If your child is unwell before a PSLE paper, contact the school promptly and explain which component is affected. If the child has already sat the paper while unwell or has missed it, contact the school immediately for advice. SEAB directs PSLE families to their school in both situations.
Give the school the paper date and component, whether the child started or completed it, and what happened. Ask what the school needs from you today, including whether any official application and supporting documents are relevant. Follow medical advice about your child’s health.
- Before the paper, contact the school and identify the component.
- During the paper, the student should tell an invigilator if they become unwell.
- After an affected or missed paper, contact the school promptly.
- Ask which documents are required and when the school needs them.
My child is sick before the PSLE paper
Use the contact route given in your school’s examination instructions. Identify the student and paper through that official channel. Say when the paper is due and whether you are already seeking medical care. Ask who will coordinate the next steps and how you should update them if circumstances change.
An example message is “My child is scheduled for PSLE Mathematics Paper 1 this morning and is unwell. We are seeking medical advice. Could you tell me who is coordinating exam-day cases and what information you need from us today?” Use the school’s private channel for health documents.
If several components take place on the same day, discuss each one. An update about a morning sitting may leave the school unsure what will happen with a later sitting. Ask how to keep the school informed and how to confirm the plan for any remaining component.
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My child became unwell during the paper
A student who becomes unwell during the examination should alert an invigilator and follow directions. A simple sentence is enough to get help. “I’m feeling unwell and need assistance.” The student can describe the problem when asked, without having to work out the administrative process in the exam room.
After the paper, contact the school promptly. Explain whether the student finished, stopped or needed assistance. Where possible, separate what the student remembers from details the examination staff can confirm. That keeps the account clear even if nobody remembers the exact minute.
Suppose a student felt unwell midway through a paper, alerted the invigilator, and continued. The parent can say which paper it was, when the problem became apparent and what the child was able to do. The school can then explain whether further information or an application is relevant.
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My child missed the PSLE paper
Contact the school immediately and ask about the applicable procedure. Identify each missed component. Write down the name of the person handling the case and the time by which the family needs to provide an update or document.
If a clinician has already issued a document, tell the school what it covers. Ask what else the school needs and how it should receive it. If there are later papers, ask how to handle them separately as the child’s circumstances become clearer.
Keep the school updated when the expected dates change. This matters when a document covers one paper but the child is still unwell when the next paper approaches. Verify what the school needs for each affected date.
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What special consideration means for this decision
Special consideration is a formal examination process. A family reporting illness should ask the school whether a request is appropriate for the facts of the case and what rules apply to that year’s PSLE. A medical document can support an application. The outcome depends on the applicable rules and review.
Access arrangements are a separate process for examination support. If the student already has an approved arrangement related to the condition, tell the school what was approved and for which component. SEAB publishes rules on when special consideration is unavailable for the same condition.
Ask the school two concrete questions. “Does this situation fall under the current PSLE process?” and “What does the school need from us, and by when?” These questions are more useful than trying to apply a rule from a different national examination.
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What to check about medical documents
SEAB’s illness guidance for special consideration describes a medical document with a diagnosis from a qualified medical professional registered with the Singapore Medical Council. The document should be dated on or before the affected exam date and cover the affected assessment dates. SEAB also asks for information about how the illness affected participation or performance.
Check the date, the assessment period covered and the school’s instructions for submission. The school can explain which detail goes in the medical document and which detail it needs separately from the family. Keep medical information within the official process.
A useful written account is short and factual. Record the paper, whether the student sat it, and what changed because of the illness. Keep a copy of your communications and any acknowledgement so you can answer a follow-up without reconstructing the whole morning.
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Frequently asked questions
Should we wait until the full PSLE is over before telling the school?
SEAB directs students who missed a PSLE examination or sat under adverse circumstances to approach their school immediately.
Can the parent submit directly as a private candidate?
For this PSLE guide, start with the child’s school. The private-candidate procedures for other examinations are a different route.
What if the child finished the paper?
Tell the school if the student sat under adverse circumstances. Explain what happened and let the school advise on the applicable procedure.
What if the problem was an MRT disruption?
Follow the exam-day train disruption guide for the transport procedure.
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Official information and next reading
Consult the SEAB PSLE Rules and Regulations for the examination year and its official FAQs about illness and special consideration. Guidance checked on 8 November 2026.
For support arranged in advance, read the SEAB access arrangements guide.