Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB)

What is Full Subject-Based Banding?

Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) is part of MOE's ongoing efforts to nurture the joy of learning and develop multiple pathways to cater to the different strengths and interests of our students.

With Full SBB, we are moving towards a secondary school education where students learn each subject at the level that best caters to their overall strengths, interests and learning needs.

Secondary school experience under Full SBB

Mixed Form Classes

Prior to Full SBB implementation, students are arranged in stream-based form classes and interact with peers of similar profiles.

With Full SBB, students will be placed in mixed form classes in low secondary. More opportunities for students to interact with other students of different strengths.

2. Common Curriculum subjects at lower secondary

Students will take six common curriculum subjects with their form class classmates:

These subjects take up approximately one-third of curriculum time, giving students time to interact with classmates of different strengths and interests.

3. Subject Levels under Full SBB

Students can offer different subjects at different subject levels (i.e., G1, G2 or G3) according to their strengths, interests and learning needs, throughout their secondary school journey.

These subject levels, G1, G2 or G3, are mapped from the standards of N(T), N(A) and Express subject levels respectively.

Students are required to take compulsory subjects at G1, G2 or G3.

Subject level at the start of Secondary 1 is based on their PSLE Score and indicated by Posting Groups.

4. Greater subject level flexibility

i) Offering Subjects at More Demanding Levels

For English Language, Mother Tongue Languages, Mathematics and/or Science, students can offer them at the start of Secondary 1 at a more demanding level if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Students can offer Humanities subjects at a more demanding level from Secondary 2 onwards, based on their results in Secondary 1.

ii) Offering Subjects at Less Demanding Levels

Eligible students may offer some subjects at a less demanding level from Secondary 1.

Students who offer subjects at a less demanding level may subsequently offer the subject at a more demanding level as they gain greater competence and confidence in the subject.

Students can offer to take subjects at a less demanding level based on the following considerations:

iii) Subject Level Flexibility throughout Secondary School Education

Beyond the start of Secondary 1, students may adjust their subject levels across their secondary school journey.

E.g. Students can also offer English Language, Mathematics, Science and/or Mother Tongue Languages at a more demanding level from Secondary 1 Semester 2.

Note: check with Yi Shan whether students can MDL in Sec 1 sem 2. Also check whether can include lower subjects offered (examinable and non examinable) cannot MDL in Sec 1 sem 2, only at the end of Sec 1 or Sec 2

Progression to Secondary 2

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.

Full Subject-Based Banding Interactive Story: Where Will Your Path Lead?Learn how your secondary experience would look like with Full Subject-Based Banding in this interactive story.

Key considerations in choosing subject combinations

Progression to Upper Seocndary

Students may offer subjects at MDL in Secondary 3 based on school’s holistic considerations, which include students’ subject-specific performance and their ability to cope with all subjects.

For Humanities, students must first offer the compulsory Humanities at a subject level that he or she is comfortable with. Depending on students’ readiness and ability, students may offer a second Humanities subject of a different discipline at G2 or G3.

Students are encouraged to offer subjects at as high a level as possible instead of offering them at a less demanding level as this may prematurely narrow students’ post-secondary options.

If students are unable to cope with the subject levels at which they are offering, there is flexibility to offer the subject(s) at a less demanding level based on the school’s holistic considerations after considering other possible options to support the student.