At SST, we believe that every student has the capacity for imagination and innovation. It is our task to fan the flames of curiosity, so our students will develop an entrepreneurial mindset ready to challenge and change the world of tomorrow. We believe in helping our students reach across disciplines so they can apply what they have learnt to serve Singapore and the world in the 21st century. Read more here.

We believe that ‘No child should be left behind’. We value pastoral and supportive learning environment, high academic achievement, balanced and wholesome socio-emotional physical and leadership development; and instil a culture of continuous and independent/collaborative learning, the culture of excellence in all that we do.

SST accepts an annual intake of about 220 Secondary 1 students each year. The school also has a second insertion point at Secondary 3.

Applicants are assessed on both academic achievements and cognitive abilities based on academic track records and other accomplishments. We aim to engage our students through applied learning approaches. Shortlisted candidates will have to participate in a selection camp and be assessed for their suitability to work and learn in the fast-paced and rigorous environment of the school. Lastly, candidates’ proclivity and passion for areas related to mathematics, science and technology may be gauged through their CCA involvement and personal statements. Students who have done well in Science, Technology, Engineering, Aesthetics and Mathematics (STEAM) competitions may be considered favourably for admission.

Click here for more information on SST’s selection criteria.

SST admits all our students through the Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec) exercise, which means that we do not participate in the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise during the Post-PSLE period.

Students who apply through DSA-Sec must qualify for Express course of study for entry into SST.

Shortlisted DSA applicants who sat for the SST Phase 1 test will be evaluated and selected participants will be invited for the SST Phase 2 test, where they will be assessed based on their aptitudes for applied learning. The session normally consists of activities which provide opportunities for in-depth evaluation of each candidate’s aptitudes and capabilities.

The application is free-of-charge. For more details, please refer to MOE website – https://www.moe.gov.sg/secondary/dsa/

Read about the selection criteria here.

Students who are not studying in MOE schools have to approach MOE CSC to get a unique registration number for Direct School Admission – Secondary applications. This is required for them to complete their applications to all DSA-Sec schools through the online DSA Portal.

Please note the age requirement for Secondary 1 (S1) admission. Non-SC/SPR students must be between 12 and 14+ years old as at 1st January of the year of S1 admission.

SST students will be well prepared for the O-levels as they will be equipped with strong foundations in the core subjects of the languages, Mathematics, Humanities and Sciences. Rigour in academic content will not be compromised as we engage students in challenging school activities.

Taught using applied learning methodologies, students will be able to grasp concepts better and see how these are relevant and applicable in a real-world context. SST believes that applied learning will facilitate students’ deep understanding and hence the application of theories and concepts.

The school is cognizant of the demands of project work and disciplinary academic work and is continuously monitoring and keeping the balance between the two. Our belief is that the work given to students should be worth doing.

Applied Subjects are O-level examinable subjects. Students taking Applied Subjects will then take fewer of the other O-level subjects. SST students will still offer E and A Mathematics, and pure science subjects at O-levels.

SST’s 4-year curriculum is an exciting journey of discovery. There are so many programmes spanned over the years that are available for the entire cohort leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Levels. The school also adopts the use of applied learning pedagogies, which help students build strong foundations in key academic areas, as well as competencies for real-world problem solving.

For example, in Secondary 2, students go through the Investigative Skills in Science (ISS) programme, where they spend a term researching and developing a science project of their choice in place of regular classes. In Secondary 3, they can opt for the Industrial Research and Attachment Programme, where they are able to utilise their research skills depending on their projects. There, they can utilise skills that were built upon from earlier programme such as the ISS. Programmes are integrated and pervasive in SST.  

Another programme that SST offers in lower secondary will be the SST ChangeMakers Programme. As one of our multidisciplinary approach, the programme aims to provide students with an integrated learning experience towards developing the attitudes and attributes of an innovator with an entrepreneurial mind. Students learn principles, knowledge and skills from Art, Design, Media and Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology before putting their skills to the test in the culminating challenge at the end of the year known as the SST-3M InnoScience Challenge.

At the upper secondary level, all students are able to choose from a range of new O-Level Applied Subjects, a huge part of the entire SST Experience. The Applied Subjects are Biotechnology, Computing, Design Studies and Electronics. These subjects are reflected in the GCE O-Level Examination and are recognised for admission in post-secondary institutions. Biotechnology and Design Studies are exclusive to SST.

Through SST’s cohort wide experiences, students gain foundational skills and competencies. If they wish to investigate or delve deeper into specific areas of interest or talents, we also have the Talent Development Programme (TDP) in place. Examples of TDPs are ADMT TDP, Science TDP, SST Inc., Robotics @APEX, Student Leadership Programmes and more!

Click here to find out more about our curriculum.

Similar to the regular O-Level subjects, the Applied Subjects will be reflected in the Singapore-Cambridge O-Level Certificate and recognised in the computation of the L1R5 and ELR2B2 scores for admission to junior colleges and polytechnics.

At the upper secondary level, students will choose to read one O-Level Applied Subject, which is specially designed to cater to their interest and aptitude in applied learning, regardless of whether they intend to proceed to the JCs or polytechnics.

Students who intend to progress to the JCs will also benefit from taking the Applied Subjects as these will expose them to an applied approach to learning, and help expand their interests and learning experiences. In addition, the Applied Subjects will deepen students’ understanding of core academic concepts, which will serve them well as they progress to post-secondary education. For instance, the subject, Electronics, builds upon and reinforces the theories and concepts taught in Physics.

In fact, many JCs have already been working with universities to offer a wide range of additional programmes, subjects and modules which are applied in nature, for their students. These programmes, offered at H3 level, include NTU Molecular Biology and NUS-MOE Science Research.

SST will provide career guidance and counselling to students based on their interests and strengths, to allow students to better understand the various post-secondary options available to them.

SST also holds a yearly School-Parent Meeting that serves as a platform for SST teachers and parents to discuss the progress in the holistic development of their children and ways to support their learning needs. As part of our Education and Career Guidance, Career Day @ SST is an annual event which includes the Post-Secondary and Tertiary Education Fair and Information Talks on the GCE A-Level, International Baccalaureate and the Polytechnic Diploma.

SST will also offer a range of different subject combinations which students can choose from, depending on whether they intend to progress to the JCs or to the polytechnics.

Read more about SST’s Education and Career Guidance here.

“Technology as a way of life” is a dictum at SST as we believe that the 1:1 ICT-enabled learning environment elevates student engagement in learning and stretches each student’s potential. The use of simulation tools, geometrical software and applets, as well as online collaborative platforms and tools, all contribute to the creation of a dynamic and interactive classroom. Beyond software application and computational thinking, SST provides the differentiated opportunities for students to develop the skills and attributes of designers, coders, makers and innovators. As a forerunner in transforming learning, the school believes in helping to build an empowered community. Click here to find out more about our ICT initiatives.

SST also strives to build empowered communities through transforming learning and in this regard we will be anchoring more initiatives for both educators and students under the SST Lab School brand. Click here to learn more about the programmes under SST Lab School.

MOE has in place financial assistance schemes to help needy students, and will specifically take into account the needs of students in SST.

Students (Singapore Citizens) who successfully gain admission into Secondary One at SST may apply for the MOE Independent School Bursary (ISB) as well as the UPLIFT Scholarship that recognises the achievements of students in Independent Schools who have performed well academically or in specific talents areas and are from lower-income families. 

From 2021, all Secondary 1 students who are Singapore citizens will be able to utilise the funds in their Edusave account to offset the cost for their Personal Learning Device. Students who are Singapore citizens from lower-income families will enjoy further subsidies for the purchase. Click here to find out more.

Two of the research initiatives, Mobile Learning in Humanities and CN-ECT for Languages, have yielded preliminary findings. On the whole, students responded positively, indicating their appreciation of collaborative work fostered during the learning sessions, as being strong contributors to their learning of key concepts and topics.

SST has also administered surveys to gauge the effectiveness of its 1-to-1 ICT enabled programme, in which more than 95% of the students indicated that the use of the learning device has helped them to learn better in terms of understanding concepts and working more independently.

Visiting educators from China, Japan, Korea and the Middle East, just to name a few, have also provided positive feedback from their observations of the school.

Read more about our visitors here.

SST takes a two-pronged approach in educating students and empowering parents.

1) Educating students

Cyber Wellness (CW) is integrated into our Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) Programme. Teachers refer to the laptop as a “Learning Device” to emphasise the purpose of the laptops. The Digital Citizenship Committee works closely with the Student Development Committee to deliver the programme in several ways. Apart from Character and Citizenship Education, professionals are also invited to engage the students to help them understand current trends and issues. Students are taught to uphold overarching principles of ‘Respect for Self and Others’ and ‘Safe and Responsible Use’ that act as a moral compass in guiding students’ moral character and actions in cyberspace. As independent and self-directed learners, they learn to evaluate the consequences of their online behaviour, so that they make responsible choices and protect themselves. In building an empowered community, students spearhead several initiatives on CW among parents, peers and students in various primary schools.

Students also learn to care for their Learning Devices and troubleshoot simple problems. They are able to housekeep their Learning Devices and remove programmes that are irrelevant to their learning.

2) Empowering parents

SST conducts ICT engagement sessions for parents every term. Some of the topics covered are proper safekeeping of the Learning Device and the use of parental access controls. Parents are also engaged through a G+ Community where teachers share regular and useful updates on trends and advisory.