Demystifying Full SBB: What are G1, G2 and G3 in Secondary School and How Does it Work?
- 9 min read
Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) has been in place since 2024, and most parents of Secondary School students will have seen the terms G1, G2, and G3 by now. They appear on timetables, report cards, and school communications. But merely knowing that the labels exist and understanding how they work, what they mean for your child’s daily learning, and how they shape post-Secondary options, are two completely different things.
The most important change from the old streaming system: your child is no longer placed into a single stream for all subjects. Under Full SBB, a student might take Mathematics at G3 while taking English at G2, depending on their strengths in each subject. The level can also change as your child progresses through Secondary School.
So what do G1, G2, and G3 actually mean, and how does your child’s level get determined?
Defining the New Framework: What Are G1, G2, and G3?
Under Full SBB, the old labels of Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) have been replaced by three subject levels known as G1, G2, and G3. The “G” stands for General.
- G1 (General 1): Foundation level, mapped to the previous N(T) standard
- G2 (General 2): Intermediate level, mapped to the previous N(A) standard
- G3 (General 3): Most academically demanding, mapped to the previous Express and O-Level standard
When your child enters Secondary 1, their subject level for each course is determined by their Posting Group, which is based on their PSLE Achievement Level (AL) scores. A student posted through Posting Group 2, for instance, will take most subjects at G2. However, if their PSLE AL score in a specific subject is strong (AL 5 or better in Mathematics, for example), the school may place the student in G3 for that subject from the outset.
This flexibility runs in both directions. A student can take some subjects at a higher level and others at a lower one, depending on where they are strongest and their readiness in each area.
What is the Difference Between G2 and G3 Subjects?
One of the first questions parents ask once they learn about the G-levels is whether G3 is “better” than G2, or whether their child should be aiming for the highest level in every subject.
The answer is not that straightforward, because G2 and G3 are not a ranking of ability. They represent different levels of academic demand, and the right level is the one that matches your child’s current readiness in that particular subject.
The distinction between the two comes down to three areas: syllabus depth, assessment rigour, and the post-Secondary pathways each one opens.
G2: General Level 2
G2 covers the same broad subject areas as G3 but at a less demanding level. The curriculum builds foundational understanding with more time to consolidate core concepts before moving on. G2 also prepares students for the new Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examination at the N(A) standard. For students aiming for Polytechnic or ITE, strong G2 results provide a clear route, including eligibility for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP).
G3: General Level 3
G3 is the most demanding level. It covers subject content at greater depth and places a heavier emphasis on higher-order thinking. In Mathematics, for instance, the 2027 SEC syllabi show that both G2 and G3 share the same three strands (Number and Algebra, Geometry and Measurement, and Statistics and Probability). The difference lies in how students are assessed: G3 allocates 40% of marks to problem-solving (compared to 30% at G2) and 15% to mathematical reasoning (compared to 10%). The G3 examination papers are also longer and carry more marks overall.
G3 subjects are examined at the O-Level standard, and from 2028, only G3 subjects will count toward the L1R4 aggregate used for Junior College (JC) admission, which makes this level a requirement for students on the JC pathway.
Academic Advancement: Progression from G2 and G3
But, of course, a student’s initial level is not permanent. Full SBB allows for up-banding if a student demonstrates they are ready for a greater challenge. This is one of the system’s most practical features, and one that many parents are still not fully aware of.
MOE Guidelines and School Promotion Criteria
MOE’s approach to subject-level changes under Full SBB revolved around the idea that readiness cannot be reduced to a single data point.
Schools are not looking for one strong result. They are looking for a pattern: consistent performance over time, combined with a broader picture of how the student is managing their workload and engaging with the subject.
How Do Schools Decide If a Student Can Be Promoted?
This means that the decision is not made by grades alone. Schools conduct a holistic assessment that considers:
- Academic Benchmarks: Consistent performance in the upper grade range at the current G2 level, usually in the A1 to B3 range
- Teacher Recommendations: Observations on the student’s aptitude, participation, and engagement in class
- Socio-Emotional Readiness: Whether the student can manage the added demands of a faster pace and heavier content without significant strain
This means that a student who performs well in one assessment but shows inconsistent effort or struggles with workload management may not yet be assessed as ready for the jump to the next level.
When Can a Student Be Considered for G3?
Reviews typically happen at the end of the academic year, though some schools conduct mid-year assessments as well. Either way, most level changes occur from Secondary 2 onwards. By then, students have settled into their subjects, and schools have enough performance data to make a reliable call on readiness.
The Big Decision: Should My Child Try to Upgrade from G2 to G3?
Moving up a level is a positive step when the student is genuinely ready for it. But it should be a right-sizing decision, not a chase for a higher label.
Before pushing for G3, weigh what each level offers against what it asks of the student.
Pros and Cons of Choosing G3
G3 provides a more rigorous academic foundation, wider post-secondary options (including JC eligibility), and a learning pace suited to students who are ready for more demanding content.
The trade-off: G3 carries a higher risk of burnout, increased academic pressure, and the possibility of a steep drop in grades if the student is not prepared for the rigour of O-Level standard questions. A student who moves up before they are ready may lose the confidence they had built at G2.
Pros and Cons of Choosing G2
G2’s curriculum provides students with more time to build understanding, less abstract content, and reduced academic pressure. It emphasises applied, hands-on learning and provides a viable path to Polytechnic and ITE.
The limitation: G2 alone does not prepare a student for JC entry, and some university courses with heavy quantitative requirements may require an O-Level foundation in certain subjects. For students whose long-term goals involve JC, some subjects will eventually need to be at G3.
5 Critical Factors to Consider When Choosing
When it boils down to making a decision if your child should choose G3 or G2, the decision should depend on your child’s current performance, their confidence in the subject, and where they want to go after Secondary School.
1. Assess Your PSLE Performance
Your child’s PSLE AL scores are a useful starting reference. In Mathematics, an AL of 1 to 5 generally indicates the student can handle G3 content, while an AL of 6 or lower suggests G2’s pace may be more appropriate at the outset. These scores set the starting point, not the ceiling, because, as mentioned, a student who begins at G2 and develops well can move up later.
2. Consider Your Interest & Confidence
A student who enjoys a subject and engages with it willingly is better positioned to sustain the effort G3 demands. As content becomes more abstract, particularly in Mathematics and Science, motivation plays a significant role in whether a student pushes through difficulty or begins to disengage. If a subject already feels like a struggle at G2, moving to G3 in that same subject is unlikely to improve the experience.
3. Look at Your Long-Term Goals
From 2028, JC admission through the new Post-Secondary Education (PSE) exercise will use an L1R4 aggregate with a qualifying threshold of 16 points. Only G3 subjects count toward this aggregate. If your child is JC-bound, they will need to take key subjects at G3 before the national examination. For Polytechnic pathways, strong G2 results are sufficient for most courses.
4. Ask Your Teacher for Advice
Teachers see your child’s daily engagement, not just their exam results. During parent-teacher meetings, ask whether your child shows the consistency and depth of understanding that a higher level requires. Grades may meet the minimum benchmark, but teachers can often tell whether a student is ready.
5. Be Open to Switching Later
Full SBB is designed to allow movement between levels throughout Secondary School. If a student starts at G3 and finds it overwhelming, adjusting to G2 can help rebuild confidence. Similarly, a student who gains ground at G2 and shows consistent improvement can move up when they are ready. The path does not have to be locked in at Secondary 1.
Achieve G3 Mastery with TLS Tutorials
The promotion from G2 to G3 is not simply a matter of putting in more hours. The increase in content depth and the shift toward problem-solving and reasoning mean a student needs to change how they approach the subject, not just how much time they spend on it. A student performing well at G2 may still find that the thinking process G3 demands, particularly on multi-step questions and unfamiliar applications, has not been developed in their current work.
At TLS Tutorials, our educators work in classes of no more than four students, which means each lesson can focus on what the individual student needs. For students preparing for the G2-to-G3 transition, this often means building the reasoning and problem-solving frameworks that G3 questions require, rather than simply covering more content at a faster pace. Whether your child needs Sec 1 Maths tuition, Sec 1 Science tuition, or support at any Secondary level, our approach at our Secondary Maths tuition centre in Singapore focuses on helping students think through problems independently, not memorise methods.
If your child is navigating subject-level decisions under Full SBB, speak with us about how we can support them.