Passing the AEIS admission process does not exempt a child from the receiving school’s ordinary curriculum or assessment. After enrolment, the school teaches and monitors the student according to the level, subjects and class arrangements assigned. Primary 1 and Primary 2 have no weighted assessments or examinations under MOE’s current policy, while Primary 3 onward and secondary levels may use school-based weighted assessments. MOE has removed mid-year examinations at all primary and secondary levels since 2025, but that does not mean there are no tests, quizzes, projects, class tasks or end-of-year assessments.

For an international pupil entering Singapore midway through a school year, the first report or teacher conversation can be difficult to interpret. The child may have studied different topics overseas, may be learning school-specific academic English, or may be adjusting to G1, G2 or G3 subject levels under Full Subject-Based Banding. A result on one class task is not a prediction of PSLE, SEC or a future school pathway. Parents need to understand what the task assessed, whether it contributed to a weighted result, how the teacher interprets the work and what the child should learn next. This guide explains assessment in ordinary language and gives families a practical way to read progress without confusing learning feedback with admission examinations.

Quick answers:

• AEIS score: the entrance assessment is used for admission; it is not the child’s ongoing school report grade.
• P1/P2: MOE has removed weighted assessments and examinations since 2019; formative feedback continues.
• P3–P6 and secondary: schools may conduct weighted assessments under applicable assessment policies.
• Mid-year exams: MOE removed mid-year examinations at all primary and secondary levels from 2025; other assessments remain.
• School report: the actual format and reporting schedule come from the receiving school.
• Newly admitted students: teachers may need time to understand prior learning and curriculum differences.
• Full SBB: secondary pupils may take different subjects at G1, G2 or G3; progress is subject-specific.
• Best parent question: “What concept did this task assess, what did my child understand, and what should be practised next?”

Editorial review: 15 November 2026. MOE’s current Education Conversations information confirms the removal of weighted assessments and examinations for P1/P2 since 2019 and mid-year examinations at all primary and secondary levels since 2025. Schools determine the details of their remaining assessment and reporting arrangements.

1. AEIS admission tests and school assessments answer different questions

The AEIS entrance examination determines whether an applicant meets the conditions for consideration for a mainstream school place at a particular entry level. It is not the same as a school term assessment, report-book grade, classroom observation or national leaving examination. Primary applicants also submit a Cambridge English Qualification where required; this provides English proficiency evidence for the application but does not become a school report for every subject.

Once a student joins a school, teachers need to understand the child’s current learning in that school’s syllabus. A pupil might have passed the entrance Mathematics test but have gaps in English comprehension, Science vocabulary or the particular topic sequence being taught by the class. Another may have strong academic knowledge but need help with classroom instructions, written explanations or a new assessment style.

Parents should therefore keep three records distinct: the Cambridge English Statement of Results where applicable, the AEIS admission outcome, and the student’s ongoing school progress information. Each serves a different purpose. Do not convert an AEIS practice score into a forecast for the child’s first school report or future national examination result.

2. What assessment looks like in Primary 1 and Primary 2

MOE removed all weighted assessments and examinations at Primary 1 and Primary 2 from 2019. The aim is to reduce assessment pressure during the early years and support a smoother adjustment to formal schooling. This does not mean teachers stop checking whether children understand. Teachers continue to use formative assessment, classroom tasks, observation and feedback to guide learning.

A child who joins Primary 2 after AEIS may still bring home worksheets, reading records or practice tasks. Parents should not assume that every marked worksheet contributes to a weighted examination average. Ask the class teacher what kind of task it was, what feedback means and how progress will be communicated.

At these ages, a newly admitted child may need to build classroom habits alongside subject knowledge. Can the child follow a two-step instruction? Read a short passage and explain what happened? Represent a number with tens and ones? Ask for help when a worksheet is unclear? These are meaningful signs of progress even when there is no weighted examination score.

3. Primary 3 to Primary 6: weighted assessment without mid-year examinations

From Primary 3 onward, schools may use weighted assessments as part of their school-based assessment arrangements. MOE’s broader assessment changes also removed mid-year examinations at all primary and secondary levels from 2025. A school may still use other forms of assessment across the year, including weighted tasks, class tests, projects, practical work and end-of-year assessments, where relevant to its level and policy.

Parents need the current assessment plan from the actual school. The number, timing and weighting of a task can differ across levels or schools within the national framework. An old calendar showing a May mid-year examination should not be treated as current just because a relative’s child sat one several years ago.

For an international pupil entering P3, P4 or P5, the first assessment may test content already studied in the previous school. If the student has not covered a particular Singapore topic, that is useful information for planning a bridge. It should not be interpreted automatically as a lack of ability or poor effort.

What a weighted assessment means

A weighted assessment is a school assessment whose score contributes to the student’s overall result in a subject. It is different from formative feedback that helps the teacher understand learning without necessarily contributing to an annual score. The school can explain which tasks count, how they are weighted and how the results are reported.

A parent should not infer that a worksheet is weighted simply because it has a mark, or that a task has no significance because it is not an examination. Formative feedback can identify an important misunderstanding that needs immediate teaching.

4. Secondary students: subject levels and Full SBB assessment

Full Subject-Based Banding has been fully implemented in secondary schools since 2024. Students can take different subjects at G1, G2 or G3 according to the applicable rules and the school’s arrangements. A student’s Mathematics performance, English progress and Science learning may not all be at the same subject level. Parents should read each subject’s learning information rather than treating one overall label as a complete description of the pupil.

Subject classes, common curriculum experiences and form-class arrangements can differ. A new international student may need to learn where assessments take place, what materials are required and how to submit work. Ask the school how assessment information is communicated for each subject and how parents can discuss a concern.

MOE has also announced the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) framework for relevant graduating cohorts from 2027. A new Secondary 1 or Secondary 2 AEIS entrant is not sitting the SEC immediately upon admission. The school will explain the student’s cohort, subject levels and eventual examination route as the child progresses.

One weak subject result should not be generalised to every subject

A pupil might be highly capable in Mathematics but unfamiliar with English essay structure. Another may understand Science concepts but need to develop source interpretation in Humanities. The useful response is to identify the task-specific gap and support it. A single subject result is not a reliable summary of the child’s whole academic identity.

5. How to read a report, progress update or marked assignment

Start by identifying what the document actually is. Is it a formative comment, a weighted assessment, a class assignment, a common test, an end-of-year result or a teacher’s narrative update? The label matters. Ask whether the mark contributes to a term or annual result and whether the school uses a percentage, band, descriptor or another reporting format.

Do not compare percentages across different subjects or schools without understanding their tasks and marking schemes. A 70% in a short vocabulary quiz is not directly comparable with 70% in a multi-step Mathematics paper or a speaking assessment. A mark needs context before it becomes a useful decision.

6. What if the child joins through S-AEIS during the school year?

A supplementary admission can mean the student joins after classmates have already completed part of the syllabus. The child may have missed chapters, class routines, projects or assessment tasks. That does not mean the new pupil should attempt to repeat every lesson immediately or that teachers can automatically recreate every missed assessment.

Ask the school for the current term’s topics, completed units, upcoming assessment requirements and available learning support. Teachers can advise which earlier knowledge is essential for understanding the current topic. The family should distinguish between content that the child needs to learn, tasks that can no longer be repeated and administrative matters that require a school decision.

For instance, a Primary 4 pupil joining after the class has studied fractions may need a focused recap before starting decimals. A Secondary 2 student may need to learn the school’s algebra notation and current Science topic while also adapting to a new timetable. The bridge should be based on what the child can already do, not simply the number of weeks missed.

Do not assume that an assessment can be retaken

Whether missed work can be completed, substituted or considered in reporting depends on the school’s policy and the nature of the task. Parents should explain the admission date and ask the teacher what is appropriate. A tutor cannot authorise an alternative weighted assessment or change the school’s reporting record.

7. Diagnose a learning gap from the first incorrect step

A useful review asks what the question required, what the child understood, where the reasoning first went wrong and what new task could confirm learning. If a student writes the wrong operation in a word problem, the gap may be question interpretation rather than calculation. If a child can explain an idea orally but cannot write it clearly, academic language may be the barrier.

Original Mathematics example

A student reads: “A class has 36 pupils. Two thirds are girls. How many are boys?” The child calculates two thirds of 36 as 24 and writes 24. The fraction calculation is correct, but it answers the number of girls rather than boys. The missing step is recognising that boys are the remaining one third, or 36 − 24 = 12. The teacher can address reading the requested quantity, not reteach all fractions.

Original Science example

A question states that a plant in one condition has drooping leaves. The student writes, “It definitely did not receive enough water.” That may be a hypothesis, but the observation alone does not establish the cause. The child needs to distinguish observed evidence from an explanation that requires further testing.

Original English example

A comprehension asks why a character changed a plan. The pupil retells the whole story but does not state the reason. The gap may be understanding the command word “why” and selecting evidence, not an inability to write sentences. Teach the student to answer the question first, then support the response with a relevant detail.

These examples are original teaching illustrations, not official school examination questions. The principle is to repair the earliest misunderstanding and check the correction with a different example.

8. How parents can talk to the teacher productively

Bring a specific assignment or report and ask what the child was expected to demonstrate. A productive conversation avoids asking only whether the child is “good” or “weak”. It asks for an example of secure learning, an example of a current gap and one practical action the family can support at home.

For a newly admitted student, share relevant information about the previous curriculum without suggesting that the school must follow the old system. A report card, syllabus outline or sample of the child’s prior work can help the teacher understand what has been taught. Keep the information accurate and provide sensitive records only through appropriate school channels.

Ask how to contact the form teacher or subject teacher and how often progress updates are provided. School communication systems and meeting schedules differ. Parents should use the official channel specified by the school rather than relying on a private tuition provider to relay confidential information.

9. When extra tuition is useful—and when it is not

Extra teaching can help when a child has an identifiable prerequisite gap, needs more guided practice, or is unfamiliar with a subject’s question format. It is less useful when the family has not yet understood the school’s actual expectations and buys a large package of duplicate lessons.

Ask a tutor to explain the precise learning gap, how it will be taught and how independent progress will be checked. A student should be able to solve a new problem without the model answer beside them. Tuition should support the school’s learning, not compete with it by assigning an unmanageable second timetable.

For secondary students, confirm the actual subject level before selecting G1, G2 or G3 resources. For primary pupils, identify the current class topic and the earlier knowledge required. Do not choose material solely because the title contains “distinction”, “PSLE” or “SEC”.

10. A parent review routine for the first school term

1. Read the school’s assessment plan and note which tasks are formative and which are weighted.
2. Keep a small sample of returned work from each main subject.
3. Record the first recurring misunderstanding, not every minor spelling or arithmetic slip.
4. Ask the teacher what needs to be learned before the next unit.
5. Practise one or two priority skills in short, manageable sessions.
6. Check whether the child can transfer the skill to an unfamiliar example.
7. Review progress with the school and adjust the learning plan.

Frequently asked questions

Does passing AEIS mean my child has passed the school’s subjects?

No. AEIS is an admission exercise. The school teaches and assesses the child after enrolment.

Are there weighted assessments in P1 and P2?

MOE removed weighted assessments and examinations for P1 and P2. Formative assessment and teacher feedback continue.

Are there mid-year examinations in Primary and Secondary schools?

MOE has removed mid-year examinations at all primary and secondary levels since 2025. Other school-based assessments may remain.

Does P3 have weighted assessments?

Schools may use weighted assessments under school-based assessment arrangements. Ask the actual school for its current schedule and weighting.

Can my child retake a weighted assessment missed before S-AEIS admission?

Do not assume so. Ask the school how it handles tasks missed before the child enrolled.

Does one low mark mean the child is at the wrong G level?

No. Discuss the task, the pattern of progress and the school’s subject-level review procedures. A single mark is insufficient context.

Will all schools use the same report-book format?

Do not assume identical reporting formats or schedules. Follow the receiving school’s information.

Can a tutor change the school’s report grade?

No. A tutor can support learning but cannot alter the school’s official assessment record.

What if the previous overseas curriculum taught different topics?

Share the syllabus and genuine work samples, then agree on a targeted bridge with the school.

What should parents ask first?

Ask what the task assessed, whether the score contributes to the subject result, and what the child should practise next.

Official sources and related reading

• MOE Education Conversations: Assessment Changes
• MOE: Summary of Adjustments to School-Based Assessment
• SEAB: AEIS Release of School Offers
• SEAB: S-AEIS Release of School Offers
• Joining Primary 2 After AEIS
• Joining Primary 3 After AEIS
• Entering Secondary 1 After AEIS
• AEIS Parent Guide Hub

The most useful question at the next parent-teacher conversation: “Which skill is my child expected to demonstrate next, and what would independent success look like?” It turns a report mark into a clear learning plan.