KSP 2024 June Holiday Enrichment Guide

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_120625" style="width: 710px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120625" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120625 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mikhail-nilov-7573935.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mikhail-nilov-7573935.jpg 700w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-mikhail-nilov-7573935-320x213.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px"> Image courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-girl-lying-down-on-a-wooden-chair-while-holding-a-ukelele-7573935/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Still deciding which primary school to register your child in?
Typically, parents in Singapore will consider the following factors:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">School reputation: Many popular schools are known for their academic rigour, or for excellence in specific CCAs (co-curricular activities).</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Affiliation: Primary schools with <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Primary%20school&amp;q=*&amp;fq=school_journey_ss%3A%22Primary%20school%22&amp;fq=school_affiliated_b%3A(%22true%22)&amp;sort=slug_s%20asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affiliations</a> to secondary schools are sought after. Having an affiliation advantage allows students to qualify for affiliated secondary schools without top grades.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Location: A primary schooler&rsquo;s schedule can become hectic, especially if they&rsquo;re very involved in their CCA. A shorter commute is always preferred!</li>
</ul>
If the above are not your main considerations, and you&rsquo;re open to looking at a wider selection of primary schools, you can use the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SchoolFinder tool</a> to browse schools.&nbsp;
Apart from filtering schools by their location and programmes, you can also shortlist schools by their CCAs. Why are CCAs important? Read on to find out!
<h2>Must my child join a CCA in primary school?</h2>
Typically, primary schools don&rsquo;t insist on CCA participation, although they do encourage it.&nbsp;
You may also have noticed that in well-known primary schools, CCA participation is the norm. This is where you&rsquo;ll often find the &lsquo;all-rounder&rsquo; students, who excel in their studies and do well at their hobbies. For such students, CCA involvement doesn&rsquo;t taper off in Primary 6 &mdash;&nbsp;instead, they learn to fit in their training activities alongside preparation efforts for the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination).&nbsp;
Although it can be stressful, there are benefits to this approach. First of all, to be ready for tertiary education as well as the world of work, book smarts are no longer the main priority. Instead, good universities and prominent workplaces often look for something more &mdash;&nbsp;they value individuals who are highly curious about the world, and display eagerness to learn from experiences beyond textbooks.&nbsp;
Joining a CCA in primary school is an easy way to let your child pursue or discover an interest that is separate from academics. In the process of honing a skill, they will also develop qualities such as resilience and attention to detail. If they should be given the honour of representing the school in events and competitions, there will be plenty to gain from such experiences, where they will have to collaborate with teammates, manage competition pressure, and learn to pick themselves up after setbacks.
<h2>Should CCAs be a main factor when choosing a primary school?</h2>
This depends on your child, as well as your family&rsquo;s preferences. There are two typical scenarios where a school&rsquo;s CCAs might become a top consideration:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scenario A: Your child has a specific interest such as photography, and you would like them to hone this skill in school.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scenario B: You&rsquo;re deciding between several shortlisted schools, and need a tie-breaker to pick the top choice.</li>
</ul>
In either of these instances, it will be helpful to look at the many niche activities offered by primary schools these days, catering for diverse interests from strategy games to playing the harmonica.&nbsp;
Of course, if your child is already eying competitions or a <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct School Admission</a> pathway for secondary schools, it&rsquo;s essential to pick a primary school that will nurture their talent, and this could outweigh other factors such as location. If this is your focus, it&rsquo;s best to consult your child&rsquo;s coaches or experienced parents for school recommendations.
<h2>What if my child doesn&rsquo;t have specific interests?</h2>
For children who don&rsquo;t have strong interests, CCAs could offer good exposure at low cost.
Here&rsquo;s an example: Perhaps you&rsquo;d like your child to incorporate more exercise into their routine, but they don&rsquo;t have a preferred sport as yet. You can look for primary schools that offer a &lsquo;modular sports&rsquo; CCA &mdash;&nbsp;this is a programme that allows students to try various sports instead of committing to a particular sport. If your child eventually finds a sport that they really like, you can enrol them in a private training school or seek out a secondary school to further this interest. If not, it&rsquo;s simply a stress-free way of discovering different sports.
For non-modular CCAs, students may be expected to commit for a year before switching to a new activity. If this is important to you, seek clarifications with your schools of interest before you register your child.
<h2>What are some unusual CCAs that primary schools offer?</h2>
It&rsquo;s best if you browse the full list of CCAs using the MOE&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SchoolFinder tool</a>.&nbsp;
As a taster, we&rsquo;ve provided a list of 15 less-common primary school CCAs, along with the schools that offer them (based on SchoolFinder data).&nbsp;
In our list, we&rsquo;ve included a CCA called &lsquo;Mathematics&rsquo; &mdash; this is not an extension of what&rsquo;s taught in maths classes.&nbsp;In maths clubs, students gather to solve problems and improve their logical and creative thinking skills. In Queenstown Primary, maths club members will also get a chance to facilitate maths trails for their schoolmates.&nbsp;
Please note that the list below is not exhaustive, and that schools may offer similar activities under a different name. For example, some schools may combine debating with drama, instead of public speaking. Also, be prepared that schools may discontinue their CCAs due to a lack of demand or logistical issues. Do check directly with your schools of interest for the latest information on their CCAs.
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120626" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs1.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="485" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs1.jpg 1600w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs1-800x243.jpg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs1-320x97.jpg 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs1-1536x466.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px">
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120627" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs2.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs2.jpg 1600w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs2-800x450.jpg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs2-320x180.jpg 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/CCAs2-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px">
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120718" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/ccas3.png" alt="" width="1600" height="814" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/ccas3.png 1600w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/ccas3-800x407.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/ccas3-320x163.png 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/ccas3-1536x781.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px">

Want to chat with other parents about registering for a primary school? Join the conversation on the <a href="https://kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&amp;t=96947" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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Choosing a Primary School in 2024: Are CCAs Important?

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_120486" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120486" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120486 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4350165-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-female-asian-student-taking-notes-in-planner-sitting-at-table-4350165/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Is your teen considering entering a polytechnic after this year&rsquo;s O-Level exams?
For local teens, there are typically three common reasons for choosing a polytechnic over a junior college:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The admission criteria for polytechnics is more relaxed compared to JCs.&nbsp;Students only need to use their score for five O-Level subjects to enter a polytechnic, compared to six subjects for a JC. Also, for polytechnics, there are many courses to choose from, with a range of cut-off points or COPs catering for different learners.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Some students have highly specific interests, such as computer science or mass communication, and they want to focus only on this.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Some students struggle with their second language studies, and this is something that they can avoid entirely at the polytechnics.</li>
</ul>
Although some parents may still perceive polytechnics as being inferior to JCs, we believe this perception is changing. Based on our personal interactions with parents, we feel that more parents are aware that there are positives for every learning pathway, and success ultimately depends on each individual&rsquo;s mindset and efforts.
If your teen has decided that they would prefer to enrol in a polytechnic, we hope that you can support their choice. However, with the wide array of choices, how will your teen know what&rsquo;s suitable? Read on to find out!
<h2>Where can I get information on polytechnic cut-off points?</h2>
For the most current and accurate information on cut-off points or COPs, always refer to the polytechnics&rsquo; official websites. There are five polytechnics in Singapore, and these are:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nyp.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.np.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.rp.edu.sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republic Polytechnic (RP)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sp.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore Polytechnic (SP)</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.tp.edu.sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Temasek Polytechnic (TP)</a></li>
</ul>

For easier viewing, you can also refer to community data sources on <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/PolyCOPs2023/Dashboard1?publish=yes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tableau Public</a> and <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14b5VLIr9W5teiOp0vCg86B6xxpFiwk8jeIzwbdJmWjU/pubhtml#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Sheets</a>. However, please be mindful that these sources are not verified.
<div id="attachment_120487" style="width: 1310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/PolyCOPs2023/Dashboard1?publish=yes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120487" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120487 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly-cops.png" alt="" width="1300" height="780" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly-cops.png 1300w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly-cops-800x480.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly-cops-320x192.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px"></a><a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/PolyCOPs2023/Dashboard1?publish=yes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View this dashboard in Tableau Public</a></div>
 
Here&rsquo;s what you should know: The current information on polytechnic COPs is drawn from the 2023 intake. These numbers were used to provide an entry score range for students who applied in early 2024, during the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/post-secondary/admissions/jae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joint Admissions Exercise</a>.&nbsp;
If your child is taking the O-Level exams this year, they will get their results and apply for courses in 2025. In other words, they will need to check for updated COPs based on the 2024 intake. They should also be aware that the given entry scores are just a guide &mdash;&nbsp;the actual entry scores may fluctuate slightly, depending on demand.
In the meantime, teens can use the existing information to shortlist courses and set score targets for themselves.
<h2>Which poly courses are the hardest to get into?</h2>
Below are the courses with single-digit COPs in 2023:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120488" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/singledigitcops.png" alt="" width="954" height="556" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/singledigitcops.png 954w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/singledigitcops-800x466.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/singledigitcops-320x186.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 954px) 100vw, 954px">
We can see that Applied Science courses may be harder to get into, especially Biomedical Science courses.&nbsp;
A word of advice: Use these scores as a guide, but don&rsquo;t be daunted by them. If your teen is truly interested in a course with a competitive COP, they can check if similar courses are offered by other polytechnics. In particular, Republic Polytechnic tends to have more relaxed entry standards.
<h2>Which poly courses are the easiest to get into?</h2>
Below are polytechnic courses with COPs of 26 to 28. Note that this was for the 2023 intake:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120489" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/26cops.png" alt="" width="952" height="992" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/26cops.png 952w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/26cops-800x834.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/26cops-320x333.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 952px) 100vw, 952px">
There&rsquo;s a good variety of courses listed, covering interests from health and hospitality to infocommunications and engineering. Also, we can see that many of these courses are conducted by Republic Polytechnic &mdash; as mentioned before, the COPs here are less stringent.
Even if your teen has missed the mark, all is not lost. There are minimum requirements to be met, but schools can continue to accept students beyond the listed COPs, if there are vacancies. Please check with your polytechnic of interest for more details.
<h2>Which poly courses have the least vacancies, and are these courses hard to get into?</h2>
These are the courses with less than 40 available spaces, according to the planned intake for 2024:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120490" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_leastvacancies.png" alt="" width="944" height="276" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_leastvacancies.png 944w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_leastvacancies-800x234.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_leastvacancies-320x94.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 944px) 100vw, 944px">
None of these courses require a single-digit score, and in the case of Tamil Studies, it&rsquo;s a niche course that few will apply for &mdash;&nbsp;that&rsquo;s why the COP is fairly generous. Therefore, it&rsquo;s not always the case that a course with a small intake will be difficult to qualify for.
<h2>Which poly courses have the most vacancies?</h2>
These are the polytechnic courses with the most vacancies, based on the 2023 intake:
<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-120491" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_mostvacancies.png" alt="" width="948" height="828" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_mostvacancies.png 948w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_mostvacancies-800x699.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/poly_mostvacancies-320x279.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 948px) 100vw, 948px">
For now, nursing courses take in the most students, and the COPs are quite generous. Engineering courses also take in large cohorts, and the COPs are fairly accessible, with options for students at different score levels.
<h2>Are poly COPs the main consideration when it comes to choosing courses?</h2>
Yes, one way to shortlist courses is to use your teen&rsquo;s current or expected score and filter accordingly.
However, it&rsquo;s always best to begin by considering your teen&rsquo;s area of interest. Generally, the courses in polytechnics will fall under these clusters, although the naming conventions might be slightly different:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Applied Sciences</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Built Environment</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Business &amp; Management</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Engineering</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Health Sciences</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hospitality</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Humanities</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Infocomm/Information &amp; Digital Technologies</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Maritime Studies</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Media &amp; Design</li>
</ul>
Your teen should research these areas of interest, and browse the courses that seem most enticing without worrying too much about the COPs. For instance, you could ask your teen to select 10 courses that seem exciting, and see what similarities these courses have. Perhaps they fall under the same cluster, or are conducted in a way that appeals to your teen.&nbsp;
Once your teen can identify what they like, you can then look at the COPs. If a course seems to be highly competitive, your teen can look for similar courses within the five polytechnics that are easier to qualify for. In this way, they will be able to use these COPs to set targets, manage their expectations, and have backup plans in case their first choice doesn&rsquo;t work out.

Want to chat with other parents about polytechnics? Join the conversation on the <a href="https://kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&amp;t=73519" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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Which Poly Courses Should My Teen Choose? What Are The Cut-Off Points?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd">
<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_120210" style="width: 1930px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120210" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120210 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/sean-kong-r2WhdAwJPxM-unsplash-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/sean-kong-r2WhdAwJPxM-unsplash-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/sean-kong-r2WhdAwJPxM-unsplash-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/sean-kong-r2WhdAwJPxM-unsplash-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/sean-kong-r2WhdAwJPxM-unsplash-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-gray-dress-resting-her-hands-on-white-table-r2WhdAwJPxM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unsplash</a></div>It&rsquo;s easy to say that grades don&rsquo;t define us, but the truth is that we&rsquo;re all prone to making snap judgments about others based on limited information. Even as adults, we may be slightly impressed to learn that a new acquaintance attended a prestigious university, or we might think of someone as being &lsquo;smarter&rsquo; simply because they qualified for a &lsquo;better&rsquo; secondary school.&nbsp;
Conversely, we may talk about those who haven&rsquo;t done as well in a less favourable light. Children are perceptive, and they will realise that their grades do affect how they&rsquo;re perceived by the world at large.
A <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/children-more-anxious-about-exams-than-covid-19-in-singapore-survey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local survey</a> conducted on over 1,000 students between the ages of 10 and 15 found that seven in 10 felt &ldquo;angry,&rdquo; &ldquo;worried,&rdquo; or &ldquo;sad&rdquo; when they thought about school exams. And while those who have made it to good schools will have their own sets of stressors, those in neighbourhood schools may have to deal with feeling &ldquo;<a href="https://www.todayonline.com/gen-z-speaks/gen-z-speaks-i-used-feel-mediocre-neighbourhood-school-kid-no-longer-2104226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mediocre</a>&rdquo; or &ldquo;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEUSrsZcbPk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less accomplished</a>.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Of course, we all want our children to aim high and work hard to achieve goals, but ultimately, do remember that only about <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/parliamentary-replies/20210301-integrated-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10%</a> of each year&rsquo;s cohort (around 4,000 out of 40,000 students) will qualify for Singapore&rsquo;s top schools, otherwise known as <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/courses/express/integrated-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Integrated Programme</a> or IP schools. This means that the vast majority of our children will be studying in &lsquo;regular&rsquo; or neighbourhood schools. The sooner you come to terms with this as a parent, the easier it will be for you to provide the emotional support that your child needs.
Read on as we highlight some ways to build your teen&rsquo;s self-esteem and confidence, if they&rsquo;ve not qualified for a top secondary school.
<h2>Have a Plan for Discussing Grades at Home</h2>
Is it appropriate to discuss results with your teen, who may already be suffering from low morale? What should you say if they fail an exam, or score lower than what you think is ideal?
We know that this can be a sensitive topic, and yet, it presents a critical opportunity for teaching resilience and positive coping strategies. For better conversations, try to focus on empathy and solutions, rather than criticism.&nbsp;
Below are two common-but-tricky scenarios, with suggested responses.
Situation A: Your child comes home with a grade that&rsquo;s lower than expected, but when presenting it to you, they seem either content or dismissive, saying it&rsquo;s &ldquo;good enough&rdquo; or &ldquo;OK.&rdquo;
What you can do: This requires a delicate balance between acknowledging your teen&rsquo;s feelings and guiding them towards higher standards. You can start with an affirming approach, by saying, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad to see you&rsquo;re not too hard on yourself &mdash; that&rsquo;s important. But I also know you have the potential to do even better. Can we talk about what &lsquo;good enough&rsquo; means to you?&rdquo;
This opens a non-confrontational dialogue that respects your teen&rsquo;s perspective while subtly challenging them to reassess their own standards. Continue by exploring the reasons behind their satisfaction with the lower grade, with questions like: &ldquo;What made this grade feel OK for you? Were there parts of this subject that you found particularly challenging or maybe didn&rsquo;t enjoy as much?&rdquo;
Finally, offer support for improvement in a way that aligns with their own goals, not just academic expectations. You could say: &ldquo;How do you feel about aiming a bit higher next time? What support do you need to make that happen?&rdquo;
Situation B: Your teen has received their grades and is visibly upset, but when you try to discuss it, they shut down, showing a reluctance to talk about their feelings or the results.
What you can do: Approach them with gentle understanding, giving them space while making it clear you&rsquo;re there when they&rsquo;re ready. You might say: &ldquo;I see you&rsquo;re really upset about your grades, and it&rsquo;s OK if you&rsquo;re not ready to talk about it yet. I&rsquo;m here for you, no matter what. Whenever you feel like sharing, I&rsquo;ll be ready to listen and support you.&rdquo;
This response acknowledges your teen&rsquo;s current state and offers them control over when and how they wish to engage. When they&rsquo;re ready to have a discussion, you can ask open-ended questions like &ldquo;What do you think was the biggest challenge for you this term?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How do you feel about the subjects you&rsquo;re studying? Are there any you&rsquo;d like more help with?&rdquo; This helps them to reflect on their experiences and identify specific areas where they can improve.
If your teen consistently refuses to discuss their feelings, you can share your own challenges, which they might find relevant. In particular, talk about dealing with your own emotions, and how you seek support from those around you. Encourage your teen to find ways to express themselves, such as through a journal or a creative outlet. If need be, reach out to a school counsellor or therapist to support your teen.
<h2>Teach Your Teen to Handle Social Pressure</h2>
If teens feel that they haven&rsquo;t done well in milestone exams or qualified for a good school, they may feel stressed about attending social gatherings with friends and family. Here&rsquo;s how you can help your teen to work through uncomfortable situations.
Scenario A: During a discussion on school achievements, a relative says to your teen, &ldquo;Well, as long as you&rsquo;re happy with your school, that&rsquo;s what matters.&rdquo; The comment, while intended to reassure, might imply that your teen&rsquo;s school is not a place of pride, making them feel slightly hurt.
What you can do: In private, acknowledge how the comment made your teen feel, with a statement such as: &ldquo;I can understand why that remark might sting, even if it wasn&rsquo;t intended to hurt.&rdquo;&nbsp;
If your teen is receptive, you can suggest considering the positive intent behind the words, by saying, &ldquo;Sometimes, people want to express support but they aren&rsquo;t sure how. It seems like they were trying to say that your happiness is important, even if it came out wrong.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Next, empower your teen to articulate their own feelings in future, by roleplaying this scenario with suitable responses: &ldquo;What about saying something like, &lsquo;Actually, I feel proud of my school and believe it&rsquo;s a great fit for me. I&rsquo;m excited about the opportunities it offers and the things I&rsquo;m learning there.'&rdquo;
This encourages your teen to reframe the narrative positively, and provides them with constructive ways to respond to comments. It also helps them to practise standing up for their choices and valuing their own experiences, fostering a sense of pride and autonomy.
Scenario B: Your teen feels inferior after seeing posts on social media from friends in top schools, celebrating their academic achievements or exclusive school events. They begin to question their own worth and the opportunities that they have.
What you can do: Remind your child about the selective nature of social media, where people tend to highlight only the best parts of their lives. For better perspective, you can also introduce the idea that attending a top school comes with its own unique pressures and challenges. For instance, you could say, &ldquo;While it&rsquo;s natural to feel a bit envious of friends who post about their achievements, it&rsquo;s important to remember that those experiences come with high expectations and stress. Not everything about their experience is as perfect as it appears online.&rdquo;
At the same time, do emphasise the value of your teen&rsquo;s current experience, with advice such as: &ldquo;The most important thing is being in a school that&rsquo;s the right fit for you, where you can thrive. Your school offers opportunities that are unique and valuable, and it&rsquo;s all about making the most of them. How do you feel about this?&rdquo;
If your teen expresses doubts about the suitability of their school, take their concerns seriously. You could say, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s talk about what aspects you&rsquo;re unhappy with. Is it the academic programmes, the social environment, or something else?&rdquo;&nbsp;
Encourage them to be specific about what they feel is lacking or could be improved. This not only validates their feelings but also helps in identifying actionable steps that can be taken to enhance their school experience. For example, if your teen says there aren&rsquo;t enough extracurricular opportunities, you could say, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see if there are clubs or activities outside of school that we can look into.&rdquo;
<h2>Guide Your Teen to Develop Strengths and Interests</h2>
What&rsquo;s the best way for your teen to develop confidence, no matter which school they&rsquo;re at? Find something that they&rsquo;re interested in, which they can be good at.&nbsp;
However, it&rsquo;s not always easy to do this, and here are two scenarios that you might face with your teen.
Scenario A: Your teen feels pressured to identify a passion or talent, when they don&rsquo;t have clear interest areas. This can be a source of stress and low self-esteem, especially when they see peers excelling in specific activities.
What you can do: Start by reassuring your teen that it&rsquo;s perfectly normal not to have everything figured out. Encourage exploration with a supportive statement like, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s OK not to have one big passion right now. Life is about exploring and trying new things. What&rsquo;s something you&rsquo;ve always been curious about but haven&rsquo;t had the chance to try?&rdquo; Offer to help your teen explore these interests, whether it&rsquo;s signing up for a class together, looking for local clubs or workshops, or simply dedicating time each week to explore different hobbies at home.
Scenario B: Your teen enjoys an activity and shows potential, yet they hesitate to join a competition or work on a more extensive project, possibly due to fear of failure or rejection. Additionally, they express that they simply enjoy the activity &ldquo;for fun,&rdquo; along with the worry that taking things further could destroy their love for the activity.
What you can do: First, validate your teen&rsquo;s need for pure enjoyment, by saying, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s wonderful that you have so much fun with chess.&rdquo; Then, gently introduce the idea that trying new things, like competitions or clubs, doesn&rsquo;t have to diminish the fun. Instead, it can add a new dimension to their hobby. You could say, &ldquo;Exploring competitions or clubs could introduce you to new friends and ideas, and there&rsquo;s always something new to learn, which can be fun in its own way.&rdquo;
You can also acknowledge your teen&rsquo;s fears while offering a balanced view, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s normal to feel nervous about trying something new, especially when it comes to something you love. But remember, every great player started somewhere, and many of them continued because they found joy in improvement and the community around the game.&rdquo;
To balance the need for fun with growth, suggest a trial period or a low-stakes way to participate in something new, by saying, &ldquo;How about we find a casual club where the focus is on enjoyment and learning rather than competing? You don&rsquo;t have to commit right away. Let&rsquo;s just explore and see how it feels.&rdquo;
Want to chat with other parents about secondary school life? Find a conversation to join on the <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewforum.php?f=29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
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How to Boost Your Teen’s Confidence if They’re Not in a Top Secondary School

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<?xml encoding="UTF-8"><html><body><div id="attachment_120136" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120136" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120136 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-800x533.jpg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/pexels-annushka-ahuja-8055796-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px">Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-girl-in-white-top-writing-on-a-notebook-8055796/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pexels</a></div>Is your teen in Secondary 4 this year, and hoping to enter a junior college (better known as JC) after the O-Levels?
Typically, in a cohort of over 20,000 students, <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/half-of-o-level-holders-taking-poly-route-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 40 percent</a> will qualify for a JC, while about half the cohort will eventually be posted to a polytechnic.
Despite the growing popularity of polytechnic courses, we know that some parents and students continue to favour the JC pathway. Why is this so? Most likely, it&rsquo;s because about <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/askst-is-there-a-quota-on-university-places-for-polytechnic-graduates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">70 percent</a> of the JC cohort will proceed to a university after their milestone exams. In comparison, only about 30 percent of polytechnic graduates will go on to a university immediately after earning their diploma.
Does this mean that JCs are for the &lsquo;better&rsquo; students in Singapore? No, not exactly.
On one hand, it&rsquo;s true that the consistent performers in secondary school will probably continue to do well at the A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate exams. However, there are many academically strong students who have a specialised interest, and such students may do better in the polytechnics where they can choose a relevant course.&nbsp;
Some bright students are also hampered by their weaker second language abilities &mdash; heading to the polytechnics can free them from this struggle, so that they can use the time to pursue what they&rsquo;re truly good at.
What about students who are &lsquo;average&rsquo; performers? Will they thrive in a JC setting?
It&rsquo;s difficult to say if the JC environment will suit students who don&rsquo;t have good grades. There is a possibility that it will be two years of academic stress for them, and they may not harbour high hopes of doing well enough at the A-Levels to qualify for a local university. For those who manage to do better than expected, they may not be thrilled with the selection of university courses open to them. Whether this affects their self-esteem or impacts their career development depends on the individual, as well as the support and encouragement of the family.
If you and your teen have decided that a JC is the best option, being aware of the latest JC cut-off points is useful for goal setting, as well as managing expectations. Read on for the information that you need!
<h2>Where can we view the JC cut-off points for 2024?</h2>
<div id="attachment_120139" style="width: 1348px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120139" onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-120139 size-full" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/JC-COP-1-1.png" alt="" width="1338" height="1213" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/JC-COP-1-1.png 1338w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/JC-COP-1-1-800x725.png 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/JC-COP-1-1-320x290.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1338px) 100vw, 1338px"><a href="https://public.tableau.com/shared/J2KTTTGCN?:display_count=n&amp;:origin=viz_share_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View this dashboard in Tableau Public</a></div>
For the most accurate information on JC entry scores, please refer to the Ministry of Education&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Post%20secondary-JC%20school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SchoolFinder website</a>. You can also look for community data, available on <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14b5VLIr9W5teiOp0vCg86B6xxpFiwk8jeIzwbdJmWjU/pubhtml#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Sheets</a> or <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/evelyn.tan.rogers/viz/JCCut-OffPoints/JCCOP?publish=yes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tableau Public</a>. Better still, create your own datasets or visualisations, and share them with others!
<h2>What is the range of JC cut-off points for the 2024 intake?</h2>
Across the 19 JCs that teens can apply to via the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/post-secondary/admissions/jae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joint Admissions Exercise</a>, cut-off points or COPs range from 4 to 20.&nbsp;
Do note that the admission criteria is slightly different for the <a href="https://www.millenniainstitute.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Millennia Institute</a>, which offers a three-year pathway to the A-Levels instead of the usual two years. To qualify for a course at the Millennia Institute, students only need to add up their points for five O-Level subjects, compared to six subjects for a conventional JC.
<h2>What are the top JC courses to apply for?</h2>
According to the 2024 COPs, the hardest courses to qualify for would be:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), IB (4 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hwa Chong Institution, Science (4 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Raffles Institution, Science (4 points)</li>
</ul>
<h2>Which JC courses are easier to get into?</h2>
Millennia Institute aside, these are the JC courses that are easier to qualify for (based on 2024 COPs):
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Yishun-Innova Junior College, Arts (18 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Yishun-Innova Junior College, Science (20 points)</li>
</ul>
Typically, JCs have a more stringent cut-off point for a science course, compared to an arts course. But in Yishun-Innova JC, the arts course is harder to qualify for. That said, the cut-off scores for both its courses are generous, and this makes the JC pathway more accessible to all types of learners.&nbsp;
<h2>How well must my teen do, in order to gain entry to a &lsquo;better&rsquo; JC?</h2>
With the exception of Nanyang Junior College and Victoria Junior College, the &lsquo;top&rsquo; JCs generally do not have affiliation benefits, and they take in students with single-digit O-Level scores.&nbsp;
If your teen is eying the courses favoured by the cream of the crop, they should aim for a &lsquo;raw&rsquo; score of 6 to 8 points &mdash; this is the O-Level score before <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/post-secondary/admissions/jae/junior-colleges-and-millennia-institute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;bonus&rsquo; point deductions</a> for CCA participation and language grades. From our experience, this is also in line with the targets set by students from academically strong secondary schools.
Based on 2024 COPs, these are some courses chosen by students who have done well:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), IB (4 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dunman High School, Science (7 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dunman High School, Arts (8 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Eunoia Junior College, Science (6 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Eunoia Junior College, Arts (7 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hwa Chong Institution, Science (4 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hwa Chong Institution, Arts (5 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">National Junior College, Science (7 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">National Junior College, Arts (8 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Raffles Institution, Science (4 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Raffles Institution, Arts (5 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">St. Joseph&rsquo;s Institution, IB (6 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Temasek Junior College, Science (7 points)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Temasek Junior College, Arts (8 points)</li>
</ul>
This list is not exhaustive &mdash; it does not include JCs with affiliations &mdash; so please look at the <a href="https://www.moe.gov.sg/schoolfinder?journey=Post%20secondary-JC%20school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full list of JCs</a> to see what they can offer your teen. Although cut-off points are an important consideration, there are many other factors to discuss with your teen, such as the school culture, flexibility of subject combinations, and location.
<h2>If my teen doesn&rsquo;t get a single-digit score, what JCs will they be looking at?</h2>
Those with double-digit scores after &lsquo;bonus&rsquo; point deductions can consider applying for these JCs:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anderson Junior College</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Catholic Junior College</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jurong Pioneer Junior College</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Millennia Institute</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">St. Andrew&rsquo;s Junior College (arts)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tampines Meridian Junior College</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Yishun Innova Junior College</li>
</ul>
However, bear in mind that Catholic Junior College and St. Andrew&rsquo;s Junior College have affiliation links to a number of secondary schools, so competition will be stiff when applying for these JCs.

Want to chat with other parents about junior college selection? Join the conversation on the <a href="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&amp;t=67330&amp;start=3910" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KiasuParents forum</a>!
<div id="viz1712019263636" class="tableauPlaceholder" style="position: relative;"><noscript><a href="#"><img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" alt="JC COP " src="https://public.tableau.com/static/images/JC/JCCut-OffPoints/JCCOP/1_rss.png" style="border: none"></a></noscript><object class="tableauViz" style="display: none;" width="300" height="150"><param name="host_url" value="https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F"><param name="embed_code_version" value="3"><param name="site_root" value=""><param name="name" value="JCCut-OffPoints/JCCOP"><param name="tabs" value="no"><param name="toolbar" value="yes"><param name="static_image" value="https://public.tableau.com/static/images/JC/JCCut-OffPoints/JCCOP/1.png"><param name="animate_transition" value="yes"><param name="display_static_image" value="yes"><param name="display_spinner" value="yes"><param name="display_overlay" value="yes"><param name="display_count" value="yes"><param name="language" value="en-US"><param name="filter" value="publish=yes"></object></div>

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Aiming for a Junior College After the O-Levels? What are the JC Cut-Off Points for 2024?

Secondary School Open House 2024: Your Chance to Find Out About Top Schools!

<img onerror="kspReplaceCdn(this)" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-121154" src="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Comeback-video-webinar.jpg.jpeg" alt="" width="1242" height="1236" srcset="https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Comeback-video-webinar.jpg.jpeg 1242w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Comeback-video-webinar.jpg-800x796.jpeg 800w, https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/files/u36736/Comeback-video-webinar.jpg-320x318.jpeg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1242px) 100vw, 1242px" />
COMEBACK&#8217;s annual Parents Webinar about video games is back with its 8th edition on 25 May 2024, Sat morning.
Join in for a morning for all things about video games and your child. Understand your child&#8217;s psyche for gaming and also pick up some strategies. This Parents Webinar is conducted in English with Mandarin simultaneous translation.

25 May 2024 (Sat) 
8.30am-11.30am 
Zoom Webinar 
Free Registration Link: <a href="https://bit.ly/UGGG24IG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://bit.ly/UGGG24IG</a> 
More Info: <a href="https://www.comeback.world/2024/05/01/uggg2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.comeback.world/2024/05/01/uggg2024/</a>

FEATURED PARENTING ARTICLES

PARENTING ARTICLES

KSP 2024 June Holiday Enrichment Guide

Choosing a Primary School in 2024: Are CCAs Important?

Which Poly Courses Should My Teen Choose? What Are The Cut-Off Points?

ACTIVITIES

Parents Webinar: Understanding Games, Gamers and Game Dependency