Frequently Asked Questions

Frequent Asked Questions

Streaming Procedures

• Can a student change his/her option after he/she has selected the option?

  Students can log in to Allears to change his/her options before the deadline on 4 Nov 2024 at 11.59 p.m. The latest option saved in the database would be used for the streaming exercise.

• If my child / ward is not allocated the combination/ elective of his/her choice, can we appeal?

  Yes. The appeal can be conducted online from 11 – 14 Nov 2024, 0900h once the streaming results are released.

• Who can I contact should I need further clarifications?

  You can contact the HOD of Humanities Mr Sim Keng Yam respectively, or contact us at 6501 0800.

• Under what circumstances will my child/ward not get the subject combination of his/her choice?

  Other than not meeting the pre-requisite criteria for subject/s within the subject combination of his/her choice, your child/ward may not get the subject combination of his/her choice due to the following reasons:
  
  i. Insufficient student interest in a subject to start a class (ie. minimum class size of 8 students)
  
  ii. Lack of resources to fully meet the demands of the subject (for example, lack of teachers)
  
  iii. The maximum enrolment capacity is met for elective subjects using special facilities i.e. Art, Design & Technology (D&T).

Subject Choices

• My child is unsure of which combination would benefit her in the future. Should he/she go to a JC/Poly/ITE? What should she do?

  We strongly encourage parents to discuss with your child/ward on his/her interests, learning styles and explore possible tertiary options. Your child/ward may see the Home Teachers or the Education and Career Guidance Counsellor, Mr Mohammed Syahril Bin Samsudin by making an appointment with to explore his/her possible options. Mr Syahril is on-site in Pasir Ris Secondary School on Mondays and Thursdays during term time.
  

  Appointments can be made via scanning the QR code or email (mohammed_syahril_samsudin@schools.gov.sg )

• Is Additional Mathematics a compulsory subject for admission into JC or polytechnic?

  No, polytechnic admission only requires English language (or another L1 e.g. Higher Mother Tongue), 2 relevant subjects and 2 other best subjects. For engineering courses, the relevant subjects must include the Mathematics and Science subjects, depending on the choice of study. The Mathematics subject could be either Elementary Mathematics or Additional Mathematics, whichever has a better grade. The same criteria apply for JC. Additional Mathematics is recommended if the student wants to pursue Science Stream in JC. For the latest admission requirements, do refer to the respective tertiary institution websites.

• What should I consider when choosing between combined Science and Pure Science subjects?

  Students are encouraged to opt for pure sciences if:
  

  • they would like to pursue science or science-related courses in the polytechnics or junior colleges,
  • they are considering Engineering or science-related careers,
  • they enjoy the depth and breadth of pure science subjects.

  
  Students who are:
  

  • able to see relationship e.g., interpret data and graphs
  • focused, precise and detailed,
  • able to visualise and make connections to real-life applications.

• Will I be able to meet the requirements of polytechnic courses if I do not read O-Level pure sciences?

  Students are required to take at least one science subject. Pure Sciences are not prerequisites to pursue polytechnic courses including Engineering / Life Science courses.

• Does the order of the subject combination matter?

  Yes, it matters. Students are advised to order their options according to their strengths and preference.

• I am interested in doing Medicine in NUS / NTU. Do I need to take Biology and the other 2 pure sciences in secondary school?

  To do Medicine in NUS (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine) / NTU (Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine), a student is required to have a good H2 pass in Chemistry and a good H2 pass in either Biology or Physics at A-Level. This means that students need to do well in Chemistry and either Biology or Physics at O-Level in order to continue to pursue these subjects at A-Level. Please refer to the university websites for more information on the subject prerequisites.

• If my child is not doing well in Secondary 3, can he/she change subjects in Secondary 4?

  The school has in place an ECG curriculum that seeks to help your child choose the right subject combinations. However, if students are not coping well with a particular subject at the end of Sec 3, appropriate ECG advice will be given by the school to help students make the necessary changes to pursue what they want at the post-secondary education institutes (PSEI).

• Can my child take additional GCE level subject as a private candidate?

  In any given year, a candidate can only sit for GCE level examinations as either a school or private candidate. As such, it is not possible for your child/ward to offer additional subjects as a private candidate.