Full Subject–Based Banding (FSBB)
Jurong West Secondary School is one of the 28 secondary schools selected by the Ministry of Education to start piloting aspects of Full Subject-Based Banding (Full SBB) from 2020. It was also reported in the media on 3 September 2019. (read about it here!)
Purpose of Full SBB
With Full SBB, all schools are moving towards one secondary education, with many subject bands, to better meet our students’ learning needs, without labels. This is part of the broader shift in our education system to recognise the strengths and interests of our children, to help them build their confidence and develop an intrinsic motivation to learn for life.
At Jurong West Secondary School, in addition to being able to offer English Language / Mathematics / Science / Chinese Language / Malay Language / Tamil Language, eligible students will be able to offer the Humanities (Geography / History / Literature) at a more demanding level from 2020 onwards.
(I) For students in Sec 1 NA in 2019
Our school will allow Secondary 2 Normal (Academic) students in 2020 the opportunity to take Humanities subjects (Geography/History/Literature) at a more demanding level if they meet the eligibility criteria.
(II) For students in Sec 1 NT in 2020
Our school will allow Secondary 2 Normal (Technical) students in 2021 the opportunity to take Humanities subjects (Geography/History/Literature) at a more demanding level if they meet the eligibility criteria.
(III) For students in Sec 2NA in 2020
Our school will allow Secondary 3 Normal (Academic) students in 2021 the opportunity to take Humanities (Social Studies & Geography/History/Literature elective) at a more demanding level if they meet the eligibility criteria.
By 2021, Jurong West Secondary School will have fully implemented the following aspects of Full SBB:
Offering of Humanities subjects at a more demanding level from Secondary 2; and organising Secondary 1 Form Classes in new ways.
Full SBB Pilot @ Jurong West Secondary School in 2021 – Enhancing the JW Experience for our students
| Option | Level | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Offering of Humanities subjects at a more demanding level from Secondary 2 As part of the pilot, our school will allow Secondary 1 and 2 students the opportunity to take Humanities subjects at a more demanding level if they meet the requirements. This is applicable to students who are in Secondary 1 Normal (Academic), Secondary 1 Normal (Technical) and 2 Normal (Academic) in 2020. |
For Secondary 1 Normal (Academic) students | Eligibility Students who attain an overall of 75% or higher for the specific Humanities subject in Sec 1NA in 2020 will be offered a choice to offer the specific Humanities subject at a more demanding level, that is, at the Express level, in Sec 2 in 2020. Process Eligible students will attend a briefing and thereafter, be issued an offer letter in which they will indicate their decision to accept or reject the offer after discussing with their parents. If the student rejects the offer, the student will continue taking Humanities at the NA level in 2020. Considerations in deciding whether to take Humanities at a more demanding level Taking a subject at a more demanding level would result in a heavier workload and higher assessment standards. In deciding whether to take up the offer, parents and students should consider the aptitude and interest in the specific Humanities subject, as well as the student’s ability to cope with all the other subjects. Support for Students Students who accept the offer will be supported via the provision of a bridging package on Student Learning Space (SLS) as well as close guidance from the respective subject teachers. Should a student be unable to cope, he/she would be advised and guided accordingly. |
| For Secondary 1 Normal (Technical) students | Eligibility Students in 1NT who attain an overall of 75% or higher for English Language (NT) and a Distinction in SS(NT) performance tasks in 2020 will be offered a choice to offer the specific Humanities subject at a more demanding level, that is, at the Normal Academic level, in Sec 2 in 2021. Process Eligible students will attend a briefing and thereafter, be issued an offer letter in which they will indicate their decision to accept or reject the offer after discussing with their parents. If the student rejects the offer, the student will continue take SS(NT) in 2021. Considerations in deciding whether to take Humanities at a more demanding level Taking a subject at a more demanding level would result in a heavier workload and higher assessment standards. In deciding whether to take up the offer, parents and students should consider the aptitude and interest in the specific Humanities subject, as well as the student’s ability to cope with all the other subjects. Support for Students Students who accept the offer will be supported via the provision of a bridging package on Student Learning Space (SLS) as well as close guidance from the respective subject teachers. Should a student be unable to cope, he/she would be advised and guided accordingly. |
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| For Secondary 2 Normal (Academic) students |
Eligibility Students who attain an overall of 75% or higher for the specific Humanities subject in Sec 2NA in 2020 will be offered a choice to offer the specific Humanities subject at a more demanding level, that is, at the Express level, in Secondary 3 in 2021. Process Eligible students will attend a briefing and thereafter, be issued an offer letter in which they will indicate their decision to accept or reject the offer after discussing with their parents. If the student rejects the offer, the student will continue taking Humanities at the Normal (Academic) level at in 2021. Considerations in deciding whether to take Humanities at a more demanding level Taking a subject at a more demanding level would result in a heavier workload and higher assessment standards. In deciding whether to take up the offer, parents and students should consider the aptitude and interest in the specific Humanities subject, as well as the student’s ability to cope with all the other subjects. Support for Students Students who accept the offer will be supported via the provision of a bridging package on Student Learning Space (SLS) as well as close guidance from the respective subject teachers. Should a student be unable to cope, he/she would be advised and guided accordingly which could include taking the subject at the original level, that is, at the Normal (Academic) level. |
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| 2. Organising Secondary 1 Form Classes in new ways | For all Secondary 1 students in 2021 | As part of the pilot, our school will implement reorganised Form Classes at Secondary 1. This is applicable to Secondary 1 students entering our school in 2021. 2021 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 only for the following subjects: Art, Design & Technology, Character and Citizenship Education, Food and Consumer Education, Music, Physical Education as well as our Applied Learning Programme (ALP). For the academic subjects, namely English, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics, Science, and the Humanities, students will be attending lessons based on their subject classes. The subject classes will be organised based on their respectively courses at the NT, NA or Express levels. The common learning experience through the mixed Form Classes provides a valuable setting for students to mingle, build meaningful friendships, and appreciate different perspectives. Whilst helping to reduce any inadvertent labelling associated with streaming. |
For more information on how our school is implementing Full SBB, you can contact us at jwss@moe.edu.sg
The school will also be engaging parents of the cohorts of students who are involved in the pilot.