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Guide for parents
By T-Leng, T-Leng Tuition · Checked against MOE and SEAB on 12 October 2026
MOE describes the levels as G1, G2 and G3 (G stands for General), mapped from the old N(T), N(A) and Express standards. G3 is the most demanding.
| Level | Was | National exam from 2027 | Up to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| G3 | Express | SEC G3 Mathematics (K310) | O-Level Mathematics (4052) |
| G2 | Normal (Academic) | SEC G2 Mathematics (K210) | N(A)-Level Mathematics (4045) |
| G1 | Normal (Technical) | SEC G1 Mathematics (K110) | N(T)-Level Mathematics |
Students are put in mixed form classes, with classmates from different Posting Groups. Subjects taken at different levels, like Maths, are taught at the student's own level.
The PSLE score decides the Posting Group, which gives an indicative level for every subject:
| PSLE score | Posting Group | Indicative level |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (with AL 7 or better in English and Maths) | 1 | G1 |
Your child can take Maths at a more demanding level than the indicative one, if their PSLE Maths result is good enough:
| Indicative level | PSLE Maths | Can take Maths at |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | AL 5 or better (Standard Maths) | G3 |
| G1 | AL 5 or better (Standard Maths) | G2 or G3 |
| G1 | AL 6 (Standard Maths) or AL A (Foundation Maths) | G2 |
The same rule applies to English, Mother Tongue and Science. It is an option, not automatic: the school will tell you when to choose.
Students can change subject levels at points the school sets. Moving up depends on results in secondary school. Moving down depends on results and the school's overall view of the student's workload, and a student who moves down can move back up later.
Each school sets its own criteria (usually a mark in the end-of-year exam) and its own timing. Ask the form teacher or the Maths department early in the year what the criteria are.
From T-Leng's teaching: a student moving from G2 to G3 Maths has some catching up to do, because G3 covers some topics a term or a year earlier. Coordinates and linear graphs, for example, are often a Sec 1 topic at G3 and a Sec 2 topic at G2. The notes and worksheets for G3 show what to fill in.
Students who graduate from 2027 sit the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) exam. There are different papers for each level, and the certificate shows each subject with the level it was taken at. Students graduating in 2026 or earlier take the O-Level and N-Level exams.
The Maths papers at each level:
| Level | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3 Mathematics (K310) | 2 h 15 min, 90 marks: about 26 short questions | 2 h 15 min, 90 marks: 9 to 10 questions, the last one a real-world problem |
| G2 Mathematics (K210) | 2 h, 70 marks: about 23 short questions | 2 h, 70 marks: Section A, 9 to 10 questions (the last one real-world); Section B, answer one of two |
| G1 Mathematics (K110) | 1 h 30 min, 50 marks: number, algebra, geometry and measurement | 1 h 30 min, 50 marks: number, algebra, statistics and probability |
A calculator is allowed in both papers at every level, and a formula list is given. See what's on the formula list, and the G3 paper in detail.
The G1, G2 and G3 syllabuses cover different topics and go to different depths, so revise from material for your child's level. MugCorner's notes, worksheets and papers are written separately for each:
Schools set their own lower secondary exams and subject criteria; check the details with your child's school.
Free practice at your child's level
Notes for every chapter, and practice that shows where an answer went wrong, step by step.