamiliar at first glance. You may find yourself wondering: How exactly is my child’s PSLE score calculated? And what does it really say about the Secondary Schools they can get into?
Your child will receive an AL score from 1 to 8 for each of their four core subjects. These four numbers are then added up to form a total PSLE score ranging from 4 (best) to 32 (lowest). Grasping how the total AL score is calculated gives you a clearer idea of which Secondary Schools your child may qualify for during the posting process and how close they are to meeting specific cut-off points.
Demystifying the Achievement Level System in PSLE
Introduced in 2021, the Achievement Level scoring system replaced the T-score model to better reflect individual mastery instead of relative performance. Each subject in the PSLE, which includes English, Mathematics, Science, and Mother Tongue Language (MTL), is graded on an AL scale from 1 to 8, with AL1 being the highest (score ≥90) and AL8 the lowest (score <20). This means a student’s total PSLE score can range from 4 to 32.
To determine this score, each subject’s raw marks are converted into the appropriate AL band. For example, a child who scores AL2 in MTL, AL1 in Math, AL2 in Science, and AL3 in English would receive a total PSLE score of 8. Students with similar performance are grouped within the same AL band to ensure consistency and fairness.
For students taking Foundation subjects, grades A, B, and C are mapped to AL6, AL7, and AL8, respectively. And if your child has an approved MTL exemption, they’ll still be assigned an MTL score between AL6 and AL8 based on how peers with similar subject scores performed. This assigned score, like the others, plays a key role in determining their eligibility for Secondary 1 posting.
Comparing the Old and New: PSLE T-Scoring System vs. AL System
While the AL system focuses on individual performance and learning objectives, the older method relied heavily on peer comparison.
The Previous T-Score Framework
Under the old PSLE grading model, students received T-scores for each subject, which were values calculated using the formula:
T-score = 50 + [10 (x – m) / s]
Where:
- x is the student’s raw mark
- m is the mean score of the cohort
- s is the standard deviation of scores
This meant a student’s score wasn’t just about how well they did, but also how well their peers performed. Each subject’s T-score was then summed up to form the total PSLE score, often leading to highly precise results like 256 or 243.
However, this level of granularity brought stress, as every mark could sway the final outcome significantly. It also pushed parents and students to chase decimal-point improvements, regardless of whether those changes truly reflected meaningful learning progress.
The Current AL Achievement Level System
Compared to the old T-score model, the current AL system is far more straightforward in terms of how results are reported and how parents can estimate scores using prelims or practice exam results.
Here’s a general breakdown of how marks map to each AL band:
Achievement Level | Raw Mark Range |
AL1 | 90 and above |
AL2 | 85-89 |
AL3 | 80-84 |
AL4 | 79-79 |
AL5 | 65-74 |
AL6 | 45-64 |
AL7 | 20-44 |
AL8 | Below 20 |
Addressing Score Distribution in the AL System
This shift away from the T-score was a deliberate move to ease the intense pressure placed on Primary 6 students. Instead of measuring every mark with a fine-toothed comb, the Achievement Level system encourages children to focus on mastering key concepts within a broader scoring band.
With less emphasis on single-point differences, the conversation around choosing a Secondary School has also shifted. Rather than fixating solely on entry scores, families are now urged to explore Secondary Schools based on the student’s interests, CCAs, school culture, and even proximity to home, helping to match each child with a learning environment where they can truly thrive.
Some concerns have also been raised about the uneven ranges within each AL band, but it’s worth noting that a significant portion of students typically fall between AL1 and AL4. What’s more, the AL system doesn’t define success by a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’, helping every student move forward confidently.
Calculating Your Child’s PSLE Outcome
Once you have the sum of the four ALs, the score will determine which Posting Group they fall under, and by extension, which subject levels and Secondary School options are available to them.
Secondary School Pathways Based on PSLE Score
Your child’s final PSLE score not only opens doors to specific schools but also determines the level of subjects they’ll begin with in Secondary 1. Rather than placing students into fixed academic streams like in the past, the MOE now uses Posting Groups: G1, G2, and G3. These correspond broadly to the former Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic), and Express streams, but with more flexibility.
Here’s how the PSLE scores align with these groups:
- Scores from 4 to 20 place students in Group 3 (G3), where subjects are taught at the most rigorous level.
- Scores of 21–22 qualify for Group 2 or Group 3, offering some flexibility depending on individual strengths.
- Scores of 23–24 generally fall into Group 2 (G2).
- Scores from 25 and above, if accompanied by at least AL7 in both English and Math, may be placed in Group 1 (G1) or Group 2, depending on subject proficiency.
But it doesn’t stop there. Under Full Subject-Based Banding (SBB), students in G1 or G2 can take selected subjects like Math or Science at a higher level if they performed well in that subject during PSLE. This means your child isn’t boxed into a single track and can continue to challenge themselves in areas of strength, even if their overall score places them in a lower group.
For students with scores above 30, alternative pathways such as the NorthLight School or Assumption Pathway School remain available, ensuring every child has access to a supportive learning environment.
Insights into Average PSLE Performance
Although individual average scores aren’t published, the Ministry of Education (MOE) regularly shares high-level performance insights. In 2024, for instance, 98.5% of students successfully secured a spot in a Secondary School.
When it comes to subject eligibility, around two-thirds of students in Posting Groups 1 and 2 qualified to take at least one subject at a higher level. This shows how the Full SBB system is helping students stretch their potential where it counts most. In other words, your child doesn’t need perfect ALs to thrive. Rather, they just need the right support and a learning path that grows with them.
Understanding Scores for Top Secondary Schools
When people talk about “top secondary schools,” they’re often referring to institutions with the lowest cut-off points, typically in the AL4 to AL9 range. These are schools that attract the highest-scoring PSLE students and often offer the Integrated Programme (IP), where students bypass the O-Levels and go straight into A-Level or IB tracks.
In 2024, for example:
- ACS (Independent) accepted Posting Group 3 students with scores around 6 to 7 for non-affiliated applicants.
- Jurong Secondary School, a respected neighbourhood school, had a wider cut-off range: 11–15 for G3, 21–23 for G2, and 25–27 for G1.
Getting into a school with a single-digit COP typically requires:
- AL1 (90+ marks) in all four subjects for a perfect AL4 score.
- Or, three AL1s and one AL2, usually giving some allowance for Mother Tongue.
- Another route is consistent AL2s (85–89 marks) with one or two AL1s to bring the score to 5–9.
Supporting Every Learner’s Journey Forward
A perfect PSLE score isn’t the only marker of success. What matters more is whether your child is growing in confidence, deepening subject mastery, and receiving the support they need at every step. Whether you’re wondering how the PSLE score is calculated, trying to understand the difference between the old and new scoring systems, or simply searching for a Primary School Science tuition programme that builds real understanding, the right help makes all the difference.
At TLS Tutorials, our Primary School Math tuition and Science tuition classes are designed to guide students through key concepts with clarity and confidence. As a leading tuition centre in Singapore, we focus on progress over perfection because the right support today builds stronger foundations for tomorrow.