Full Subject Based Banding

Full SBB in Secondary Schools in 2024

Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) is part of MOE’s ongoing efforts to nurture the joy of learning and develop multiple pathways to cater to the different strengths and interests of our students. With Full SBB, we are moving towards a secondary school education where students learn each subject at the level that best caters to their overall strengths, interests and learning needs.

Full SBB aims for students to:

Have greater ownership of their learning according to their strengths, interests, abilities, talents and learning needs
Develop a growth mindset and an intrinsic motivation to learn for life
Have more opportunities to interact with friends of different strengths, interests, abilities and talents
Have more options for post-secondary pathways, while ensuring they have strong fundamentals and can thrive in their chosen pathway

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Full SBB in Secondary School in 2022

Aspect of Full SBB	How will this aspect be implemented?
Offering of Humanities subjects at a more demanding level from Secondary 2	Our school will provide Secondary 2 students the opportunity to take Humanities subjects at a more demanding level, if they meet subject-specific criteria. This is applicable to students who are in the Secondary 2 Normal (Academic) and from 2022. Eligible students from the 2021 Secondary 1 Normal (Academic) cohort who are promoted to the same course in 2022 will be able to offer Geography or History at a more demanding level. With this increased flexibility in customising our students’ learning experiences, we are better able to recognise their strengths and nurture their intrinsic motivation to learn. Students who wish to be considered to offer Geography or History at a more demanding level will have to meet subject-specific criteria in Secondary 1. They should also possess positive attitude towards learning and strong commitment to offer the subject at a more demanding level.
Mixed form classes with the provision of a common curriculum	As part of the pilot, our school will implement mixed form classes at Secondary 1. This is applicable to Secondary 1 students entering our school in 2022. The 2022 cohort of Secondary 1 students will be grouped in mixed form classes, comprising students from different courses of study. Students will attend lessons in the form classes for the following subjects: Character and Citizenship Education, Music, Physical Education, Art, Design & Technology, as well as Food and Consumer Education. For the academic subjects, namely English, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics and Science, students will be attending lessons based on their subject classes. The subject classes will be organised based on their respective course levels [N(T), N(A) or Express]. The common learning experience through the mixed form classes creates a valuable setting for students to mingle, build meaningful friendships, and appreciate different perspectives. It can also help reduce the inadvertent labelling associated with streaming.

Aspect of Full SBB

How will this aspect be implemented?

Offering of Humanities subjects at a more demanding level from Secondary 2

Our school will provide Secondary 2 students the opportunity to take Humanities subjects at a more demanding level, if they meet subject-specific criteria.
This is applicable to students who are in the Secondary 2 Normal (Academic) and from 2022.
Eligible students from the 2021 Secondary 1 Normal (Academic) cohort who are promoted to the same course in 2022 will be able to offer Geography or History at a more demanding level. With this increased flexibility in customising our students’ learning experiences, we are better able to recognise their strengths and nurture their intrinsic motivation to learn.
Students who wish to be considered to offer Geography or History at a more demanding level will have to meet subject-specific criteria in Secondary 1. They should also possess positive attitude towards learning and strong commitment to offer the subject at a more demanding level.

Mixed form classes with the provision of a common curriculum

As part of the pilot, our school will implement mixed form classes at Secondary 1.
This is applicable to Secondary 1 students entering our school in 2022.
The 2022 cohort of Secondary 1 students will be grouped in mixed form classes, comprising students from different courses of study. Students will attend lessons in the form classes for the following subjects: Character and Citizenship Education, Music, Physical Education, Art, Design & Technology, as well as Food and Consumer Education.
For the academic subjects, namely English, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics and Science, students will be attending lessons based on their subject classes. The subject classes will be organised based on their respective course levels [N(T), N(A) or Express].
The common learning experience through the mixed form classes creates a valuable setting for students to mingle, build meaningful friendships, and appreciate different perspectives. It can also help reduce the inadvertent labelling associated with streaming.

For more information on how our school would implement Full SBB, you can contact Mrs Carol Goh (FSBB Coordinator) at tan_chuen_wei@moe.edu.sg.