A plain-English guide to the most common international school curricula, what they are, how they work, and which might suit your family best.
Curriculum guide
By Aziza Francienne · B2C Marketing Manager
The Singapore national curriculum is run by Singapore's Ministry of Education and is known for academic rigour, especially in mathematics and the sciences. Internationally, a handful of schools (Singapore-affiliated or bilingual schools in Asia) follow it from primary through to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O- and A-Level exams.
Six years, ending with the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Deep foundations in maths (Singapore Maths), English, mother tongue and science.
Streamed into Express, Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical). Ends with GCE O-Level exams at 16, jointly certified with Cambridge Assessment.
Two years of intensive pre-university study leading to Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Levels — the direct entry route to Singaporean universities.
Singapore
Singapore Maths — the model method, concrete-pictorial-abstract progression, bar modelling — is a hallmark. Even schools that don't follow the full Singapore curriculum often adopt its maths approach.
Is Singapore right for your child?
It tends to suit families who…
It may be less ideal if…
Common questions
Find schools
