Preschool and K2 Tuition Singapore
Home tuition for K1 and K2: phonics, early reading, number sense and Mother Tongue, at a child's pace.
K2 and preschool home tuition in Singapore: phonics, reading readiness, numbers to 20 and Chinese basics, at home or online. Profiles in 16 hours.
Reviewed by Theon Teo, Founder · Updated
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- Typical rate
- S$25 to S$70/hr
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- 3 to 12 tutors in 16h
- Wrong fit?
- Free re-match
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No contract and no minimum number of lessons. The first lesson is a paid trial at the tutor's rate. If the fit is wrong, we find another tutor at no charge. Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead, or that lesson is charged.
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Preschool and K2 Tuition rates in Singapore
Hourly rates for Kindergarten (K1 and K2), at the Primary 1 to 4 rate, by type of tutor.
The same rates as a table
| Level | Part-time / undergrad | Full-time | Ex-MOE teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten (K1 and K2), at the Primary 1 to 4 rate | S$25-35/hr | S$35-45/hr | S$50-70/hr |
The final rate is set when you choose a tutor. See all tuition rates for 2027.
Subject pages for Primary 1
When your child starts P1, each subject has its own page with the P1 syllabus and rates.
When K2 tuition helps, and when to wait
Most K2 children do not need a tutor. These are the signs that one-to-one help at home could make P1 easier.
Your child cannot yet name most letters or say the sound each one makes, and the preschool teacher has mentioned it.
Counting stops before 10, or your child counts a group of objects and gets a different number each time.
The family does not speak Chinese, Malay or Tamil at home, and your child does not understand simple questions in it.
Your child knows the letters but cannot blend sounds into a short word such as c, a, t to make cat.
1 more
Your child is anxious about sitting at a table for a task, and a calm adult one-to-one helps more than a class.
If your child is happy at preschool and meets the basics above, wait. Reading together every day and talking about P1 do more than lessons.
What K2 home tuition covers
A K2 tutor follows MOE's preschool learning goals and keeps lessons short, active and spoken aloud. These are the areas families book.
Phonics and reading readiness
MOE's preschool English goals include alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness and emergent reading. A phonics home tutor works on these through sounds, games and picture books.
Topics covered
- Letter names and the sound each letter makes
- Hearing the first sound and the rhyme in a word
- Blending sounds into short words such as cat and sun
- Recognising common words seen often in books
- Writing upper and lower case letters and their own name
Number sense to 20
MOE's preschool numeracy goals include counting skills, number sense, patterns and basic shapes. Lessons use objects first, then pictures.
Topics covered
- Counting by rote to at least 20
- Counting up to at least 10 objects, touching each one once
- Comparing two groups: which has more and which has fewer
- Spotting and continuing patterns such as red, blue, red, blue
- Naming the circle, square, rectangle and triangle
Chinese and other Mother Tongue basics
Mother Tongue is part of preschool under MOE's framework. Its goals are enjoying the language, listening with understanding, speaking to be understood, recognising words and reading with help, and making marks or writing characters to show ideas.
Topics covered
- Everyday words for family, food, colours and school
- Answering simple questions aloud
- Songs, rhymes and short stories read together
- Looking at picture books in the language
- Recognising a few common characters or words
- Writing simple strokes, characters or letters
Habits for Primary 1
MOE's own advice for the move to P1 is about routines and independence, not more academic work.
Topics covered
- Packing a school bag the night before
- Sitting with one task for a short time
- Asking an adult for help
- Talking about feelings about starting P1
What MOE expects by the end of K2
MOE's Nurturing Early Learners framework sets learning goals that reflect what children should reach by the end of Kindergarten 2. These are the ones K2 tuition works on.
These goals come from MOE's preschool framework, not the P1 syllabus. P1 then starts from the basics, with no weighted assessments or exams in P1 and P2.
| Area | MOE preschool goal | What a home lesson does |
|---|---|---|
| Numeracy | Rote count to at least 20, and count up to at least 10 things reliably | Counting games with objects, then with pictures |
| Numeracy | Recognise, extend and create patterns, and the four basic shapes | Bead and block patterns, and finding shapes around the house |
| English | Alphabetic knowledge and phonological awareness | Letter sounds, rhymes and first sounds in words |
| English | Word recognition and emergent reading | Reading short picture books together, pointing at common words |
| English | Write upper and lower case letters, and their own name | Short tracing and writing practice |
| Mother Tongue | Listen with understanding and speak to convey meaning | Simple questions, songs and stories in the language |
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MOE, the Nurturing Early Learners framework for children aged four to six. Read the MOE page.
MOE NEL portal, numeracy learning goals. See the numeracy goals.
MOE NEL portal, language and literacy learning goals. See the literacy goals.
MOE on helping a child move to P1. Read MOE's advice.
Who K2 tuition suits, and who should wait
A simple way to decide, based on MOE's list of basic skills for the start of P1.
| Your child | What we suggest |
|---|---|
| Names most letters, counts 10 objects, is happy at preschool | Wait. Read together daily and play counting games at home. |
| Knows letters but cannot blend sounds into words | A term of weekly phonics lessons in K2. |
| Hears little Chinese, Malay or Tamil at home | Weekly Mother Tongue lessons focused on listening and speaking. |
| Counting stops before 10, or numbers get mixed up | Weekly number sense lessons with objects and games. |
| Already tired after a full day in childcare | Wait, or one short weekend lesson at most. |
One-to-one at home, online or a group class: which suits a K2 child
We arrange home and online tutors, not centre classes. This is how the three options compare for a five or six year old.
For most K2 children who need help, the reason is one gap, such as blending sounds or counting objects reliably. One-to-one lessons can stay on that gap until it closes.
| Option | How it works | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| One-to-one at home | A tutor comes to your home at a set time each week and paces every activity to one child. | A child who is shy, easily distracted or behind in one area, such as letter sounds or counting. |
| One-to-one online | The same kind of lesson on a video call, with a parent nearby. | A child who can sit with a screen for a short lesson, or a family with no fixed time at home. |
| Small group class at a centre | One teacher with several children, a fixed plan and a fixed timetable. | A child who is on track and enjoys learning alongside other children. |
Which kind of tutor suits K2
Every K2 lesson is charged at our Lower Primary rate band. The tutor type sets the rate. Whoever you choose, ask about their experience with four to six year olds and how they keep a lesson active.
Questions worth asking any tutor: how many children aged four to six they have taught, what a typical lesson looks like, and how they tell you what your child practised.
| Tutor type | Hourly rate | Often a good fit when |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time or undergraduate tutor | S$25 to S$35 | You want lively phonics and number games once a week. |
| Full-time tutor | S$35 to S$45 | You want a tutor who teaches young children every week and can plan a term of lessons. |
| Ex-MOE teacher | S$50 to S$70 | You want someone who has taught in MOE schools to check readiness against what P1 classes expect. |
A sample 45-minute K2 lesson
A suggested plan, not a fixed script. Young children learn in short bursts, so each part is brief and spoken aloud.
| Minutes | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Settle in and chat about the day, in English or the Mother Tongue being practised. |
| 5 to 15 | Letter sounds: a sound hunt with picture cards, then blending three sounds into a word such as sun. |
| 15 to 20 | A movement break, such as hopping once for each sound in a word. |
| 20 to 32 | Number sense: count toy cars or buttons, moving each one aside, then compare two groups. |
| 32 to 40 | Read a short picture book together and point to a few common words. |
| 40 to 45 | The tutor tells the parent what was practised and one game to play at home. |
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P1 readiness checklist for home
Tick each item your child can do. It uses MOE's list of basic skills for the start of P1 and MOE's preschool learning goals. Print this page to keep a copy.
Some not yet answers in K2 are normal. A child with several in letters or counting late in K2 gains most from short weekly help.
| Skill | Where it comes from | Yes or not yet |
|---|---|---|
| Recognises some letters of the alphabet | MOE, basic skills for P1 | |
| Recognises some common words | MOE, basic skills for P1 | |
| Recites 1 to 10 in the right order | MOE, basic skills for P1 | |
| Counts up to 10 objects reliably | MOE preschool numeracy goal | |
| Counts by rote to at least 20 | MOE preschool numeracy goal | |
| Writes their own name | MOE preschool literacy goal | |
| Packs their own school bag | MOE advice on the move to P1 | |
| Talks about how they feel about starting P1 | MOE advice on the move to P1 |
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MOE on helping a child move to P1. Read MOE's advice.
MOE NEL portal, numeracy learning goals. See the numeracy goals.
K2 Chinese: what to work on before P1
Chinese is part of preschool under MOE's Nurturing Early Learners framework, and becomes a school subject with its own syllabus in P1. This is what each one asks for, so K2 practice matches the stage.
So in K2, spoken Chinese, picture books and a few characters matter more than pinyin drills. MOE's syllabus also gives P1 and P2 pupils who hear little Chinese at home a bridging module that builds the basics before the core lessons.
| Skill | MOE preschool goal (K1 and K2) | MOE primary Chinese syllabus (from P1) |
|---|---|---|
| Listening and speaking | Listen with understanding and speak to convey meaning | P1 to P4 stress listening, speaking and spoken interaction |
| Characters | Recognise words and read with help | P1 to P4 also train character recognition and writing |
| Reading | Show an interest in books and printed materials in Chinese | Read with the help of Hanyu Pinyin, pictures and other aids |
| Writing | Make marks, draw symbols and write characters to show ideas | Correct pen grip and sitting posture, basic strokes, and writing in the right stroke order |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Not among the preschool goals | Used as an aid to reading, and to type Chinese |
MOE NEL portal, language and literacy learning goals, including Mother Tongue. See the goals.
MOE, Primary Chinese Language syllabus (from the 2024 P1 cohort). Read the syllabus.
If your child is behind in P1: help at school
Primary schools identify pupils who need more help at the start of P1. MOE runs two programmes for English and Maths.
MOE also offers learning support for Mother Tongue Languages. Ask the form teacher in Term 1 whether your child has been placed in a programme and how you can help at home.
| Programme | For | How it runs |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Support Programme (LSP) | English, pupils identified at the start of P1 | Half an hour a day, in small groups of 8 to 10 |
| Learning Support for Mathematics (LSM) | Maths, pupils identified at the start of P1, with more joining in P2 to P4 if needed | P1 and P2: 4 to 8 periods a week, in groups of up to 8. It can continue up to P4 |
MOE, learning support in primary school. Read the MOE page.
2027 P1 dates for children in K2 in 2026
From MOE's 2027 school calendar for primary schools, published 14 July 2026. Only this table changes each year.
| 2027 | Dates |
|---|---|
| P1 first day | Monday 4 January 2027 (P2 to P6 start on 5 January) |
| Term 1 | Mon 4 Jan to Fri 12 Mar |
| March holidays | Sat 13 Mar to Sun 21 Mar |
| Term 2 | Mon 22 Mar to Fri 28 May |
| June holidays | Sat 29 May to Sun 27 Jun |
MOE, school terms and holidays for 2027 (14 July 2026). Read the MOE release.
Before you book a K2 tutor
What parents of five and six year olds usually ask before the first lesson.
| Question | For K2 |
|---|---|
| Which tutor suits K2? | Patience and experience with four to six year olds matter most. Each profile on the shortlist shows the tutor's experience with preschool and lower primary children. The tutor types are compared above. |
| Where are lessons held? | At your home, with the tutor travelling to you, or online by video call. We do not run centre classes, so there is no centre to travel to. |
| What does it cost? | Kindergarten lessons are charged at our Lower Primary rate band: S$25 to S$35 an hour with an undergraduate tutor, S$35 to S$45 with a full-time tutor and S$50 to S$70 with an ex-MOE teacher. |
| How does it start? | Tell us your child's age, preschool and what you want help with. We send 3 to 12 tutor profiles within 16 hours. The first lesson is a paid trial at the tutor's hourly rate. |
| What are the terms? | No contract and no minimum number of lessons. Cancel or move a lesson at least 24 hours ahead, or it is charged. If the fit is wrong, we re-match you free. |
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Preschool and K2 Tuition: a guide for parents
K2 home tuition in Singapore usually covers four things: letter sounds and phonics, early reading, number sense and a Mother Tongue such as Chinese. MOE's preschool framework, Nurturing Early Learners, covers children aged four to six in five learning areas, two of which are Language and Literacy and Numeracy. Its numeracy goals include counting by rote to at least 20 and counting up to at least 10 objects reliably. Its English goals include knowing the alphabet, hearing the sounds in words, early reading and writing their own name. A good kindergarten tutor works on these through short, playful lessons, not worksheets.
Read the full guide
MOE is clear that a child does not need to be taught P1 work before P1. It lists a few basic skills most children should have when they start, such as recognising some letters and common words and reciting 1 to 10 in order. It warns that over-preparing a child academically is a common pitfall, and that a child who has already learnt the material may be bored in class.
P1 teachers are trained to support children at different levels of readiness, and there are no weighted assessments or exams in P1 and P2. So K2 tuition makes sense when a child is behind on these basics, or when the family does not speak the Mother Tongue at home. It is not a head start on the P1 syllabus.
Take counting 8 toy cars. Many five year olds say the numbers faster than they touch the cars, or count one car twice, and end with 9 or 10. MOE's preschool goal is to count up to at least 10 objects reliably, so a tutor slows it down. Your child moves each car to one side as they say its number, so every car is counted once. The tutor then asks how many there are without counting again, which teaches that the last number said is the total. A few minutes of this each lesson, with cars, buttons or snacks, builds the number sense your child uses for adding in P1.
Official syllabus: MOE Singapore · SEAB Singapore
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Preschool and K2 Tuition: frequently asked questions
Does my child need tuition in K2 before Primary 1?
Most children do not. MOE says over-preparing a child academically is a common pitfall, and P1 teachers support children at different levels of readiness. K2 tuition helps when a child is behind on the basics, such as letter sounds or counting to 10, or does not hear the Mother Tongue at home.
How much does K2 or preschool tuition cost?
Kindergarten lessons are charged at our Lower Primary rate band: S$25 to S$35 an hour with an undergraduate tutor, S$35 to S$45 with a full-time tutor and S$50 to S$70 with an ex-MOE teacher. One 1-hour lesson a week with an undergraduate tutor comes to S$100 to S$140 over four weeks.
What should my child know before starting Primary 1?
MOE lists a few basic skills most children should have, such as recognising some letters of the alphabet and some common words, and reciting 1 to 10 in the right order. It also stresses routines: an early bedtime, packing their own bag and talking about their feelings about P1.
Should a K2 tutor teach P1 Maths and English early?
No. MOE warns that a child who has already learnt the P1 material may be bored in class. A good K2 tutor works on MOE's preschool goals, such as counting to 20 and letter sounds, and leaves the P1 syllabus to the P1 teacher.
Can a home tutor teach my child phonics?
Yes. The tutor teaches the sound each letter makes, then blending sounds into short words, using picture books and games. MOE's preschool English goals include alphabetic knowledge and phonological awareness, so this matches what your child meets in class.
How long should a K2 lesson be?
We suggest 45 minutes to an hour, once a week, with breaks and lots of talking and play. Young children learn best in short bursts. If your child is tired after a full day at preschool, a weekend morning lesson often works better.
Which children should wait instead of starting tuition?
A child who is happy at preschool, can name most letters and count 10 objects does not need a tutor. Nor does a child already worn out by a long day in childcare. Reading together every day and playing counting games at home are enough.
Is Chinese tuition useful in K2?
It can be, if Chinese is not spoken at home. Chinese is already part of preschool, and from P1 it becomes a school subject with its own syllabus. MOE's preschool goals stress listening, speaking and enjoying books, with a few words to recognise and simple marks or characters to write. Hanyu Pinyin is not one of them, so K2 lessons need not drill it.
What help does school give if my child is behind in P1?
MOE identifies pupils who need more help at the start of P1. The Learning Support Programme for English meets half an hour a day in groups of 8 to 10. Learning Support for Mathematics runs 4 to 8 periods a week in groups of up to 8 in P1 and P2.
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