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The transition from primary to secondary school is full of changes. Children in this age group need to adjust to a new school environment, become more independent, and make new friends. However, one of the most significant changes parents and children are often most worried about is the change in the academic curriculum.

Compared to 4 core subjects at the primary level, students take about 8 or 9 subjects in secondary school. Aside from this, secondary school’s curriculum is taught much faster and requires more critical thinking. Read on to learn more about the significant differences between primary and secondary school curricula in terms of the core subjects.

Changes in Science

At the primary level, the science curriculum framework is focused on helping students acquire scientific knowledge and essential science process skills. Here, they learn basic scientific concepts, such as living and non-living things and energy conversion.

On the other hand, there are three major branches of science that students need to learn at the secondary level: biology, chemistry, and physics. They will scratch the surface for all three sciences in lower secondary, before allowing students to choose the sciences they want to delve deeper into at upper secondary. In particular, Chemistry is mandatory at the “O” Levels.

Regarding the syllabus, secondary science has much more content than primary science, as it covers about 16 topics across secondary one and two. Students also learn many new skills, such as planning the experiment and conducting the experiments independently.

Changes in Mathematics

The mathematics curriculum in Singapore consists of a series of syllabi spanning 12 years, from primary to preuniversity education. Since math is a progressive subject, concepts and skills are learned in sequence and are built upon foundational ones.

At the primary level, the math curriculum is focused on letting students explore different concepts in numbers, measurement, basic algebra, statistics, and geometry. With secondary school math, there are more algebra and application questions. This applies even more if students choose to take A-Math (Additional Mathematics) when they reach upper secondary.

About 18 topics, under 3 strands, namely, number and algebra, geometry and measurement, and statistics and probability, are taught in secondary math, compared to 10 to 12 topics per level in primary school, and these topics serve as foundation in higher level mathematics.

Therefore, every student needs to master the concepts early. If your child is still struggling with primary mathematics before the transition, it’s highly recommended to sign them up for PSLE maths tuition in Singapore.

Although math can be challenging to understand, a good learning tool or tuition lessons catered to their pace can help students improve in their weaker areas.

Changes in English

The English curriculum at the primary level has a stronger focus on the fundamentals of grammar. On the other hand, secondary school English tests the students’ understanding or grasp of the language. It examines whether or not the students can easily comprehend English texts.

Unlike primary school English, the examinations in secondary school English do not test with a specific vocabulary pool. Thus, students who do not possess a vast vocabulary may find it challenging to think of synonyms for words or accurately comprehend passages. These skills are essential for the English test questions on paraphrasing, inference, and summary.

For your child to score well in secondary school English, they need to focus on developing a solid vocabulary while still in primary school. Enrolling your child in primary school English tuition in Singapore can help them significantly.

Conclusion

Although primary and secondary schools have different curricula per subject, the topics they cover are interconnected. Hence, it is vital to ensure that your child understands all the topics they need to learn in primary school, so they can quickly grasp the more complex concepts taught in secondary school.

One of the best ways to help your child fully understand their primary school topics is to sign them up for tuition classes. Mavis Tutorial Centre is the one you can count on for the most effective and reliable tuition classes in Singapore.

We are a reputable tuition centre in Bedok, with 15 other outlets across Singapore. Every one of our tuition centres provide exciting and extensive classes on various subjects, including Science, Maths, English, and Chinese. Contact us today to learn more about our trusted tuition classes.