Lower Secondary Programme
Lower Secondary Programme
At the lower secondary levels, all students will offer:
Core Subjects |
Common Curriculum Subjects |
Experiential Modules |
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Core Subjects
With the implementation of Full Subject Based Banding (FSBB), students
can learn the core subjects at the level that best caters to their overall
strengths, interests and learning needs. Certain core subjects will be
offered at a more demanding level (MDL) at three specific junctures in
Secondary 1.
Common Curriculum Subjects
Under Full SBB, Express, N(A), and N(T) streams will be phased out . Xinmin
students will be placed in mixed form classes at lower secondary where
they can interact with peers of different strengths and interests via the
common curriculum. Differentiated instruction (D.I.), customisation and
project-based learning are key levers to achieve these developmental objectives
among diverse learners:
Subjects |
Development objectives |
Character & Citizenship Education (CCE) |
Build good character, resilience and well-being, active citizenship and future readiness. |
Physical Education (PE) |
Demonstrate individually and with others, the physical skills, practices and values to enjoy a lifetime of active healthy living. |
Art |
Develop artistic skills and understanding through active experiences and surface different levels and aspects of artistic strengths. |
Music
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Developing lifelong musical interest and abilities through Listening, Creating and Performing. |
Design & Technology (D&T) |
Hone students creative and inventive thinking through design-and-make projects. |
Food & Consumer Education (FCE) |
Empower students to be health-conscious and discerning consumers; and enabling them to better manage their lives for the present and future. |
Experiential Modules Beyond the core subjects and the common curriculum, Xinmin students are further exposed to two essential experiential modules to hone their 21st century skills and competencies further.
•MAKERS@Xinmin
"The future belongs to those who can innovate, create, and collaborate."
~Tom Friedman
Through MAKERS@Xinmin, students:
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Develop curiosity and lifelong passion for making
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Foster adaptive and inventive thinking.
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Acquire design, prototyping, and iteration skills.
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Acquire 21st Century skills in AI, digital literacy, problem-solving, and creative thinking through eco sustainability challenges.
• RefleXions@Xinmin
"Drama education teaches students how to communicate, how to listen, and
how to be empathetic." ~ Andrew Lloyd Webber
Through RefleXions@Xinmin, students:
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Gain exposure and learn to apply elements of drama skills.
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Acquire thinking routines that encourage critical thinking and reflection.
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Create original scripts and put up drama performances.
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Develop pre-requisites to offer Drama at upper secondary.
Secondary 1 students
Secondary 1 Start-Of-Year
Starting from the 2024 Secondary 1 cohort, Full Subject-Based Banding
(SBB) will be implemented in our secondary education system. Secondary
1 students will benefit from the Full SBB experience, which provides greater
customisation and flexibility for each student’s learning.
Students will be allocated a set of subjects ranging from G1 to G3 which
are comparable to the respective Achievement Levels (AL). This allocation
is committed by MOE’s placement branch. The guidelines below apply to English,
MTL Mathematics and Science.
Indicative Level of Most Subjects at Start of S1 |
PSLE Standard Grade |
PSLE Foundation Grade |
Option to offer subject at |
G1 |
AL 5 or better |
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G3 / G2 |
AL 6 |
AL A |
G2 |
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G2 |
AL 5 or better |
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G3 |
To offer Higher Mother Tongue Languages (HMTL) - Chinese, Malay, Tamil and Non-Tamil Indian Languages (NTIL), students should preferably obtain either:
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An overall PSLE Score of 8 or better.
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An overall PSLE Score of 9 to 14 and get AL1 or AL2 in MTL, or Distinction or Merit in HMTL.
Note: Students taking Tamil or NTIL will be taking lessons at designated schools or language centres, and not in Xinmin Secondary School.
Beyond the start of Secondary 1, students may offer these subjects at more demanding level (MDL) after mid-year or end-of-year assessments in Secondary 1, based on their academic performance in school, as well as by demonstrating positive attitude towards learning.
Secondary 1 Mid-Year
At this point, students can take these subjects at MDL if they perform
well for their Weighted Assessments WA).
Subject |
Performance of WAs |
Level at which subject can be taken |
English |
Average of WA1 and WA2 ≥ 75% |
G3 [if current level is G2]
G2 [if current level is G1] |
Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) |
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Mathematics |
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Science |
Secondary 1 End-of-Year
At this point, students can take these subjects at MDL if they perform
well for their WAs and End-of-Year (EOY) Examination.
Subject |
Performance |
Level at which subject can be taken |
English |
Score for subject *overall ≥ 75% *Subject overall comprises all WAs (40%) and EOY Examination (60%) |
G3 [if current level is G2]
G2 [if current level is G1] |
Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) |
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Mathematics |
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Science |
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*Humanities – History/Geography/Literature |
*Note: From 2024 onwards, students must at least offer G1 Humanities. G2 and G3 Humanities will be offered to all eligible Secondary 1 students ONLY at this point. There is no cap on the number of subjects students can take at MDL.
For more details on the lower secondary curriculum, you may also refer to MOE’s Full SBB microsite.
Secondary 2 students
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The lower secondary programme spans over 2 years so students will continue the same set of subjects taken in Secondary 1.
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Students who were offered English, MTL, Mathematics, Science (in Secondary 1) at MDL will continue to take them at Secondary 2. Those who performed well for the Humanities in Secondary 1 will have the opportunity to offer at least History, Geography or Literature at MDL in Secondary 2. The criteria for taking Humanities at a more demanding level will be based on students' aptitude for and interest in these subjects at Secondary 1.
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Students are advised to challenge themselves and master the subjects up to the end of Secondary 2.
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As per MOE’s intent for Full SBB , to support students’ transition from primary to secondary school and provide time for them to adjust to the curriculum, all students will generally progress to Secondary 2. Teachers will check in with students and parents to discuss the subjects and respective subject levels that best suit the student. Students can offer certain subjects at a more demanding level based on his/her interest and learning progress.