Online Primary School Tuition in Singapore: One-to-One and Small-Group Tutors for P1 to P6
Each year of primary school builds on the one before, from reading and counting to 100 in P1 to fractions, Science and longer compositions in the upper levels. onlinetuition.sg matches P1 to P6 students with tutors for live online lessons, one-to-one or in small groups, in English, Maths, Science and Mother Tongue.
How Does Primary School Work in Singapore?
- Primary school runs from P1 to P6. Students learn English, a Mother Tongue Language, Maths, Art, Music, Physical Education, Social Studies and Character and Citizenship Education, with Science added from P3.
- P1 and P2 have no weighted assessments or exams, and schools describe progress instead of giving marks. From P3, schools set weighted assessments during the year and year-end exams, with no mid-year exams at any level since 2023.
- P4 school exam results guide whether English, Mother Tongue, Maths and Science are taken at Standard or Foundation level in P5 and P6. Higher Mother Tongue may be offered to students who do very well in Mother Tongue.
- P6 ends with the PSLE, whose results decide Secondary 1 posting and the level of most subjects in Sec 1.
Common Challenges Primary School Students Face
Reading and Spelling in P1 and P2
Reading fluently, spelling common words and writing complete sentences on their own.
Fractions and Decimals
Fractions begin in P2 and decimals in P4, and word problems soon mix them with all four operations.
Science From P3
A new subject with its own vocabulary, and questions that ask students to explain rather than recall.
Percentage, Ratio and Algebra
P5 adds percentage and rate, and P6 brings ratio, simple algebra and circles.
Composition and Comprehension
Longer stories and open-ended comprehension answers, in English and in Mother Tongue.
Standard or Foundation in P5
P4 school exam results guide the subject levels a student takes for the last two years.
How Our Online Primary School Tutors Help
Strong Reading Foundations
Phonics, reading aloud and spelling in the lower levels, ready for longer texts later.
Maths Explained With Models
Fractions, ratio and percentage shown as models on a shared screen before the working is practised.
Science Explained From the Start
Each topic from P3 to P6 taught with diagrams and everyday examples, then exam-style questions.
Writing Marked on Screen
English and Mother Tongue compositions planned, written and corrected together in the lesson.
Help With Schoolwork
Tutors go through the worksheets and homework questions your child brings from school.
Steady Revision Before School Exams
Topic reviews before weighted assessments and year-end exams, from P3 onwards.
Primary School Subjects and Topics Covered
Topics from MOE's current syllabuses, in their own words: Mathematics (2021, now taught from P1 to P6), Science (2023, from P3 to P6) and English Language (2020).
English
- Areas of learning
- Listening and viewing · reading and viewing · speaking and representing · writing and representing · grammar · vocabulary
- Reading programme
- Primary schools are equipped to teach STELLAR, a literacy programme built on children's books
- Writing
- Composition and creative writing; PSLE continuous writing is based on pictures
Maths
- Strands
- Number and Algebra · Measurement and Geometry · Statistics
- P1 and P2
- Numbers to 1000 · the four operations · fraction of a whole · money · length, mass and volume · time · 2D and 3D shapes · picture graphs
- P3 and P4
- Numbers to 100 000 · factors and multiples · equivalent fractions, mixed numbers and fraction of a set · decimals · area and perimeter · angles · symmetry and nets · bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts
- P5 and P6
- Percentage · rate · ratio · algebra · area of triangles and circles · volume of cubes and cuboids · properties of triangles and quadrilaterals · average
Science
- Themes
- Diversity · Cycles · Systems · Energy · Interactions
- P3
- Diversity of living and non-living things · diversity of materials · life cycles of plants and animals · magnets
- P4
- Plant parts and their functions · the digestive system · matter · light · heat
- P5
- Reproduction in plants and animals · water and the water cycle · respiratory and circulatory systems in plants and humans · electrical systems
- P6
- Photosynthesis · energy conversion · frictional, gravitational and elastic spring forces · interactions within the environment
Chinese, Malay and Tamil
- Mother Tongue
- A compulsory second language: Chinese, Malay or Tamil
- Higher Mother Tongue
- Higher Chinese, Higher Malay and Higher Tamil, for students who do very well in Mother Tongue
- Other Indian languages
- Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi or Urdu, for non-Tamil-speaking Indian students, usually taught outside school hours
- At the PSLE
- Composition, language use and comprehension, oral, and listening comprehension
Key Primary School Dates
Updated
MOE's 2027 calendar for primary schools, useful for planning lessons around the holidays.
- Term 1
- 4 January to 12 March 2027; P1 starts on 4 January and P2 to P6 on 5 January
- Term 2
- 22 March to 28 May 2027
- Mid-year holidays
- 29 May to 27 June 2027
- Term 3
- 28 June to 3 September 2027
- Term 4
- 13 September to 19 November 2027
When Should My Child Start Primary School Tuition?
Families often look for a tutor in P3, when Science begins and Maths moves on to equivalent fractions, area and perimeter, or in P4, before the school exams that guide Standard or Foundation subjects for P5.
Others start in P1 or P2 for reading, spelling and number work, while those starting in P5 can lead into PSLE tuition in P6. You can start in any term.
One-to-One or Small-Group Primary School Lessons
Choose one-to-one lessons, a small group of up to 4 students at the same level, or any class size. Groups are for one level, so a P3 group is made up of P3 students on the same subject.
Why Choose onlinetuition.sg for Primary School Tuition?
Tutors for Every Primary Subject
English, Maths, Science, Mother Tongue and Higher Mother Tongue, from P1 to P6.
Standard or Foundation, as Your Child Takes It
From P5, lessons follow the level of each subject your child sits.
A Regular Weekly Slot
Pick a weekday, or a Saturday or Sunday morning or afternoon, at the same time each week.
The Same Tutor Every Week
Your child's tutor follows their progress from one term to the next.
Start With a Trial Lesson
Your child tries a lesson before you commit to weekly lessons.
No Agency Fees
It's free to request a primary school tutor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Primary School Tuition
Thinking of Primary School Tuition?
Which Primary Level Is the Best Time to Start Tuition?
There is no single best year. Many families start in P3 or P4, when Science begins and Maths gets harder, or in P1 for reading and phonics.
Does My Child Need a Tutor When P1 and P2 Have No Exams?
Not always. Without weighted assessments or exams in P1 and P2, some parents use a tutor to make sure reading, spelling and number facts are secure before P3.
Why Does Maths Get Harder in Upper Primary?
Fractions, decimals, percentage, ratio and algebra build on each other, and word problems combine several of them in one question.
How Is Standard or Foundation Decided for P5?
By P4 school exam results. The school recommends a subject combination, you fill in an option form, and levels can be adjusted at the end of P5.
Can Tuition Prepare My Child for the PSLE?
Yes. P5 and P6 lessons can follow the PSLE papers; our PSLE tuition page has the formats and dates.
Getting a Tutor
How Do I Request a Primary School Tutor?
Send the free request form with your child's level, subjects and preferred class size. We reply on WhatsApp.
Can I Request a Tutor for Higher Mother Tongue or Hindi?
Yes. Choose the subject on the request form, and we'll look for a tutor who teaches it.
Who Are Your Primary School Tutors?
Part-time and full-time tutors, current and former school teachers, and undergraduates, screened for their qualifications, results and teaching experience.
Can One Tutor Cover Several Subjects?
List the subjects in your request, and we'll arrange one tutor for them where possible.
How Quickly Will I Hear Back?
We aim to reply within one working day, and your child starts with a trial lesson.
Lessons
How Long Are Primary School Lessons?
Usually 1.5 or 2 hours, at the same time each week.
Can a P1 or P2 Child Learn Online?
Yes, with a quiet spot and a laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera. Parents are welcome to sit in, especially for the first few lessons.
Will the Tutor Follow My Child's School Topics?
Yes. Tell the tutor what your child's class is covering, and bring worksheets or homework to the lesson.
What If My Child Misses a Group Lesson?
Let the tutor know early. The tutor can usually share the class recording.
Others
How Much Does Primary School Tuition Cost?
Fees depend on the level and class size, and we confirm the fee on WhatsApp before the first lesson.
Are There Any Agency Fees?
No.
How Do I Pay?
By PayNow.
What If We Want to Stop?
Please give one month's notice, out of courtesy to the tutor's planning.
Helpful Primary School Resources
Official syllabuses and exam information:
- MOE: Primary school subjects and syllabuses
- MOE: Subject-based banding for primary school
- MOE: Mathematics syllabus, Primary 1 to 6 (2021)
- MOE: Science syllabus, Primary 3 to 6 (2023)
- MOE: English Language syllabus, Primary (2020)
- MOE: Learning a Mother Tongue Language in school
- MOE: Learn for Life, removing P1 and P2 weighted assessments and exams (2018)
- MOE: Removal of mid-year exams and continued weighted assessments (2022)
- MOE: Committee of Supply 2023 debate response (removal of mid-year exams)
- SEAB: PSLE formats examined in 2026
- MOE: School terms and holidays for 2027
Other levels: Preschool · PSLE · Secondary · AEIS · All levels