Primary One Math: Changes that Singapore Parents Need To Know

Singapore’s education system places great emphasis on Math, recognizing its importance in developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. In recent years, the Primary One Math syllabus has undergone significant changes to improve the learning experience of students. These changes aim to strike a better balance between content and skills, providing a strong foundation for students to excel in Math and in life.

These changes are essential to ensure that Singapore’s students are equipped with the necessary skills to excel in Math and in life. It’s vital for parents and educators to start building a strong foundation and interest in Math from a young age. With a solid foundation and interest in Math, your child can develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which will benefit them not only academically but also in their future careers. The changes in the Primary One Math syllabus are a step in the right direction towards achieving this goal.

Parents, are you aware of the changes being implemented and how will it affect your child? If you want to seek further clarifications, look no further. We’re here for you!

What every Primary One Math student needs to know (Taken from MOE)

1. Numbers and Algebra

• Sub-Strand: Whole Numbers
  • Numbers up to 100
  • Addition and subtraction
  • Multiplication and division
• Sub-Strand: Money

2. Measurement and Geometry

• Sub-Strand: Measurement
  • Length
  • Time

• Sub-Strand: Geometry
  • 2D Shapes

3. Statistics

• Sub-Strand: Data Representation and Interpretation
  • Picture Graphs

4 Major Changes in the Primary One Math Syllabus that Singapore Parents Need To Know

1. FOUR ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS (ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, MULTIPLICATION, DIVISION) & MONEY

Added new skills to learn:

• Your child will no longer be limited to 1-step problem problems. They may required to think ahead and come up with more than one step to solve the problem.

2. LENGTH

Added new skills to learn:

• Measuring lengths in centimetres
• Use of units “cm”.
• Comparing and ordering lengths in “cm”
• Measuring and drawing a line segment to the nearest cm

3. TIME

Added new skills to learn:

• Telling time to the nearest 5 minutes. (Previously students were taught to tell to the nearest half hour)
• Use of “am” and pm”
• Use of units “h” and “min”
• Understand what does one hour/half hour means

4. 2D SHAPES

Added new skills to learn: 

• Identifying, naming, describing and classifying half circle and quarter circle
• Knowing how many sides and vertices does a shape has
• Forming different 2D shapes with shapes like rectangles, squares, triangle, half circle and quarter circles
• Identifying 2D shapes that make up a given figure
• Copying figures on dot grid or square grid

What are the implications of the changes to the Primary One Math Curriculum?

So, what will this change mean for your Primary One child?

What is essentially happening is that many topics taught at the higher levels are “pushed-down”. For example, many topics that were previously taught in P2 and P3 are now introduced in P1 and P2, respectively.

This change aims to create a smoother transition between levels, preventing large leaps in difficulty, particularly from Primary 5 to 6. The goal is to help students better manage their learning curve and adapt to new challenges more effectively.

One of the changes in the Primary 1 Math syllabus is incorporating units into the topic of length at a young age. This equips students with the knowledge of which units are needed for which topic, enabling them to apply this knowledge when they move on to more advanced topics. For example, understanding that the measurement for length is in cm allows students to grasp that the perimeter will also be measured in cm since it’s the same as length.

On the flip side of things, the increase in the number of topics would also mean a heavier study load for students. Teachers and parents must work closely together with students to acahieve academic success. Close monitoring and guidance are necessary to prevent students from losing interest in Math due to an overload of information, leading to a loss of confidence and feelings of lagging behind.

So do start building your child’s interest and foundation in Math early on. When a child has a solid foundation and interest in a subject, learning and mastering it become more manageable. Therefore, it’s vital to start cultivating an interest in Math with your child from a young age.

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