Making Sense Of The PSLE Science Exam Format (2024)

As they say – know thy enemy – knowing how to excel in the PSLE requires first understanding the exam syllabus and format to know what you are up against. In this article, we dive into the PSLE Science exam format as well as briefly look at the necessary skills and content knowledge required to tackle the paper.

PSLE Science in Singapore

Science in Singapore’s primary schools begins in Primary 3. Schools and tuition centres in Singapore introduce Primary 3 students to broad themes like Diversity, Cycles, Systems, Interactions, and Energy. Unlike language subjects which are more skills-based, Science requires both content knowledge as well as skills applications.

The current PSLE Science syllabus has been unchanged since 2017. However, the most recent changes will be affecting Primary students from 2024’s Primary 3 batch (PSLE batch of 2026). As such, the current syllabus will be relevant until 2025.

PSLE Science skills

Primary school students are required to pick up the fundamental skills of scientific thinking if they want to thrive at the PSLE. These include skills like:

• applying scientific facts, concepts and principles to novel situations
• investigating and interpreting information (including pictorial, tabular and graphical) skills

Topics

The PSLE Science topics are organised into five broad themes, within which there are specific topics to learn. Do note that these topics are for students sitting the PSLE up till 2025. There will be slight changes to the PSLE Science syllabus from the 2024 Primary 3 batch (sitting PSLE in 2026).

***Topics which are red are not tested in the Foundation Science exam.

Exam Format

As for the actual PSLE Science exam format, there is just one written paper with a duration of 1 hour 45 minutes.

The paper consists of two booklets, with Booklet A containing the multiple-choice questions, and Booklet B containing the open-ended questions.

Sample PSLE Science Questions

Sample MCQ

Sample open-ended questions

Conclusion

Now that you know what is tested in the PSLE Science exam, you can equip yourself better whether it means helping your child with the revision or in communicating with a PSLE Science tutor to prepare your child for the exams.

As the PSLE has also changed significantly in recent years, you may feel unfamiliar and ill-equipped to coach your own child. Instead, you can leave the bulk of tutoring to our expert PSLE tutors in Singapore who have had plenty of experience with teaching kids. Through a variety of interactive, multimodal learning experiences, our tutors are passionate about motivating and preparing students to excel in the PSLE.