the world in a different light
Interactive tool that lets users visualise trends in Singapore secondary school cut-off points and PSLE candidature.
Affiliated lines use solid style; non-affiliated lines use dashed style. The PSLE cohort appears for context.
Use the checkbox to select schools to display in the chart. Click on headers to sort.
Using the chart below as an example, the overall trend suggests an inverse relationship between PSLE cohort size and Secondary One cut-off points: when the cohort size is larger, cut-off points tend to be lower, and when the cohort is smaller, cut-off points tend to rise. This can be explained by basic demand-and-supply effects. In years such as 2024, where the PSLE cohort peaks at around 40,894 pupils, the increased supply of students competing for a fixed number of places leads to cut-off points easing or remaining lower across schools. Conversely, in years like 2022, when the cohort size dips significantly, competition for popular schools intensifies, pushing cut-off points upwards despite fewer candidates overall. While individual schools may deviate due to reputation, affiliation, or programme offerings, the chart illustrates that cohort size provides an important macro-level pressure shaping cut-off trends across the system.
