Cut Off Point 2023: Singapore Secondary School COPs & PSLE Scores

The cut off point 2023 refers to the PSLE score of the last student posted to a Singapore secondary school during the 2023 Secondary 1 intake. These figures were based on the 2022 PSLE cohort, and they were expressed using the PSLE Achievement Level (AL) scoring system. For parents comparing Singapore secondary schools, the 2023 secondary school COP provides a useful historical reference when reviewing school choices and past S1 Posting outcomes. But a COP is not a guaranteed admission score for a later intake. MOE explains that PSLE score ranges are based on the previous cohort’s results and school choice patterns, while the actual COP is determined after the S1 Posting Exercise.

TL;DR: Cut Off Point 2023 at a Glance

The 2023 COP was the PSLE score of the last student posted to a school during the 2023 Secondary 1 intake. It was based on the 2022 PSLE cohort, with different schools and programmes recording different COPs. A historical COP can help parents compare past admission outcomes, but it does not guarantee admission to the same school in a future S1 Posting Exercise.

What Was the Cut Off Point 2023 for Singapore Secondary Schools?

There was no single secondary school cut off point 2023 for all of Singapore. Each school, course or programme could have a different PSLE score range, depending on the students who applied and were posted during that year’s S1 Posting Exercise.
The COP refers specifically to the PSLE score of the last student posted to the relevant school or course. MOE describes PSLE score ranges as the scores of the first and last students admitted, with the last student’s score forming the COP. These figures are reference points based on the previous year’s P6 cohort rather than fixed admission thresholds set before posting takes place.
The PSLE uses the Achievement Level system, so a student’s overall score is different from the old T-score system. A lower numerical AL score represents a stronger PSLE result. For the 2023 intake, families were comparing their child’s PSLE score with the historical score ranges from the 2022 cohort.
That distinction matters. A PSLE cut off point should not be read as “you must score this number or you cannot enter.” A school with a COP of 8, for example, had a last student posted with that score for the relevant intake. It does not establish a permanent minimum score for future applicants.
The term indicative COP is useful because previous figures can show how admission looked in a particular year without promising the same outcome later.

Secondary School Cut Off Points 2023

The table below shows selected Singapore secondary school cut off point 2023 figures for the 2023 Secondary 1 intake. The data covers several well-known IP and SAP schools and shows how the historical COP differed between programmes. The 2023 figures relate to the 2022 PSLE cohort.

The 2023 figures show why searching for one nationwide secondary school COP can be misleading. Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls’ School and Methodist Girls’ School had a historical COP of 6, while several IP schools recorded 7 or 8, with some SAP schools showing an HCL grade alongside the AL score.

For example, Nanyang Girls’ High School recorded 7D, while Hwa Chong Institution and CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School recorded 7M. Catholic High School and Dunman High School recorded 8M. These letters are relevant because HCL can provide a posting advantage for SAP schools when students have the same PSLE Score.
The figures should also be read alongside the programme listed. An IP, IB or SAP programme can have different admission circumstances from another course within the same school. Affiliation can also produce different PSLE score ranges for affiliated and non-affiliated applicants.
And the historical COP is only one part of the picture. Parents may also want to compare the school’s programmes, subjects, CCAs, location, school culture and the child’s interests before deciding how to use an old PSLE score range.

What Do 7D, 7M and 8M Mean in the 2023 COP?

You may see letters such as D, M or P beside the PSLE AL score in historical COP tables, particularly for SAP schools. These letters refer to the student’s Higher Chinese Language (HCL) grade. MOE defines D as Distinction, M as Merit and P as Pass.
Under the PSLE posting system, students who take HCL can receive a posting advantage for SAP schools. If students have the same PSLE Score and are competing for limited places, students with better HCL grades are considered ahead in the order of Distinction, Merit and Pass.

So, 7D cut off point 2023 does not simply mean “AL 7.” The D provides additional information about the HCL grade associated with the historical posting outcome. The same applies to 7M and 8M.

Does Meeting the 2023 COP Guarantee Admission?

No. A historical COP does not guarantee admission.
The 2023 COP represents the last student posted during that particular S1 Posting Exercise. Future applicants are part of a different PSLE cohort, and their school choices, scores and available places can produce a different COP. MOE states that the current year’s COP is only known after the S1 posting process has ended.
Student choices can also affect the outcome. Where students have the same PSLE Score and citizenship status and are competing for the last available place, school choice order can be used as a tie-breaker, followed by computerised balloting.
For SAP schools, HCL grades can also matter when students have the same PSLE Score. That is why parents should treat an old indicative COP as a reference rather than a guaranteed admission score.

How Parents Can Use the 2023 COP When Choosing a School

The 2023 cut off point can still be useful when a parent wants to understand how a school performed in a particular S1 Posting Exercise. A simple approach is:

1. Check the child’s PSLE AL score. Start with the overall score rather than looking only at one subject.
2. Compare it with historical COPs. Look at several past years where the data is available instead of relying on one number.
3. Check the school’s programme. IP, SAP, IB and other programme arrangements can affect how a COP should be interpreted.
4. Consider affiliation and HCL where relevant. Affiliated and non-affiliated applicants may have different score ranges, while HCL can affect posting priority for SAP schools.
5. Compare multiple school choices. Students can list six secondary school choices, and choice order can matter in specific tie situations.
6. Check the latest MOE information. SchoolFinder provides information on schools, locations, CCAs, subjects and programmes, making it useful when moving from historical data to current school selection.

This approach keeps the PSLE score for secondary school in context. A historical number can narrow a shortlist, but school fit, programme offerings, location and current admission information also deserve attention.

Is the 2023 COP Still Relevant Today?

The 2023 COP remains useful as historical data because it shows the PSLE score range associated with the 2023 Secondary 1 intake, which was based on the 2022 PSLE cohort. It can help families understand how admission patterns looked at that time.
But families applying for a later intake should not use the 2023 figure as a fixed current admission score. MOE states that PSLE score ranges are based on the previous cohort’s results and school choice patterns, while the actual COP is established after the relevant S1 Posting Exercise.
For current school choices, check the latest MOE SchoolFinder information and current PSLE score ranges.

FAQs About Cut Off Point 2023

What does cut off point 2023 mean?

Cut off point 2023 refers to the PSLE score of the last student posted to a secondary school during the 2023 Secondary 1 intake. It is a historical admission reference, not a permanent minimum score for future applicants.

Was the 2023 secondary school COP based on the 2022 PSLE?

Yes. The 2023 Secondary 1 intake used the previous year’s PSLE cohort, so the historical 2023 COP data relates to the 2022 PSLE cohort.

What is the PSLE cut off point for secondary schools?

There is no single PSLE cut off point for every secondary school. Each school’s score range can differ by school, course or programme, and the COP refers to the score of the last student posted for that intake.

What do 7D and 7M mean?

The number is the student’s PSLE Achievement Level score, while D means Distinction and M means Merit in Higher Chinese Language. HCL grades can provide a posting advantage for SAP schools when students have the same PSLE Score.

Can a secondary school COP change every year?

Yes. A secondary school COP can change between posting exercises because the relevant cohort’s PSLE results, school choices and available places can differ. MOE notes that the actual COP is determined only after the S1 Posting Exercise has taken place.

Conclusion

The cut off point 2023 data gives parents a useful snapshot of admission outcomes for Singapore secondary schools during the 2023 Secondary 1 posting exercise. It shows the historical PSLE AL scores of the last students posted and, for some SAP schools, the associated HCL grades. Those figures can help families compare past school choices and understand previous admission patterns. But a historical COP is not a fixed admission requirement. For a later intake, parents should use the latest MOE information, current PSLE score ranges and the child’s actual school choices when assessing secondary school options.