As students step into Primary 5, the academic load naturally increases—but for 2025, there’s more to take note of.
The P5 Science syllabus was revamped recently, with changes now fully in place across schools. And this year, Primary 5 Math also sees its own shift with a refreshed syllabus that’s being implemented nationwide. These updates are not minor tweaks—they reflect a broader push towards deeper understanding, stronger thinking skills, and clearer progression across topics. For parents, knowing what’s changed can help you better support your child through what is often considered a pivotal academic year.
Updates to the Primary 5 Science Curriculum
The Science syllabus at Primary 5 has been restructured to ensure clearer progression and stronger understanding. Instead of a general Upper Block structure, topics are now level-specific—with P5 students focusing on two main themes: Cycles and Systems.
Level-Specific Content Structure
In the past, Science topics were divided into Lower Block (P3–P4) and Upper Block (P5–P6), leaving it to schools to decide how to distribute the content.
Now, each Primary School level has a clearly defined syllabus, designed to build knowledge year by year in a logical, structured way.
For Primary 5, this means a focused deep dive into the core themes of Cycles (like reproduction and the water cycle) and Systems (such as the plant, human, and electrical systems). By narrowing the scope, the revised P5 Science syllabus helps students explore concepts in greater depth, rather than rushing through a long list of topics. This shift also makes it easier for parents and teachers to track progress and reinforce learning at home.
Standardised Themes and Learning Order
While the Science syllabus is now more structured than before, it’s important to note that some schools may still have flexibility in how they pace and arrange topics—so long as students are prepared by Primary 6. That said, the core themes and suggested sequence have been clearly outlined by MOE to promote more focused learning at each level.
For Primary 5, the recommended themes are Cycles (like reproduction and the water cycle) and Systems (such as the plant, human, and electrical systems). With more schools aligning to this order, students benefit from a clearer learning pathway and deeper engagement with key concepts. For parents, this shift also offers greater predictability—so you can plan ahead for revision, spot potential gaps early, and support your child more effectively throughout the year.
Specific Content Modifications in P5 Science
Beyond the structural updates, the P5 Science syllabus has also undergone content-level refinements. These are designed to make learning more age-appropriate and help students focus on understanding over memorisation.
- Cells Removed: The topic of cells has been taken out from formal study. Students will now only encounter basic cell-related concepts under “Reproduction in Animals,” making the content less abstract and more relatable.
- The Water Cycle: Students will now work with temperature graphs to understand states of matter (e.g., during freezing or melting). The focus has also shifted from listing conservation methods to understanding why conserving water matters.
- Reproduction in Plants: Updates include more precise terms like “filament holds up the anther” and the introduction of “space” as a resource in competition. However, vegetative propagation and pollination terminology like “cross-pollination” are no longer required.
- Plant Transport System: The terms “xylem” and “phloem” have been dropped. Students now learn that water and mineral salts move through water-carrying tubes and that food collects above a cut in the stem. This simplifies the concept without losing core understanding.
- Human Respiratory and Circulatory Systems: More relatable vocabulary is used, like “inhaled/exhaled air,” and pie charts are introduced to show air composition. Instead of “transport,” the term “carried” is used to describe blood movement. Also, instead of naming blood vessels or organs, students are taught broader concepts like “oxygen-rich” and “carbon dioxide-rich” blood.
- Electrical System and Circuits: Terms like “electrical current” are now just “current,” and “bulb blows” is replaced with “bulb fuses.” This makes the language more aligned with everyday understanding and avoids unnecessary confusion.
Adjustments to the Primary 5 Mathematics Curriculum
Math continues to be a subject where structure matters, and in 2025, that structure has been fine-tuned to better match how students learn and apply concepts over time.
Shifting Topics
This year’s Primary 5 Math syllabus sees some key adjustments in how topics are distributed across levels. After reviewing feedback from educators and assessing content load at each stage, MOE has reallocated certain topics to ensure students engage with them when they’re most ready.
For example, Ratio—once introduced in P5—is now taught at P6, allowing students more time to grasp related foundational ideas first. Average follows the same path, now appearing in the P6 curriculum instead of P5.
Rationale for Changes
The reshuffling of Math topics across levels isn’t just about lightening the load—it’s about helping students build a stronger foundation before they’re asked to apply these skills in more complex scenarios. By introducing concepts like pie charts earlier in Primary 4 and moving Ratio and Average to Primary 6, the syllabus now allows for a more measured learning curve.
This gradual build-up ensures students have time to develop number sense, confidence, and problem-solving accuracy, rather than rushing through abstract concepts before they’re ready. It also helps teachers pace lessons more effectively, and gives students space to master each layer of understanding before moving on.
Benefits of the Syllabus Refinements
Together, the updates to both the Math and Science syllabuses aim to create a more intentional learning experience for Primary 5 students. By phasing topics more gradually and simplifying certain terms, students are now given the space to understand rather than memorise.
These refinements also support stronger links across concepts—so students aren’t just learning in silos but developing a clearer grasp of how ideas build on one another. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure proper rigour at the right time, helping students move from the basics to more complex applications with confidence.
Supporting Your Child Through the Changes
As the demands of the curriculum evolve, so should the support around your child.
At TLS Tutorials, our targeted programmes are designed to align with the latest changes—whether it’s preparing for the PSLE Math syllabus, building conceptual clarity through Science tuition for Primary 5 students, or offering a structured environment at a trusted Primary School Math tuition centre in Singapore. With small class sizes and tailored guidance, we help students adapt, progress, and thrive—one topic at a time.
Ready to give your child the support they need to navigate 2025 and beyond? Let’s work together.