Starting Secondary School in Singapore: What to Expect

For students graduating P6 and moving on to Sec 1, it is an exciting time filled with lots of changes. Many parents will be busy preparing their child from a logistics standpoint – buying new books and uniform, as well as teaching them how to go to school on their own.

But there are also many ways in which the learning experience is different in secondary school. Here are some differences you can expect from Primary 6 to Secondary 1, and how you can prepare your child for this transition in their study journey.

Students are expected to be more independent

Moving on to Secondary 1 marks a change in identity from ‘child’ to ‘teen’. Teachers will expect students to be more responsible and mature, giving them more freedom to take charge of their own learning.

What this might look like is self-directed learning, where students are tasked to learn about the topic on their own, and then present their findings to the class. Some teachers may not give very structured notes, and encourage students to make their own notes and summaries instead. Teachers may also not give as many reminders and explicit instructions, expecting students to keep track of deadlines on their own.

While becoming more independent is part of growing up, many lower secondary students are still not used to these additional responsibilities, and some may struggle as a result. So, what can you do? As a parent, it’s crucial to anticipate these changes and equip your child with skills to manage themselves.

Academic subjects will increase and be more difficult

It sounds like a no-brainer that secondary school will be more difficult than primary school. However, some students and parents underestimate the leap from the primary level up to Sec 1. Suddenly, students have 7 to 8 subjects to juggle, and with more depth than before.

Finding a study method that suits their learning style and needs is key to doing more in less time. For some students, this might mean learning ahead in a tuition centre in Singapore, so that they can grasp new concepts faster. For others, tuition could be helpful in filling in the knowledge gaps so that they don’t have to spend time figuring out complex topics on their own.

Students will have more commitments

The average secondary school student is definitely more busy than a primary school student. On top of academic work, most schools require students to join at least one CCA. Some students will also take up leadership roles which come with extra commitments like training, meetings, and event planning. Some students may join extra programmes like service learning projects, research projects, or talent programmes.

With the same 24 hours as everyone else, students will need to learn how to maximise their time. Getting external support for their studies can actually be a time-saver, as it provides structure and on-the-spot help that can be more efficient than studying entirely independently. For particularly busy students, it also helps to find a tuition that can accommodate flexible arrangements like online or hybrid tuition.

Supporting your child as they step into secondary school

With all the added challenges of entering secondary school, we have seen many students let their academics take a step back. That’s why we’re here to lend a helping hand to students who need a little more support – students who want to take charge of their learning, but don’t know how.

We help students by providing more structure to their learning. No flip classroom here – just experts doing what they do best: explaining tough concepts in a simple way. Students will pick up study tips and exam strategies that are not taught in the textbooks – techniques that you can only learn from the experience of helping countless batches of students make their breakthroughs.

So if you have a child going to Secondary School next year, here’s your sign to start your preparations for their studies. You can book your preferred Secondary School Tuition slot before the new year rush of sign-ups, to ensure that your child will get the support they need as they embark on their new journey.

Read more like this…