MOE to trial smaller classes in pilot with six schools

More functions will be introduced progressively. These include using AI to generate relevant insights and first drafts of commonly used administrative reports.

AI is already helping teachers plan lessons and understand students’ learning, Lee said.

At Bukit Panjang Primary School, science teachers previously spent considerable time analysing pupils’ written responses for patterns and misconceptions. The AI-enabled Data Assistant in the Student Learning Space online learning portal can now help identify common gaps and strengths almost instantaneously, he said.

On class sizes, Lee said MOE would explore where smaller groups can best support teaching approaches that involve students investigating problems and learning together.

The question, he said, is not just what the ideal class size is, but what learning schools want to enable and what environment best supports it.

This builds on its existing approach of providing smaller classes according to students’ needs.

Primary 1 and 2 form classes have been kept at around 30 pupils since 2006 to give children closer attention as they move from pre-school to primary school.

Learning Support Programme classes have about eight to 10 students, while the typical class size at Crest and Spectra secondary schools is 20.

Under full subject-based banding, secondary subject class sizes can also vary according to students’ learning needs and the nature of the subject.

“We have observed positive experiences on the ground,” Lee said, adding that smaller classes allow teachers to cater to individual learning needs and engage students.

In response to queries, MOE said the pilot schools have been selected based on geographical spread and student profiles, to better understand how the pilot operates in the context of different schools.

One of the six pilot schools, Woodgrove Primary, will explore having smaller classes aligned with pupils’ learning needs. This will create more avenues for teachers to try innovative teaching methods, provide targeted support, and equip pupils with a broader range of competencies, such as critical thinking and social-emotional skills.

For instance, the school has been redesigning its curriculum to stretch pupils with academic strengths and talents.

Its principal Adeline Ng said there will still be form classes, but for subjects like English or maths, pupils may be grouped into smaller classes for support or stretch, depending on the needs.

She noted: “We are very cognisant about mixing the children. It’s very important that children can interact with children of different abilities as well.”

Deyi Secondary principal Chow Weisi said the school is discussing how to reduce curriculum time for some core subjects to free up time for teachers to design their lessons, and for students to explore. For instance, Deyi might bring down class time each week for core subjects from 3½ periods to three periods.

Class sizes in Deyi will depend on the subject and academic level. For instance, there will be 15 to 17 students for some G1 groups – broadly mapped from the Normal (Technical) standard – and around 20 for design and technology, or food and consumer education.

Lianhua Primary was among the 20 schools that piloted the Teacher Workspace earlier in 2026. Principal Pamela Kiew said the tool has brought student information from around six different systems together.

This has saved teachers’ time and mental load accessing and consolidating data on the pupils, allowing them to focus on engaging the children, she said.

The data include pupils’ academic and CCA performance, as well as their attendance figures and socio-economic status.

Having different aspects of a student’s development consolidated and visualised in charts has helped staff better understand the pupils and hence how to support them, said Kiew.