The PSLE Scoring System has changed. However, the curriculum and learning outcomes of Singapore’s Primary education system remain the same – for students to achieve basic competency in a subject, and then go on to realise their beyond-basics potential.

The latter requires the ability and agility to use higher-order techniques (ie heuristics) to tackle unfamiliar challenging questions.

In short, heuristics was key to getting that A/A* previously, and remains key to achieving those upper Achievement Levels (ALs) now. Plus, you may be surprised to learn, higher-order problem-solving applies to all the Primary-level subjects in various ways.

At our centres, we specialise in equipping students with heuristics for Mathematics and Science.

At the highest possible grade, there is no change. Scoring 91 marks and above gets you the A* (Until 2020) and AL1 (From 2021). They key changes that impact nearly all students are in the next upper band and the lower band.

Upper Bands

Scoring 75 – 89 marks used to get you an A (Until 2020). Now, the quality of the A matters because the grades are further divided into 3 bands – AL2, AL3 and AL4. Here, the more skillful the student is at using heuristics techniques, the higher the grade he/she can attain.

Lower Bands

Scoring 45 – 65 marks (depending on which part of the range you scored), used to get you B, C or D (Until 2020). Now, these are combined into 1 band – AL6. This makes it difficult to gauge how well you are doing, and whether you should seek help – just to attain the average performance. Here, the better equipped the student is with heuristics techniques, the higher he/she can move up within AL6, and to AL5, AL4 and beyond.

Narrow Upper Bands, Wide Lower Bands

Why the Big Difference in Mark Spans?

This is because of the different stages of learning.

Early Stages of Learning

This is where learners work at achieving basic competency in a subject. They achieve the biggest progress in a relatively shorter timeframe. AL6 students are at this stage. If this band were to be sub-divided into narrower bands, students would be uprooted from their current band into the next all too frequently. This constant disruption to students’ learning environment is meaningless, and even detrimental, to students’ learning experience and success.

Later Stages of Learning

Learners go beyond basics to acquire higher-order competencies. They will take a relatively longer timeframe just to achieve a smaller progress (Diminishing returns). Therefore, there is sufficient time for students to adjust to one level of higher-order competency before they work towards the next level. The narrow bands of AL1 to AL4 reflect the recognition of these realities.

Bell Curve Hope – A Thing of the Past

The old T-score System looked at a student’s performance in relation to his/her entire cohort. The student’s personal performance in a subject (Raw score) would be adjusted (T-score) according to the cohort’s performance in that subject (Bell curve). Scoring below expectations, there was still a chance of being adjusted to a higher T-score, hence a chance to be pushed into a higher grade. Then again, scoring well did not guarantee the desired grade.

Heuristics: The Way Up Narrow Upper Bands

Help Your Child Move Up to AL1

Students in the upper bands of AL1 to AL4 have already achieved basic competency in the subject. The differentiating factor now is whether they are equipped to solve unfamiliar challenges.

This is where heuristics come into play. Heuristics is simply a tool – comprising various techniques – for solving higher-order problems. It equips students to calmly analyse unfamiliar questions, understand question scenarios, know which heuristics techniques to use, and apply them to solve questions.

As students learn heuristics, being adept – and even confident – in using the various techniques becomes the differentiating factor for moving up each narrow upper band.

Many are asking if 64 is the passing mark. While there is technically no passing or failing threshold, getting an AL6 means scoring anywhere between 45 – 64 marks (a 20-mark span). It is impossible to tell which end of the band an AL6 student is at. Hence, it is important to move up the AL6 band as far as possible, and then score above 64 marks to move into AL5.

On securing AL5 which covers 65 – 74 marks (a 10-mark span, half of AL6 span), students are then ready and can relatively quickly work their way into the upper bands. AL5 is thus the breakthrough band towards the upper bands.

Heuristics is the high-order tool that can help your child move up AL6 and AL5, and be ready for the subsequent upper bands.

Our students learn heuristics fast and effectively because Think Heuristics® provides a comprehensive ecosystem of tools to deliver heuristics education.

Learning progress can be broadly divided into the stages shown above. The corresponding allocated marks and skills acquisition activities are also indicated.

The First 60% – Secure it!

Most marks (60%) are allocated to questions that test for “Basic Competency” (Knowledge & Comprehension). Scoring well here will put students in the upper end of the AL6 band. Scoring beyond will propel students into the breakthrough AL5 band. Heuristics, being a higher-order problem-solving tool, can help students quickly reach these goalpost. What’s more, learning heuristics early at this stage gives students a headstart the moment they reach AL4.

The Last 40% – Within Reach

Less but very significant marks (40%) are allocated to questions that test for “Higher-order Capabilities”. Students need to combine knowledge and comprehension with evaluative, analytical and synthesis skills, into application. This sounds like a tall order, but all these skills are encompassed in the heuristics techniques. The more adept – and confident – a student gets in using the various heuristics techniques, the higher he/she can move up the upper bands.