Singapore has replaced the old Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams with Full Subject-Based Banding, where a student takes each subject at one of three levels: G1, G2 or G3. A child is no longer sorted into a single stream that decides every subject. They can be strong in one subject and take it at the highest level while taking another at a level that suits them better.
This is one of the largest changes to Singapore secondary education in a generation, and it confuses a lot of parents who themselves went through streaming. Here is how it works.
The old streams and the new levels
| Old stream | New subject level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Express | G3 | The most demanding level |
| Normal (Academic) | G2 | Same core content as G3, less demanding pace |
| Normal (Technical) | G1 | The foundational level, with the most scaffolding |
The letter G stands for General. The number is the level of demand, with G3 the highest. The key difference from streaming is that these levels apply per subject, not per student.
How a child's starting levels are set
At the end of primary school, a child's PSLE result places them in a Posting Group, numbered 1 to 3, which sets the default level for their subjects in Secondary 1. A student in Posting Group 3 starts taking subjects at G3. A student in Posting Group 1 starts at G1. From there the system is built to flex.
Where a child shows particular strength, the school can offer that subject at a higher level. A Posting Group 2 student who is strong in Mathematics may take Mathematics at G3 while taking other subjects at G2. The PSLE result opens the door. It no longer dictates every room behind it. The official detail sits on the MOE Full Subject-Based Banding page.
Moving between levels
A student is not fixed at their Secondary 1 levels. At set points through lower secondary, schools review performance and a child can move a subject up or down with teacher guidance. The intent is that the level always reflects the student's current ability, not a label assigned at age twelve.
This cuts both ways and parents should understand both. A child who finds a G3 subject overwhelming can step it down to G2 and protect their overall result rather than failing at the higher level. A child who outgrows a G2 subject can step up. Neither move is a verdict. It is the system doing its job.
Mixed form classes
Under Full SBB, students from different Posting Groups sit together in the same form class for non-academic time, then split into level-based groups for the subjects themselves. The deliberate effect is to remove the social stigma that the old streaming carried, where a child wore their stream like a label. A child now mixes daily with peers of different strengths and is defined by no single band.
Why this matters for how you support your child
Full SBB rewards a habit that is good practice anyway: look at each subject on its own merits. The useful questions are no longer "what stream is my child in" but "is this subject at the right level, and is it trending up or down". A subject sliding at G3 is worth attention before a review forces a step down. A subject comfortably topped out at G2 may be a candidate to push to G3, which keeps more post-secondary options open.
It also means a single weak subject no longer drags a capable child into a lower stream across the board. That is good news for children who are strong in some areas and developing in others.
Where this leads
Full SBB is the school-experience half of a larger change. The exam at the end, from 2027, is the new Singapore-Cambridge SEC, which replaces the O-Level and N-Level and reports each subject at the G level it was taken. The level decisions made through secondary school feed directly into what that certificate shows.
How the PSLE result sets the starting levels
The link between the PSLE and a child's first secondary levels can be confusing, so it helps to see it laid out. The PSLE score places a child in a Posting Group, and the Posting Group sets the default level for their subjects in Secondary 1. From there, strong subjects can be taken higher and the levels are reviewed as the child progresses.
| PSLE Posting Group | Default Secondary 1 subject level |
|---|---|
| Posting Group 3 | Subjects start at G3 |
| Posting Group 2 | Subjects start at G2 |
| Posting Group 1 | Subjects start at G1 |
The word "default" is the important one. A Posting Group 2 child who is strong in Mathematics can be offered Mathematics at G3 from the start, and any subject can move up or down at the school's review points. The starting level is where the journey begins, not where it is fixed.
Starting secondary school? See Sec 1 Maths tuition and Sec 1 Science tuition.
