2023 S3 Grade Accelerator Programme

Here’s What We’ll Be Covering In The Upcoming Months

Based on the curriculum plan above, there are a total of 12* topics that students need to master in preparation for their S3 EOY examinations.

*It should be noted that some schools may choose to teach & test a smaller number of topics.

Challenge 1: Students Have Forgotten Concepts From “Foundation” Topics.

As there are some overlapping topics between the S1/S2 Chemistry topics with the S3 syllabus, students may have forgotten important concepts that are key to excelling at Chemistry. To bridge this gap, we will be reviewing the content from the following topics at an accelerated pace to reinforce understanding :

1. Kinetic Particle Theory
2. Measurements & Separation Techniques
3. Elements, Compounds & Mixtures
4. Atomic Structure

Due to the time allocated for each topic, not all questions in the worksheets provided will be reviewed. Selected questions will be discussed in class, with the rest of the material being assigned as self-practice. Students are encouraged to approach their teachers should they require clarification on their self-revision material.

Challenge 2: Balancing Past-Year Examination Practice, in-Depth Teaching & Question Exposure

As you may be aware, the content of the Chemistry syllabus is extensive and students have a limited runway to from completing the curriculum in school and preparing for the End-of-Year (EOY) Examination.

Topical revision alone is insufficient in preparing students for the S3 EOY Examination as understanding how to manipulate the Science concepts that they’ve learnt across the various topics effectively is the key to maximising each student’s potential.

To overcome this challenge, we aim to teach the curriculum at an accelerated pace to begin revision S3 EOY examination revision in August. By doing so, students can begin the revision phase amidst the ongoing teaching in schools in order to give them a headstart in their exam preparation.

Challenge 3: Difference in Topic Sequence Between the School’s Curriculum & the Pique Lab’s Curriculum

While the overall curriculum taught at The Pique Lab over the academic year largely encompasses the curriculum of most schools, each school has a slightly different curriculum outline/plan for their students.

Our curriculum is planned with the following factors in consideration:

1. The planned curriculum in school for the majority of our students (based on past years’ experience).
2. Effectiveness of the teaching flow as we transit from one topic to another.
3. Relative importance and weightage of each topic covered.

What If The Topic Sequence Doesn’t Match Your Child’s School Curriculum?

As you may be aware, different schools teach topics in different sequences and your child’s school curriculum may not be perfectly aligned with the curriculum of our Grade Accelerator Programme.

Here at The Pique Lab, we teach an accelerated curriculum and our end goal is to cover the entire syllabus and have ample time for revision for the final year examination.

If your child has not learned a topic that is taught during the Grade Accelerator Programme, it will be a head start for him/her before the topic is taught during the school curriculum.

If your child has learnt it in school previously, it will be a good reinforcement for him/her as he/she might not have a thorough understanding of the topic when he/she was taught in school.

Throughout your child’s academic year with us, should he/she be taught a different topic from our internal curriculum, we will provide an additional topical study guide, on request, for him/her to work on in his/her own time.

Is Your Child Ready For The Big Year Ahead?

Over the years, we have also learnt that parents play a pivotal role in the academic success of their child. In particular, we discovered that students typically achieve breakthroughs faster in Science if their parents coach and monitor them at home regularly.

In order to offer the best learning experience for your child, we also strive to provide an amazing support system for parents, like you.

For starters, here is how you can help your child improve more quickly:

#1: Ensure that your child completes his/her homework properly & punctually and brings them back to class.

#2: Ensure that your child reviews our notes and worksheets during the week.

#3: Ensure that your child is adequately prepared for our tests.

#4: If your child is unclear of a concept or has a question, he/she is highly encouraged to approach his/her teacher.

Please note that only topical tests & graded assignments given in the weekly classes will be marked for all learning arrangements. Homework that is given in the weekly classes will be reviewed together as a class and will not be marked.

Thank you & all the best! 😇