Sec 1 in 2027 runs on Full Subject-Based Banding. Your child takes each core subject at G1, G2 or G3, studies MOE's Lower Secondary Maths and Science syllabuses, sits weighted assessments and an end-of-year exam (no mid-year exam), joins a compulsory CCA, and can move a subject up a level at the end of the year.
This guide covers the whole Sec 1 year: the subjects, the topic lists from MOE's own syllabuses, how marks work, the 2027 calendar, the usual stumbling blocks and how parents can help. It picks up where PSLE 2026 to Secondary 1 in 2027 ends, so posting, the December holidays and what changes from primary school are in that post.
Who is in Sec 1 in 2027?
Children who sit the PSLE in 2026 and get their posting results (tentatively Friday 18 December 2026, last year 19 December 2025) start Sec 1 on Monday 4 January 2027. They are the fourth cohort to begin secondary school under Full SBB, after the 2024, 2025 and 2026 intakes.
| Year | This cohort | Key event |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sec 1 | Subject levels set from the PSLE, first WAs and EOY |
| 2028 | Sec 2 | Humanities can move up, upper secondary subject choices made |
| 2029 | Sec 3 | Upper secondary subjects at G1, G2 or G3 |
| 2030 | Sec 4 | Sit the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) |
Sources: MOE, Secondary 1 posting and SEAB, Secondary Education Certificate.
What subjects does a Sec 1 student take?
Every Sec 1 student takes the same set of subjects. The levels differ, not the list.
| Group | Subjects | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Core | English Language | G1, G2 or G3 |
| Core | Mother Tongue Language | G1, G2 or G3, or Higher Mother Tongue |
| Core | Mathematics | G1, G2 or G3 |
| Core | Science (Lower Secondary Science) | G1, G2 or G3 |
| Core | Humanities | G2 or G3: Geography, History and Literature in English. G1: Social Studies with Humanities Exposure Modules |
| Common Curriculum | Art, Character and Citizenship Education, Design and Technology, Food and Consumer Education, Music, Physical Education | No level. Taught in mixed form classes |
The Common Curriculum takes about one third of curriculum time. Form classes mix students of different Posting Groups, and students cannot opt out of mixed form classes. Schools can add their own programmes on top.
Source: MOE, Full SBB FAQ and MOE, secondary school experience.
How are Sec 1 subject levels set?
The PSLE score gives a Posting Group, and the Posting Group sets the starting level for most subjects. A strong grade in one subject can then lift that subject.
| PSLE score | Posting Group | Most subjects start at |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 20 | 3 | G3 |
| 21 to 22 | 2 or 3 | G2 or G3 |
| 23 to 24 | 2 | G2 |
| 25 | 1 or 2 | G1 or G2 |
| 26 to 30 (AL7 or better in English and Maths) | 1 | G1 |
Taking a subject one level up from the start of Sec 1 applies to English, Mother Tongue, Maths and Science:
- Mostly G2: AL5 or better in that Standard subject means it can be taken at G3.
- Mostly G1: AL5 or better in the Standard subject means G2 or G3. AL6 in the Standard subject, or AL A in Foundation, means G2.
- Higher Mother Tongue: from the 2026 Sec 1 cohort, PSLE Mother Tongue at AL1 or AL2, or Higher Mother Tongue at Distinction or Merit, is enough. The overall PSLE score no longer matters.
MOE's own worked example. A child with a PSLE score of 23 and AL5 in Maths is in Posting Group 2, so most subjects start at G2. Because of the AL5, Maths can be taken at G3 from day one. That child might sit G2 English, G2 Mother Tongue, G3 Maths and G2 Science in Sec 1.
Schools offer these options within their resources, so your child's school confirms the final levels in the first weeks of January. For the full rules on how G1, G2 and G3 are graded and what they mean for the SEC, read Full SBB and G1, G2, G3 explained. For help deciding whether to take a subject up, see choosing G1, G2 or G3 subject levels.
Sec 1 Maths syllabus: topics at G3, G2 and G1
MOE's Mathematics syllabuses for the 2020 Sec 1 cohort onwards list content year by year, so these are the official Sec 1 topics. The 2027 Sec 1 cohort still follows them.
| Strand | G3 Sec 1 | G2 Sec 1 | G1 Sec 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers | Primes, prime factorisation, HCF and LCM, squares, cubes and roots by prime factorisation, negative numbers, integers, rational and real numbers | Same as G3 | Negative numbers and primes (no prime factorisation), integers, fractions and decimals including negatives |
| Calculator and estimation | Calculator use, number line, rounding to decimal places and significant figures, estimation | Same as G3 | Same, plus squares, cubes and roots on the calculator |
| Ratio | Ratios with rational numbers, simplest form, ratio problems | Also dividing a quantity in a ratio, ratio and fraction, equivalent ratios | Comparing, dividing in a ratio, ratios with fractions and decimals, equivalent ratios |
| Percentage | One quantity as a percentage of another, above 100%, increase and decrease, percentage point, reverse percentage | Same, plus percentage as fraction or decimal and finding percentage change | Percentage as fraction or decimal, finding the whole, increase and decrease, percentage change |
| Rate and speed | Average rate, constant and average speed, converting km/h to m/s | Same, plus distance, time and speed from the other two | Taught in Sec 2 |
| Algebra | Letters for numbers, notation, evaluating formulae, writing expressions from word problems, nth term, simplifying linear expressions, brackets and common factors | Same, with whole number coefficients. Common factors move to Sec 2 | Letters for numbers, notation, evaluating formulae, number sequences, writing expressions from word problems |
| Equations | Solving linear equations, simple fractional equations, forming equations from problems | Solving linear equations with whole number coefficients, forming equations | None in Sec 1 |
| Graphs | Coordinates, linear functions y = ax + b, gradient | Taught in Sec 2 | Not in Sec 1 |
| Angles and shapes | Angle types, angles at a point and on a line, parallel lines, triangles, special quadrilaterals, regular polygons, interior and exterior angle sums, constructions | Angle types, angles at a point and on a line, parallel lines, properties of triangles | Angle types, angles at a point and on a line, parallel lines, line and rotational symmetry |
| Mensuration | Parallelogram and trapezium, composite figures, prisms and cylinders, cm² to m² and cm³ to m³ | Same as G3 | Triangle and circle, parallelogram and trapezium, cubes and cuboids, unit conversion |
| Statistics | Tables, bar graphs, pictograms, line graphs, pie charts, and how a graph can mislead | Same as G3 | Same, without misleading graphs |
Sources: MOE G2 and G3 Mathematics syllabuses, 2020 (PDF) and MOE G1 Mathematics syllabus, 2020 (PDF).
The biggest gap between levels in Sec 1 is algebra. A G3 student meets equations with fractions and straight line graphs in Sec 1, while a G2 student reaches them in Sec 2. Our Lower Secondary Maths page carries the Sec 2 topics as well.
Lower Secondary Science syllabus: the Sec 1 topics
Science is one subject in Sec 1 and Sec 2, called Lower Secondary Science. The G2 and G3 syllabus took effect with the 2021 Sec 1 cohort, and MOE's current edition is dated 2024. It has 16 topics under five themes that follow on from Primary Science. It is a two-year syllabus: MOE does not split it into Sec 1 and Sec 2 topics, so each school sets its own order. Ask for your school's scheme of work at the start of the year.
| Theme | Topic | What students learn |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Endeavour | 1. The Scientific Endeavour | How scientists work, lab safety, measurement, accuracy and precision, zero error and parallax error |
| Diversity | 2. Diversity of matter by physical properties | Conductivity, melting and boiling point, density = mass ÷ volume, sink or float, measuring length, mass and volume |
| Diversity | 3. Diversity of matter by chemical composition | Elements, compounds and mixtures, metals and non-metals, solute, solvent and solution, suspensions |
| Diversity | 4. Separation techniques | Magnetic attraction, filtration, evaporation, distillation, paper chromatography, water treatment in Singapore |
| Models | 5. Ray model of light | Reflection, plane and curved mirrors, refraction and dispersion |
| Models | 6. Model of cells | Parts of plant and animal cells, DNA in the nucleus, cells to tissues, organs and systems |
| Models | 7. Particulate nature of matter | Particles in solids, liquids and gases, diffusion, melting and boiling |
| Models | 8. Atoms and molecules | Protons, neutrons and electrons, molecules, reading chemical formulae |
| Interactions | 9. Forces and transfer of energy | Contact and non-contact forces, turning effect, pressure, work and energy in joules, conservation of energy |
| Interactions | 10. Transfer of heat energy | Conduction, convection and radiation, and their effects |
| Interactions | 11. Chemical changes | Signs of chemical change, acids with metals and carbonates (no equations needed) |
| Interactions | 12. Interactions within ecosystems | Physical factors, adaptations, food chains and webs, predator and prey |
| Systems | 13. Electrical systems | Current, potential difference, resistance, series and parallel circuits, electrical safety and cost |
| Systems | 14. Human digestive system | Digestion and absorption |
| Systems | 15. Transport systems in living things | Transport in plants and in humans |
| Systems | 16. Human sexual reproductive system | Reproduction in humans |
Some learning outcomes are marked optional for G2, for example refraction and dispersion of light, volume by displacement, and working out the cost of electricity. G3 students cover them all.
G1 Science has its own syllabus for the same cohorts. It opens with Laboratory Measurements and Procedures, then three modules: Machines Around Us (force, energy, electricity, heat), Our Environment (matter, water pollution, air pollution) and Our Body and Health (cells, energy from food, human reproduction, caring for the body).
Sources: MOE G2/G3 Lower Secondary Science syllabus (PDF) and MOE G1 Lower Secondary Science syllabus (PDF). Our Lower Secondary Science page goes topic by topic.
What is different from PSLE Science
Primary Science asks children to explain what they see. Lower Secondary Science asks them to explain it with a model: particles, rays, cells, atoms. It also expects real practical skill. Students use a measuring cylinder, digital calipers and an electronic balance, record readings with units, and plan fair tests. In upper secondary these themes split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics, so the Sec 1 foundations carry straight on.
Worked example: density. A stone has a mass of 60 g and a volume of 20 cm³. Density = 60 ÷ 20 = 3 g/cm³. Water has a density of about 1 g/cm³, so the stone sinks. A common Sec 1 slip is to answer "it is heavy". The marks go to the comparison of densities, with units.
English, Mother Tongue and humanities
Sec 1 English: what it covers and what changes from primary
Sec 1 follows MOE's 2020 English Language syllabus, which has a G1 version and a G2 and G3 version. It uses the same six areas of language learning as the primary syllabus: listening and viewing, reading and viewing, speaking and representing, writing and representing, grammar, and vocabulary. MOE describes the secondary syllabus as building on the primary one, with longer and more complex texts and more room for the student's own critical view.
| Area | What the secondary syllabus asks for | What it looks like in Sec 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and viewing | Texts of increasing difficulty, with complex ideas and implied or ambiguous meaning, including multimodal texts (words with images, layout or video) | Longer comprehension passages, questions on what the writer implies and why, and visual texts such as posters and web pages |
| Listening and viewing | Critical listening, including the speaker's intention and how reliable a source is | Listening tasks that ask about purpose and attitude, not only facts |
| Writing and representing | Cohesive texts for a stated purpose, audience, context and culture, with more chances to give a personal and critical response and to argue or persuade | Situational and continuous writing that has to fit the reader, plus more opinion and argument pieces than at PSLE |
| Speaking and representing | Speaking with confidence and sensitivity, and taking part in discussion in real time | Oral presentations and discussions, often in groups |
| Grammar and vocabulary | Treating grammar and words as tools, and learning the terms to talk about them | Editing exercises and the vocabulary of tone and register |
Source: MOE English Language syllabus G2 and G3, 2020 (PDF). The syllabus also notes that lower secondary assessment, formal or informal, can cover a wider range of skills than upper secondary papers do, so expect projects and orals as well as tests. Each school sets its own Sec 1 paper format and class texts. Some set a class novel: one 2026 Sec 1 booklist named Lois Lowry's The Giver.
At home, the most useful habit is wide reading of non-fiction: news articles, feature pieces and opinion columns. Ask your child what the writer wants the reader to think, and how they can tell. See Sec 1 English tuition for support at each level.
Sec 1 Mother Tongue: courses and content
Chinese, Malay and Tamil follow MOE's 2021 secondary Mother Tongue syllabus, which applies from the 2021 Sec 1 cohort. It has four courses: G1, G2 and G3 Mother Tongue, and Higher Mother Tongue. Mother Tongue 'B' was discontinued from the 2024 Sec 1 cohort.
| Part of the syllabus | What it means for a Sec 1 student |
|---|---|
| Six language skills | Listening, reading, speaking and writing, plus spoken interaction and written interaction (for example, replying to a message or taking part in a conversation) |
| Language knowledge | Pronunciation, characters or spelling, vocabulary, grammar and text structure, plus register and cultural references |
| Themes | Units are built around relationships with friends, family and the community |
| Literary texts | MOE raised the share of literary texts at lower secondary, partly to prepare students for Mother Tongue literature in upper secondary |
| Culture | Cultural knowledge, practices and values are taught more explicitly than before |
| Current affairs | Contemporary issues and news are used in class discussion |
| Digital materials | About 30% of the curriculum is non-print, including Student Learning Space (SLS) lessons |
Source: MOE G1, G2, G3 and Higher Mother Tongue syllabus, 2021 (PDF). The starting level comes from the PSLE Mother Tongue grade, as set out in the levels section above. If your child's Mother Tongue is weak, the most effective home support is daily use: news in the language, a short conversation at dinner, messages to grandparents.
Humanities
G2 and G3 students take Geography, History and Literature in English as separate subjects.
- History covers Singapore from Temasek in 1299 to the late 1970s, in four units across Sec 1 and Sec 2. In Sec 1, students learn to identify and describe factors, and each year includes one Historical Investigation group project.
- Geography asks how to manage natural resources sustainably (water, tropical rainforests and mangroves) and how to build sustainable cities (housing and transport), one thematic question per year, with a Geographical Investigation.
- G1 Humanities (from the 2024 cohort) combines Social Studies with short Humanities Exposure Modules in Geography, History and Literature. It is not examined.
Sources: MOE Full SBB syllabus list, Lower Secondary History syllabus (PDF), Lower Secondary Geography syllabus (PDF).
