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Integrated Programme (IP) Schools: A Guide for PSLE Parents
What is the Integrated Programme (IP)?
The Integrated Programme (IP) is a six-year secondary school pathway designed for Singapore’s academically strong students, typically the top 10% of the PSLE cohort. Its key feature is that students bypass the O-Level examination, proceeding directly to a pre-university qualification like the A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
First implemented by MOE in 2004, the IP was created to give high-achieving students more time and space for broader learning. Without the need to prepare for a major national exam in their fourth year, schools can design a more enriched curriculum. This often includes research projects, leadership camps and overseas immersion programmes.
How Does My Child Get Into an IP School?
Admission into any of the secondary schools with an IP programme is extremely competitive. While academic results are the primary factor, Direct School Admission (DSA) also provides an important entry route.
PSLE Score Requirements
Since the new Achievement Level (AL) scoring system began in 2021, entry requirements have become even more stringent. To have a realistic chance, a student generally needs a PSLE Score of 9 or better. The exact cut-off point (COP) varies by school and by year but aiming for a score between AL 4 and AL 9 is a common benchmark.
If multiple students with the same score are competing for the last spot, MOE uses a series of tie-breakers: citizenship, then the order of school choice and finally computerised balloting.
Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec)
A significant portion of students enter IP schools through the DSA exercise. This pathway allows schools to select students based on specific talents in areas like sports, performing arts or academic domains like Science and Mathematics. It is important to remember that a successful DSA application is a firm commitment, students are not allowed to participate in the S1 Posting Exercise or transfer to another school.
What Are The Different Types of Integrated Programme Schools?
Not all IP pathways are the same. They generally fall into two categories: 'Pure IP' schools which offer a seamless six-year experience within one institution or family of schools and 'Dual Track' schools which involve a partnership between a secondary school and a separate junior college.
The Raffles Institution IP programme for instance is a pure IP pathway where boys from the secondary section join girls from Raffles Girls' School at the co-ed Raffles Institution JC section. In contrast the CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School IP programme is part of an alliance that moves on to Eunoia Junior College.
A Look at IP School Pathways
Here is a breakdown of the current Integrated Programme schools and their post-secondary pathways. This distinction is crucial as it affects campus culture, curriculum continuity and the final qualification your child will receive. You can access the admission criteria cut-off points to decide on which school to opt for.
| IP School | Gender Focus | Pathway Type | Post-Secondary Qualification / Partner JC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure IP / Integrated 6-Year Programme | |||
| Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) | Girls | Integrated 6-year (Raffles Programme) | A-Levels (Raffles Institution JC Section) |
| Raffles Institution | Boys (Sec) Co-ed (JC) | Integrated 6-year (Raffles Programme) | A-Levels (Raffles Institution JC Section) |
| Nanyang Girls' High School | Girls | Integrated 6-year (Hwa Chong Programme) | A-Levels (Hwa Chong Institution JC Section) |
| Hwa Chong Institution | Boys/Co-ed (Sec) Co-ed (JC) | Integrated 6-year (Hwa Chong Programme) | A-Levels (Hwa Chong Institution JC Section) |
| Dunman High School | Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | A-Levels |
| River Valley High School | Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | A-Levels |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | Boys/Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma |
| St. Joseph's Institution | Boys/Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma |
| National Junior College (IP) | Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | A-Levels (National Junior College) |
| Temasek Junior College (IP) | Co-ed | Integrated 6-year | A-Levels (Temasek Junior College) |
| Dual Track / 4-Year IP + Partner Junior College | |||
| Victoria School | Boys | 4-year IP to Partner JC (Victoria-Cedar Alliance) | A-Levels (Victoria Junior College) |
| Cedar Girls' Secondary School | Girls | 4-year IP to Partner JC (Victoria-Cedar Alliance) | A-Levels (Victoria Junior College) |
| Catholic High School | Boys | 4-year IP to Partner JC (Eunoia JC Alliance) | A-Levels (Eunoia Junior College) |
| CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | Girls | 4-year IP to Partner JC (Eunoia JC Alliance) | A-Levels (Eunoia Junior College) |
Is the IP Right for My Child?
The MOE IP programme offers a fantastic opportunity for students who are self-directed, curious and thrive on intellectual challenge. The pace can be demanding and the lack of the O-Level safety net means it suits students who are consistently high performers. Some parents worry about the rigour but the goal is not just about academic acceleration. It is about developing critical thinking and a deeper passion for learning that goes far beyond the standard curriculum. Ultimately the choice between the IP and the O-Level route depends entirely on your child's learning style, maturity and academic readiness.
You can read more on IP vs O level before you decide whether IP is the right path for your child.
