Normal (Academic) course for secondary school
Normal (Academic) is a 4-year or 5-year course leading to the GCE N-Level examination in Secondary 4. Some students go on to take the GCE O-Level examination in Secondary 5, and progress to junior college, Millennia Institute, polytechnic or Institute of Technical Education (ITE). The 2023 Secondary 1 cohort will be the final cohort being placed in courses, including the Normal (Academic) course.
Normal (Academic) course at a glance
- Course type
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Academic
- Course length
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4 or 5 years
- Course eligibility
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PSLE Score 21 - 25*
* PSLE Scores of 21 - 22 are in the Express/Normal (Academic) Option Band
* PSLE Score of 25 is in the Normal (Academic)/Normal (Technical) Option Band - Subjects at lower secondary
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Students are exposed to a wide range of subjects at the lower secondary level to:
- Help them make informed choices on their subjects at upper secondary level and beyond.
- Prepare them to cope with these subjects at upper secondary level.
The subjects offered are:
- English Language
- Mother Tongue Languages
- Mathematics
- Science
- Character and Citizenship Education
- Humanities, such as Geography, History and Literature in English
- Design and Technology
- Food and Consumer Education
- Physical Education
- Art
- Music
- Project Work
- Compulsory subjects at upper secondary
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English Language, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, Science, Humanities (with Social Studies)
- Options and electives
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- Students who have obtained AL 5 or better in a Standard level subject at the PSLE will have the option to take the subject at the Express level through Subject-Based Banding (SBB).
- From 2024, secondary schools will implement Full SBB. Learn more about it.
- Elective subjects available at upper secondary
- Elective programmes available
- Students who have obtained AL 5 or better in a Standard level subject at the PSLE will have the option to take the subject at the Express level through Subject-Based Banding (SBB).
- Certifications offered
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- Secondary 4: GCE N(A)-Level and/or GCE O-Level (for subjects offered at O-Level)
- Secondary 5: GCE O-Level
- Next educational level
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After N-Level:
- Normal (Academic) at Secondary 5 for GCE O-Level examination
- Polytechnic through the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP)
- Nitec Programme offered by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), or
- Higher Nitec Programme via the Direct-Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP) offered by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE)
After O-Level:
- Junior college, Millennia Institute, polytechnic or Institute of Technical Education (ITE)