A Parents’ Guide to Subject-Based Banding for English

A Parents’ Guide to Subject-Based Banding for English

Subject-Based Banding (SBB) can sound complicated, especially when you start hearing about Standard vs Foundation English in primary school and G1, G2, G3 English in secondary school. But once you see why MOE introduced it — to let your child learn English at the level that matches their current strength and still move up when they improve — it becomes a lot more reassuring. This guide explains SBB for English in two parts: Primary (Standard/Foundation) and Secondary (Full SBB: G1, G2, G3), with examples of how tuition in Punggol — especially small-group English like at eduKatePunggol.com — can support your child through every transition. The official explanations from MOE are here: Primary Subject-Based Banding and Full Subject-Based Banding (Secondary). (Ministry of Education)

1. What SBB Really Means for English

In the past, students were largely grouped by overall stream — EM1/2/3 in primary, and Express / Normal (Academic) / Normal (Technical) in secondary. Today, MOE lets students take different subjects at different levels. That means:

  • A child can be strong in English but weaker in Math — so the child can take English at a higher level and Math at a more supported level.
  • A child may start at a supported level, and if results improve, move up the following year.
  • A student’s form class in secondary school is now mixed, but English is still taught at the student’s subject level. (Ministry of Education)

This is very good news for English, because language improves with reading, practice and feedback — and SBB gives time and space for that to happen.

2. SBB for English in Primary School (Standard vs Foundation)

At Primary 5 and 6, your child can take English at either Standard or Foundation level. MOE’s parent page explains this clearly here: https://www.moe.gov.sg/primary/curriculum/subject-based-banding. (Ministry of Education)

Standard English

  • Same as what most children in the level study
  • Prepares well for PSLE Standard English
  • Leads smoothly to secondary schools where English is taken at G2 or G3

Foundation English

  • Same language skills, but in smaller, more supported steps
  • More time to work on grammar, vocabulary, listening and comprehension
  • Ideal for pupils who are strong in some subjects (e.g. Math, Science) but need more time in English

MOE’s goal is not to “label” your child but to help them succeed in every subject, even if the subjects are taken at different levels. A child taking Foundation English can still go to secondary school and, under Full SBB, later offer English at a higher level if they improve. This is stated in school SBB briefings too, e.g. Sengkang Primary’s parent slides: Subject-Based Banding (Primary) — eligibility and movement. (sengkangpri.moe.edu.sg)

Where Punggol English Tuition Helps (Primary):

  • We slow down reading comprehension and teach how to identify main idea, supporting details, and implied meaning.
  • We teach composition in a framework (plan → topic sentence → details → good ending) so even Foundation-level pupils can complete a full piece.
  • Because our classes are 3-pax, we can put Standard and Foundation pupils of the same school but different levels together, and differentiate in-class tasks.
  • Parents can view a primary English version of this at: Primary English Tuition in Punggol — 3 pax classes. (Ministry of Education)

3. SBB for English in Secondary School (Full SBB: G1, G2, G3)

From 2024 Sec 1 onwards, secondary schools no longer stream students as Express / NA / NT. Instead, students are posted by Posting Groups 1, 2, 3 and then offer subjects — including English Language — at G1, G2 or G3 levels. This is the official description: Secondary school experience under Full SBB. (Ministry of Education)

  • G3 English ≈ old Express standard
  • G2 English ≈ old Normal (Academic) standard
  • G1 English ≈ old Normal (Technical) standard

MOE confirms this mapping here: About Full SBB and parents can see it simplified here too: KiasuParents explainer on G1/G2/G3. (Ministry of Education)

Very important for parents:
Your child’s English level is not fixed for four years. If your child does well in G2 English in Sec 1–2, the school can let them offer English at G3 later. This flexibility is exactly what Full SBB was designed to do — stretch strengths, support weaker areas. Schools like Meridian Secondary and Hua Yi Secondary make this clear in their SBB briefings: students can “offer different subjects at G1/G2/G3 according to strength” and “move up later.” (meridiansec.moe.edu.sg)

4. What Is Actually Different in English at G1, G2 and G3?

All three levels will still teach:

  • Listening and viewing
  • Speaking and spoken interaction
  • Reading comprehension of different text types
  • Writing for purpose, audience and context
  • Vocabulary and grammar

…but the depth and complexity change.

G3 English (O-Level standard)

  • Uses the 2020 English Language Syllabus (1184) — you can read the 2026 version here: SEAB English Language 1184 (2026).
  • Longer, denser comprehension passages
  • Visual text analysis (adverts, infographics)
  • Composition: situational + continuous (narrative, discursive, argumentative)
  • Oral requires coherent personal response, opinion and elaboration
    (SEAB)

G2 English (NA-equivalent)

  • Same skills, but scaffolds are heavier
  • Comprehension questions are more guided
  • Writing tasks are purposeful (letters, reports, reflections)
  • Still needs clear grammar and vocabulary
  • 2026 syllabus A is here: SEAB English Language Syllabus A 1190
    (SEAB)

G1 English

  • Very functional, real-life English
  • Heavier focus on understanding instructions, simple texts, and speaking clearly
  • Helps students succeed in vocational and technical pathways
  • Still allows upward movement if the student shows progress

5. How to Tell Which English Level Is Right for Your Child

Most parents in Punggol ask: “My child got AL6 or AL7 in PSLE English — what happens now?”

Here’s a simple way to think about it (actual placement remains the school’s decision, based on overall performance and school-based assessments):

  • Strong PSLE English + good overall score → most likely G3 English
  • Average PSLE English, but strong in other areas → may start with G2 English, with the possibility of moving up
  • Weaker PSLE English, or foundation background → may start at G1/G2, with support

Schools will review students’ performance and can let them take a subject at a more demanding level later — MOE states this clearly in multiple pages: Full SBB main page and CNA explainer on Full SBB. (Ministry of Education)

This is where tuition helps: a tutor who already teaches G1, G2 and G3 students in the same estate can tell very quickly, “Your child can handle G3 comprehension, but writing is still G2 — let’s fix writing first.”

6. Why English Tuition in Punggol Fits SBB So Well

A lot of Punggol families already send their children to small-group tuition because they like the 3-pax format — the tutor can correct grammar on the spot, listen to oral answers one by one, and give targeted reading passages. That format is perfect for SBB, because:

  1. Different levels in the same class — the tutor can give a G3 passage to the stronger student and a G2 version to another, but still teach the same skill (e.g. inference).
  2. Immediate oral practice — hard to do in a class of 40; easy with 3.
  3. Closer to school — since lessons are held near Punggol MRT, your child can attend weekly, which is what language learning needs.
  4. Linked to your own school’s notes — many of our Punggol students come from the same few schools, so we recognise the teachers’ styles and help students respond better.

Parents can see how our secondary English pages are already written for this SBB world:

7. Moving Up in English Under SBB

One thing parents should know: moving up from G2 → G3 (or G1 → G2) is very possible in English, because language can improve faster than content subjects if the child reads, writes and speaks often.

Typical evidence schools look for:

  • Consistent high marks in school-based English assessments
  • Stronger performance in comprehension and summary
  • Better, more controlled writing (less grammar inaccuracy, clearer paragraphing)
  • Positive feedback from the English teacher

If your child is borderline, an external Secondary English Tutor in Punggol can help create a portfolio of improved writings and timed practices that you can discuss with the school. This is exactly what MOE means when it says SBB “caters to different strengths, interests and learning needs”: MOE Full SBB interactive guide. (Ministry of Education)

8. What Parents Can Do at Home

9. When to Consider Punggol English Tuition

  • Your Sec 1/2 child is at G2 and you want them to attempt G3 in upper secondary
  • Your child came from Foundation English in primary and is now finding Sec 1 English fast
  • Your child is good verbally but weak in formal writing
  • Your child will sit for O-Level English in 2026 and needs consistent, weekly writing practice
  • You want a centre that is already teaching Full SBB students and understands the new postings

In those cases, enrolling in a 3-pax small-group class near Punggol MRT — like those on https://edukatepunggol.com/ and https://edukatesingapore.com/homepage/ — gives your child regular exposure to exam-style English and a tutor who can report progress to you. (Ministry of Education)

10. The Big Picture

Subject-Based Banding for English is not a downgrade of standards. It is Singapore’s way of saying: “We want every child to learn good English, but we accept that children learn at different paces.” At primary level, that shows up as Standard vs Foundation. At secondary level, it becomes G1, G2, G3. Your job as a parent is to make sure your child:

  1. Is placed at the level where they can succeed now
  2. Gets enough support (school + small-group tuition) to improve
  3. Has the opportunity to move up when ready
  4. Knows what the 2026 English papers will look like

Punggol already has the right ecosystem for this — strong schools, a young population, and tuition centres that teach in 3-student groups close to the MRT. With that support, SBB becomes not something to fear, but something your child can use to get to O-Level English — and to get there confidently.

For more information or to place your child in a Punggol English class tailored to their G1/G2/G3 level, visit https://edukatepunggol.com/.

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