PSLE Score 2026: AL Bands, Total Score Range & What Each AL Means

The PSLE score in 2026 is the sum of four subject Achievement Levels (AL 1–8), with a total score range of 4 (best, all AL 1s) to 32 (worst, all AL 8s). The Achievement Level system replaced the old T-score in 2021. Lower total = better. Total AL is the direct input to MOE's secondary school posting algorithm under Full Subject-Based Banding (PG1 / PG2 / PG3 — the replacement for Express / Normal Academic / Normal Technical streams from the 2024 Sec 1 cohort).

Use the PSLE Score Calculator to model your child's possible total AL.

PSLE score 2026 at a glance

Higher Mother Tongue does NOT count toward the 4-subject PSLE total — it's used as a tie-breaker at oversubscribed schools and for SAP / HMT eligibility.

For the school-by-school cut-off picture, see the companion PSLE AL Score → Secondary School Probability Map (2026).

The PSLE AL band table for 2026

Each subject's mark falls into exactly one band. There is no "AL 4+" or "AL 5−" — the bands are wholly inclusive at the boundaries.

Total AL score: how it works

Total AL = AL of English + AL of Mother Tongue + AL of Math + AL of Science.

Range: 4 (best) to 32 (worst).

Lower is better. This is the single number that determines secondary school posting.

Worked examples:

Student 1 — Strong all-rounder

• English: 88 → AL 2
• Mother Tongue: 92 → AL 1
• Math: 95 → AL 1
• Science: 87 → AL 2
• Total: 6

Student 2 — Solid average

• English: 75 → AL 4
• Mother Tongue: 70 → AL 5
• Math: 80 → AL 3
• Science: 73 → AL 5
• Total: 17

Student 3 — Needs Express track but borderline

• English: 65 → AL 5
• Mother Tongue: 60 → AL 6
• Math: 72 → AL 5
• Science: 68 → AL 5
• Total: 21

Foundation Level subjects

Foundation Level (taken by students who didn't meet the Standard subject pre-requisite at end of P5) uses different bands:

So a Foundation Math student who scores 80% (AL A in Foundation) is treated as AL 6 in their total AL calculation — the same as a Standard Math student scoring 45–64%.

This conversion means Foundation subjects can never bring a student to AL 1–5, but a strong Foundation performance is recognisably better than a weak Standard one.

Secondary school posting by total AL

Indicative cut-off ranges for the 2025 secondary school exercise (the 2024 cohort's results):

Note: these are indicative. Actual cut-offs vary by school and year. The Ministry of Education publishes school-by-school posting score ranges after each posting exercise.

What's a "good" AL total?

It depends on context. Statistically:

• Top 2% of cohort: total AL 4–7 — typically eligible for IP and the most selective schools
• Top 10%: total AL 4–10 — eligible for IP and most popular Express schools
• Top 25%: total AL 4–13 — eligible for popular Express schools
• Top 50%: total AL 4–17 — most students eligible for Express in good neighbourhood schools
• Bottom half: total AL 18–32 — Express in less competitive schools, or NA / NT

The median is around AL 16–17. The mean is slightly higher (skewed by lower-end results).

Tie-breaking when schools are oversubscribed

When two students have the same total AL but compete for limited school places:

Tier 1 — Citizenship. Singapore Citizens before PRs. PRs before international students.

Tier 2 — Choice order. Students who picked the school as choice 1 before those who picked it as choice 2, etc.

Tier 3 — Computerised ballot. Random selection if all above are tied.

This is why high-performing students and parents obsess over their choice list ordering — the school must be in choice 1 to win in the first tiebreak round.

Bonus points (none anymore)

The old T-score era allowed bonus points for various activities. These were eliminated when AL was introduced. Today, total AL is the only academic input to secondary school posting.

Special schemes that bypass total AL:

• Direct School Admission (DSA): Students with sport / arts / leadership achievements can secure a place in a specific school before PSLE
• Higher Mother Tongue: Students who scored Distinction in HMT may have additional considerations for posting

What if a student misses school by 1 AL point?

Two paths:

1. Appeal: Limited grounds (administrative error, special circumstances). Rarely successful for cut-off appeals.
2. Subsequent pathways: Take Sec 1 Express even at a lower-priority school; transfer to top schools at end of Sec 1 / Sec 2 if academic performance warrants.

Most parents focus on doing well within the assigned school rather than appealing the placement.

Common AL misunderstandings

• Confusing band boundaries. AL 1 starts at 90, not 91. AL 5 starts at 65, not 66.
• Assuming total AL 4 is the only "perfect" score. In subject terms, anyone scoring 90+ in all four gets total 4. There's no extra credit for 100s vs 90s in raw grading.
• Treating Foundation as a fail. Foundation gives a chance for students who'd otherwise score AL 7–8 in Standard. Strong Foundation (AL A) translates to AL 6.
• Comparing to old T-scores. Don't try — they're different metrics. T-score 250 ≈ total AL 8 is very rough; the conversion isn't linear.
• Underestimating AL 5 versus AL 4. AL 4 is 75–79 marks; AL 5 is 65–74 — a much wider band. A small mark difference can shift you between AL 4 and AL 5.

Related calculators and articles

• PSLE Score Calculator
• O-Level Points Calculator
• PSLE AL School Probability Guide
• JC Cut-Off Points 2026

For the official MOE PSLE page, see moe.gov.sg/primary/curriculum/psle.

Sources

• Ministry of Education — PSLE Achievement Level scoring rubric (moe.gov.sg)
• SEAB — PSLE subject-grade band tables
• MOE — Full Subject-Based Banding (FSBB) framework + Posting Group definitions (2024 Sec 1 cohort onwards)
• Audit #7 (MOE / Education, May 2026) — Perplexity Deep Research verification against primary sources