What Happens When My Child Enters PG2 in Secondary School?

A Parent’s Guide to: A Parent’s Guide to: What Happens When My Child Enters PG2 in Secondary School?

From 2024 onwards, Singapore removed the old Express / Normal (Academic) / Normal (Technical) streams and replaced them with Posting Groups (PG1, PG2, PG3) under Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB). If your child’s PSLE score places them in Posting Group 2 (PG2), you’re in the middle band — not the “lowest”, not the “top”, but a very flexible position where your child can still take more demanding subjects, move up later, and qualify for a wide range of post-secondary pathways. You can see MOE’s official explanation here: Secondary school experience under Full SBB. (Ministry of Education)

This guide is for parents who asked, “My child was posted to PG2 — what does that actually mean? Will he/she be at a disadvantage?” Short answer: No — PG2 is a normal, expected posting for PSLE scores around 21–24, and the system is designed so that students can rise to G3 in their stronger subjects and stay at G2 for subjects that need more time. PG2 is about fit, not a label for life. (marsilingsec.moe.edu.sg)

1. What PG2 Actually Means

Under the new posting system:

  • PG1 ≈ students whose PSLE score suggests starting most subjects at G1
  • PG2 ≈ students whose PSLE score suggests starting most subjects at G2
  • PG3 ≈ students whose PSLE score suggests starting most subjects at G3

This is shown clearly in parent briefings from MOE schools: students with PSLE 23–24 are typically posted to PG2 and start secondary school taking most subjects at G2. Some with PSLE 21–22 can be posted to PG2 or PG3 depending on choices. (marsilingsec.moe.edu.sg)

MOE also says very plainly: posting groups are for admission and to guide subject levels at the start; they do not define your child’s identity and do not block post-secondary pathways. You can read this in the 2025 Sec 1 PDF here: Secondary School Experience and Post-Secondary Pathways under Full SBB. (Ministry of Education)

2. What Subjects Your Child Will Take in Sec 1 (PG2)

When your child enters Sec 1 in PG2, the school will usually place them in these subject levels:

  • English Language – G2
  • Mother Tongue Language – G2
  • Mathematics – G2
  • Science – G2
  • Humanities – G2 (for Lower Sec, this is often a common Humanities curriculum)

This is the “indicative level” MOE talks about — schools use the posting group to start your child at a level where they are likely to cope. See this example from a secondary school’s FSBB briefing: Full SBB Parents Engagement (Marsiling Sec). (marsilingsec.moe.edu.sg)

However — and this is the part many parents miss — PG2 students can offer some subjects at G3 immediately if they scored well for that subject at PSLE (e.g. AL 5 or better for EL or Math). A good example is in CHIJ’s 2025 S1 briefing, where a PG2 student starts English at G3 while keeping the rest at G2. (chijsec.edu.sg)

So PG2 does not mean “must take everything at G2”. It means, “Start most subjects at G2, and stretch upwards where ready.”

3. Your Child Will Be in a Mixed Form Class

Under Full SBB, Sec 1 form classes are deliberately mixed — PG1, PG2 and PG3 in the same classroom for form teacher time and common curriculum subjects (Art, D&T, Music, PE, CCE, etc.). This is to break the old “streamed” identity and give students a more inclusive experience. MOE explains this here: What are Posting Groups? What will my subject levels be?. (Ministry of Education)

So you may find your child in the same class as:

  • a PG3 classmate taking Math at G3
  • a PG1 classmate taking English at G1
  • your own child taking English at G2 but MTL at G3

This is normal in 2026. Academically different students share a form class, but go to different subject classes when periods start.

4. Can My PG2 Child Move to G3 Later?

Yes. This is one of the biggest reasons Full SBB was introduced. MOE’s 2025 parent briefings make it clear: students can later take subjects at a more demanding level if they show strong performance and their teachers assess them as ready. See: MOE: What you need to know about Full SBB. (Ministry of Education)

This usually happens in 2 ways:

  1. At the start of Sec 1 — when a PG2 child’s PSLE subject grade is strong (e.g. AL 5 in Math), the school can offer Math at G3 right away.
  2. After Sec 1 / mid-year / end-of-year — when the child does well in that subject, teachers can recommend “offer at G3”. The school will check readiness, attitude and overall workload.

What parents can do: support the child in one or two subjects to stretch first — usually English or Mathematics — and keep the rest at G2 so workload stays healthy.

This is where external support like a small-group centre in Punggol helps, because tutors can prepare students ahead of the school’s G3 content. For example:

Find out about our latest available G2 Tutorials here:

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5. What Is the Workload Like for a PG2 Student?

A PG2 timetable looks just like any other Sec 1 timetable — English, MTL, Math, Science, Humanities, CCE, PE, CCA. The difference is in the level of demand of the subject work, not the number of periods. Schools also make sure that core subjects (English, Math, Science, MTL) are taught at the right pace for that level. (Ministry of Education)

What parents usually notice:

  • English G2: more scaffolds for writing, more guided comprehension
  • Math G2: same topics as G3 but sometimes with less depth or fewer extensions; still needs understanding
  • Science G2: same inquiry approach, but assignments are more manageable
  • Humanities G2: students may take a combined Humanities at a level matched to them; PG2 and PG3 still learn History / Geography / Literature at lower secondary, but assessed at their level. See the KiasuParents explanation here: Understanding G1, G2 and G3 levels. (kiasuparents.com)

If your child is already getting C grades in G2, you should intervene early — G2 is already the “right fit”, so persistent low marks mean there are real gaps (vocabulary, writing structure, algebra basics). This is where targeted Punggol tuition in 3-pax groups is useful:

6. Does PG2 Affect Post-Secondary Pathways?

No — not by itself. MOE is very clear in its Full SBB timeline: from 2027, all students (PG1–PG3) will sit for a common national examination and receive a common national certification. What will matter then will be the subjects they took, at what level, and how well they performed — not the posting group they started with. You can read this on MOE’s Full SBB main page: https://www.moe.gov.sg/microsites/psle-fsbb/full-subject-based-banding/main.html. (Ministry of Education)

So a PG2 student who:

  • takes English at G3 in upper sec,
  • takes Math/Science at G3,
  • and does well in Humanities at G2,

can still qualify for the same post-secondary courses as a PG3 student, because admissions will look at subject level and grade.

This is why securing strong English and Math from Sec 1 is important — these are the easiest subjects to stretch to G3, and tuition can accelerate this in Punggol.

7. What Parents Should Do in Sec 1 (PG2)

  1. Read the school’s own FSBB slides. Almost every secondary school now publishes a version similar to:
  1. Identify the strong subjects (e.g. your child got AL 4–5 for English or Math at PSLE). Ask the school if they can start at G3, or prepare to request an upward offer after Term 1.
  2. Support the weak subjects with tuition — especially if English vocabulary, writing, or Secondary Math algebra looks overwhelming. Small-group Punggol classes like these are ready for Full SBB:
  1. Watch the mid-year results. If your PG2 child is scoring at the top of the G2 cohort, that is the right time to ask about offering a subject at G3.
  2. Keep co-curriculars strong. Under the new system, schools still look at behaviour, attendance and CCA — students who are coping well overall are better candidates to take subjects at a more demanding level.

8. How Tuition in Punggol Fits into the PG2 Journey

At eduKate Punggol, we already teach students from different Posting Groups in the same 3-pax class — which is exactly how Sec 1 form classes work now. So PG2 students do not feel stigmatised; they are used to learning next to PG3-level topics, and we simply differentiate by task:

  • PG3 student: full O-Level style comprehension / algebra / extended task
  • PG2 student: same topic, tighter scaffolds, model answers, more guided paragraphing
  • PG1 student: core concepts, vocabulary, and a little stretch

Parents can view how we describe this mixed-ability approach here:

Because we are near Punggol MRT, students from Sengkang, Compassvale and even Pasir Ris can join without long travel, which keeps attendance steady — a big factor in whether a PG2 student can move up to G3.

9. The Heart of the Message to Parents

  • PG2 is not a dead end. It is the middle lane designed to let your child push higher in their best subjects.
  • Your child can still study at G3. Either immediately (if PSLE subject was strong) or later (if Sec 1 results show potential).
  • Your child will be in a mixed class. Don’t panic if classmates have different Posting Groups — that is how 2026 secondary schools are designed.
  • Results still matter. The national exam in 2027 onwards will be common, so doing well in the subject — whatever its level — remains key.
  • Early support works. A 3-pax, MOE-aligned class in your area, like those at eduKatePunggol.com and eduKateSingapore.com, can help your PG2 child close gaps fast and be ready to attempt G3.

If your child has just received a PG2 posting, the correct response is not worry — it is to plan. Understand which subjects can be stretched, keep English and Math strong, and work with the school and your tutor to move upwards when the opportunity comes. That is exactly what Full SBB was meant to let your child do.

What is Full SBB for Mathematics?