Compassvale Secondary School

Information Booklet for

Secondary 1/2025 Registration

Welcome to Compassvale Secondary School .............................................................................. 1

First Day of School ......................................................................................................................... 2
Getting to CVSS .............................................................................................................................. 3
School Rules for Attire & Appearance .......................................................................................... 4
Secondary One Orientation Programme ....................................................................................... 7
Parents’ Engagement ..................................................................................................................... 8
CCA in CVSS ................................................................................................................................... 8
Purchase of Books & School Uniform......................................................................................... 10
Financial Assistance Schemes .................................................................................................... 11
Mother Tongue Languages .......................................................................................................... 12
Full Subject-based Banding (Full-SBB)....................................................................................... 15
Personal learning device (PLD) ................................................................................................... 17

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Welcome to Compassvale Secondary School
We are delighted to welcome you to Compassvale Secondary School (CVSS)!

We believe that all our students have the innate potential to shine. This is why we call them “North
Stars”. As a school, we want to build a vibrant and uplifting community where everyone, both our
North Stars and our staff, can LEARN, GROW and LEAD.

As your child begins his or her new milestone of secondary education, it is important to start on the
right footing. Good self-discipline, a positive learning attitude, and a growth mindset are critical.
This will allow him/her to gain the most from the learning experiences in the school.

We would also like to iterate that parents are also important partners in your child’s education
journey. Many positive things can happen when this partnership is collaborative.

The following pages in this information packet and accompanying attachments provide greater
details to prepare your child well for school.

We look forward to meeting you and your child at the Secondary 1 Briefing in school on 27
December 2024.

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First Day of School
Date: Thursday, 2 Jan 2025

Time: 7:30 am [Arrival time in school for all Sec 1 students]

All Sec 1 students are to report to the canteen first. The student leaders will lead them to the hall
for attendance-taking by Form Teachers. Parents will receive notification of their child’s Sec 1 class
via Parents Gateway by 31 Dec 2024.

Attire: CVSS Half-uniform (PE top + shorts/skirt)

Sec 1 students who experienced difficulty purchasing their CVSS PE attire in time may also report
in their primary school PE attire on the first day of school. Students may purchase their CVSS
school uniform / PE attire from the bookshop after school.

During the orientation week, students should report to school in their half uniform (PE top with
shorts for lower secondary boys / skirt for girls). Subsequently, students should attend school in
their half uniform or in full uniform.

Name tags will be ready in Term 1, 2025. Please refer to pages 4-6 for CVSS’s guidelines on attire
and appearance.

Daily Routines
Flag-raising and attendance-taking
Monday: Report by 08:45 am to the hall
Tuesday to Friday: Report by 07:30 am to their respective classrooms, except for Friday
where students will report to the hall

Dismissal Time
Monday - Thursday Usually 2:25 pm, depending on the respective class timetable
Friday 12:40 pm
Most CCAs will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays and end between 5:00 – 6:00 pm.

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Getting to CVSS

By Public Transport
Students can use their existing travel card (Ezlink School Smart Card) / International Student Pass
until they are renewed in Term 1.

By Car
Parents who drive their children to school are requested to drop their children at the roundabout
between HDB Block 296A and 296B.

It is a one to two-minute walk to the school’s back gate and sheltered all the way into the school
compound from there. The school has only one main entrance/exit gate for vehicles, the traffic
through the gate and in front of the gate is heavy with vehicles and pedestrians during morning
arrival time for students/staff, especially during wet weather.

Safety Notes For Entering School Compound

Students coming to school are to walk in through the front side gate next to the security guard post
or the back side gate near the bin centre.

Parking
Parents may park their cars in the school compound for a short while at the limited white visitor
lots next to the security guard post, subject to availability. Red lots are reserved for paid staff
season parking. For long meetings with teachers, parents should park at the MSCP at block 297
next to the school.

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School Rules for Attire & Appearance
Boys Girls

Hair & Face

Hair must not reach the ears and eyebrows; hair Long hair beyond the shoulder must be tied up
at the back must be short and sloped. neatly.

No spiky, punk, uneven, undercut hairstyles. Only dark-coloured hair accessories are
allowed.

No shaved heads. Fringes must not touch the eyebrow and must
be clipped away from the face.

Face must be clean-shaven. No facial hair Only simple ear studs, one on each ear are
(moustache, beard or long sideburns) is allowed. allowed. Multiple ear piercings are not allowed.

● Maintain a neat and appropriate hairstyle at all times.

● No tinted, highlighted or dyed hair.

Uniform & Accessories

● Shirt/blouse is to be properly worn (buttoned up to the first button below the collar) at all times, in and
out of school. Shirt/blouse should end below the waist and should not be too long.
● Skirt length should not be more than two fingers above the knee (girls).
● Students may report to school every day in half-uniform (PE top with school shorts for boys/skirt for
girls) or full uniform.
● Name tag is to be sewn on the left side of the shirt/blouse. Name tags need not be sewn on PE T-
shirt.
● No modification to the school uniform is allowed.
● The school tie is to be worn properly during official/special school functions as advised.
● Nails must be kept short and clean.
● Only a plain jacket/cardigan is allowed.
● The following are NOT allowed:
o Colourful flashy or chunky jewellery (rings, earrings, bracelets) and other accessories such as
leather neckbands, beads chokers etc.
o Religious ornaments or amulets are not to be worn visibly.
o Tinted glasses, sunglasses, coloured contact lenses.
o Caps and hats.
o Tongue, eyebrow, ear studs or any kind of body piercing.
o Make-up, nail polish, henna.
o Tattoos or body art (even if they are stickers or non-permanent ink).

Shoes

● Only predominantly white or black shoes worn with white or black socks are allowed.
● High-cut shoes are not allowed.
● No neon/fluorescent/flashy/brightly coloured shoes.

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 Full Uniform for Boys Half Uniform for Boys Full Uniform for Girls Half Uniform for Girls

Haircut for Boys - Front Haircut for Boys - Side Haircut for Boys - Back

Hairstyles for Girls (long) - Front Hairstyles for Girls (long) - Side Hairstyles for Girls (long) - Back

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Hairstyles for Girls (short) - Front Hairstyles for Girls (short) -Side Hairstyles for Girls (short) -Back

Examples of appropriate footwear

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Secondary One Orientation Programme
The programme aims to induct students into secondary school life and help them get to know their
school and form teachers/form class better. We want them to have a sense of belonging and pride
in their school. We also want them to build good teacher-student/student-student relationships and
class spirit. The programme is as follows:

Day / Date Reporting Time / Reporting Attire Dismissal Activities

Venue Time

Day 1 07:30 am Half-uniform 1:15 pm ● Icebreakers /

2 Jan *Report to (PE top with bonding activities
(Thu) school canteen shorts for lower ● Form Teacher’s
(Assembly in secondary boys time
Hall) / skirt for girls) ● North Star's pledge
● Talk on transition to
secondary school

Day 2 07:30 am Half-uniform 12:40 ● Form Teacher’s

3 Jan (Fri) *Report to Hall pm Time
● Learning about
School Song,
Values and venues
● Bonding activities

Day 3 08:45 am Half-uniform 1:50 ● Form Teacher’s

6 Jan *Report to Hall pm Time
(Mon) ● Learning about
School Song,
Values and venues
● Bonding Activities
● Briefing on CCA
Selection

Day 4 07:30 am Half-uniform 1:50 pm ● Routines and

7 Jan *Report to form expectations for
(Tue) classroom school re-opening
● Check-in Package
● Orientation Finale
(Prizes,
Appreciation)
● Consolidation of
Learning and
Programme
Evaluation
Students are to bring along their Student Companion (to be given on 2 Jan 2025 during the
Orientation Programme).
Timetabled lessons will start on Thursday, 9 Jan 2025.

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Parents’ Engagement
An online engagement session will be conducted for all Sec 1 parents to help you better understand
and support your child’s transition into secondary school. Parents will also get to meet their child’s
form teachers and fellow parents of the form class.

Date: Friday, 10 Jan 2025

Time: 4:00 – 5:30 pm
More details will be given later via Parents Gateway.

CCA in CVSS
CCA Open House
Students can find out more information about each CCA during this open house. They can then
schedule to try out different CCAs in the following three weeks before they decide on their choices.
Details are as follows:

Date: Friday, 10 Jan 2025

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Attire: PE attire or half-school uniform

CCA Selection and Allocation

The CCA selection and allocation for Sec 1 or new students will be conducted in Term 1 as follows:

Week Activities
1 ● Friday, 10 Jan – CCA Open House
2-4 ● Every student is encouraged to explore various CCAs from 10 Jan to 31 Jan
(13 Jan and submit their top 5 CCA choices via the online portal by 31 Jan, 5 pm.
– 31 ● The 5 CCA choices must include at least one from each of the following
Jan) categories: Uniformed Groups, Performing Arts, and Clubs.
● Sports CCAs will hold selection trials for interested students from 13 Jan to
24 Jan, with the list of shortlisted students published by Week 5.
5-6 ● Over-subscribed CCAs will conduct assessments to finalise their member list
(5 – 14 from 5 Feb to 14 Feb.
Feb)
7 ● Students from over-subscribed CCAs who did not meet the assessment
(21 criteria will be assigned to their next available choice, based on remaining
Feb) vacancies by 20 Feb. Affected students will begin their newly assigned CCA
from 21 Feb onwards.

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CCA Selection and Allocation Flow-Chart

Schedule of Sports CCA tryouts

Students unavailable on the following dates should approach the CCA teacher in charge to
arrange for an alternative date.

CCA Dates Time Venue Teacher in-charge

Badmint 13 and 16 3 pm to 5.30 pm School Hall Mr. Soh Meng Le
on Jan
Basketb 13 and 20 2.45 pm to 5.15 Basketball Mr. Yet Tun Quan
all Jan pm Court
Netball 14 and 17 3 pm to 5.30 pm Basketball Ms. Koh Yi Ming
Jan Court
Floorbal 14 and 20 3 pm to 5.30 pm School Hall Mr. Ang Chee Yong
l Jan
Softball 13 and 20 3.30 pm to 5 pm Field Mr. Ong Kok Hwee
Jan

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Purchase of Books & School Uniform
Our school’s appointed bookshop and uniform vendor is Asencio Pte Ltd.

Online Order & Payment

Our school has worked with Asencio to arrange for online purchases at
https://asenciobookshop.sg/. All parents/guardians can log in or register for an account at the
Asencio website before placing your online order and making payment by 21 Dec 2024, Saturday.

Please enter Sec 1 when prompted to enter the class name during online purchases. You may
email the vendor at [email protected] if you require assistance with your order.

Delivery / Self-Collection / Walk-in Sales

We strongly encourage all parents/guardians to opt for delivery services. Those who have opted
for delivery can expect to receive their orders by 2 Jan 2025. The delivery charges are:

Books & Uniform ; Books only $11.99

Uniform only $6.54

If you prefer to self-collect at the school bookshop, an online order is still required. Please keep to
your online booking date and timeslot for collection in school.

If you prefer to walk-in, please note that the bookshop will be open between 9 am and 3 pm on the
following days. You may wish to avoid the FAS collection period.

Date Level(s)
19 Dec, Thu S1 FAS collection (9 am – 11am)
20 Dec, Fri
23 Dec, Mon
26 Dec, Thu S1 FAS collection (9am – 11am)
27 Dec, Fri
30 Dec, Mon
[Note: Bookshop is closed on 24 Dec, 25 Dec and 31 Dec.]

Please refer to 1st attachment: Booklist & Uniform Order

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Financial Assistance Schemes
There are 2 types of financial assistance schemes (FAS):
1. Ministry of Education FAS (MOE FAS)
2. School-based FAS (SBFAS) Category A and Category B

The table below outlines the criteria for each scheme:

MOE FAS SBFAS Category A SBFAS Category B
(Ministry of Education (School-Based FAS) (School-Based FAS)
FAS)

Gross Monthly Household Gross Monthly Gross Monthly

Income (GHI) does not Household Income Household Income
exceed: (GHI) does not exceed: (GHI) does not exceed:
i. $3,000 i. $3,300 i. $4,400
ii.$750 per capita ii.$830 per capita ii.$1,100 per capita

Application Process
All applicants are required to submit the MOE FAS application form and mandatory documents
regardless of which FAS scheme they are applying for. If a CVSS student has applied but does
not qualify for MOE FAS, he/she will be considered for SBFAS.

Please refer to 2nd attachment: Application for Financial Assistance Schemes (FAS) for
application requirements.

Important Notes for Purchase of Textbooks and Uniforms

Please do not purchase textbooks and uniforms if you are applying for FAS as there will be no
reimbursement for any items purchased before FAS approval.

Students whose MOE FAS have been approved by other schools may collect their free textbooks
and uniforms on Thursday, 19 Dec 2024, from 9.00 am to 11.00 am. Please bring along your
ezlink card and MOE FAS approval letter for the collection.

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Mother Tongue Languages
MTL at a More Demanding Level (MDL)

Eligibility Criteria for Higher Mother Tongue Language (HMTL) at S1

Eligible students may offer HMTL instead of MTL should they meet the following criteria.

Eligibility Criteria for Secondary School HMTL

(i) An overall PSLE Score of 8 or better

OR
(ii) An overall PSLE Score of 9 to 14 (inclusive); and attain
● AL1/AL2 in MTL or
● Distinction/Merit in HMTL

The school will also have the flexibility to allow students who do not meet the above criteria to take
HMTL if they are assessed to have exceptional ability in MTL and can take HMTL without affecting
their performance in other subjects.

We will register eligible/suitable students who are interested in taking HCL with Ang Mo Kio
Secondary School. Lessons are held every Monday and Thursday, 3.30 pm – 5.15 pm.

MTL at a Less Demanding Level (LDL)

Sec 1 Start-of-Year Juncture

Students with difficulties coping with the subject have the option to offer MTL at a less demanding
level based on their performance at the PSLE.

Indicative PSLE AL for MTL PSLE Foundation Options to

Level of Most MTL Grade Offer MTL at a
Subjects at S1 Less
Demanding
Level

G3 AL 6 AL A G2

AL 7-8 AL B-C G1 or G2

G2 AL 7-8 AL B-C G1

Students who have met the above PSLE MTL grade criteria can choose to offer MTL at-level if
they prefer.

Students are offered MTL at a less demanding level only by one subject level (i.e., ‘one level down’)
at each juncture. The only exception is for students who were eligible to offer G1 MTL at the start
of S1 (i.e. scored AL 7-8 for PSLE MTL or AL B-C for PSLE Foundation MTL) but had chosen to
offer the subject at G3 based on PG at the start of S1. If they face difficulties coping with MTL, they
can exercise their option to offer G1 MTL (i.e. “two levels down”) in lower secondary, in consultation
with the school.

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MTL Admissions Criteria for JC/MI

The JC/MI admission criteria are L1R5≤20 and L1R4≤20 respectively, computed with G3 subjects.

Grade requirements for MTL for JC/MI admissions:

Any 1 Mother Tongue Language Grade

MTL: Chinese, Malay, Tamil HMTL: 1-8

MTL approved by MOE in lieu of an MTL/MTL-in-lieu:

official MTL (MTL-in-lieu): ● 1-7 at G3
Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, ● 1-5 at G2
French, German, Japanese, Arabic, ● A-D at G1
Burmese, Thai+

+
Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu are only offered at G3 and G2, and French, German,
Japanese, Arabic, Burmese and Thai are only offered at G3.

Tamil Language (TL)

We do not offer Tamil Language lessons in CVSS. All our TL students attend TL lessons at Seng
Kang Secondary School (SKSS). The 2025 schedule for TL lessons is as follows:

Mondays Tuesdays Time

Sec 1G3 Sec 3EX 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Sec 1G2 Sec 3NA 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Sec 2EX Sec 4E/5NA 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Sec 2NA Sec 4NA 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Sec 1G1 & 2NT 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm

Sec 3NT & 4NT 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm

The school will register all TL students with SKSS when school reopens, including students taking
TL at MDL/LDL.

Students who are interested in taking Higher Tamil Language (HTL) will be assessed by SKSS
teachers at the end of Sec 1. If deemed suitable, they will attend lessons at Umar Pulava Tamil
Language Centre (UPTLC) every Monday afternoon, 3.00 pm – 6.00 pm.

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Non-Tamil Indian Language in lieu of MTL

Indian students who are non-Tamil speakers may apply to offer a Non-Tamil Indian Language
(NTIL: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu). NTIL students must register as soon as
possible upon approval at one of the approved NTIL community groups [CG: Bangla Language
and Literary Society, Bangladesh Language and Cultural Foundation, Singapore Gujarati School
Limited, DAV Hindi School, The Hindi Society (Singapore), Singapore Sikh Education Foundation,
Urdu Development Society (Singapore)] and attend NTIL lessons with these CGs. It is also
compulsory to sit for examinations set by the Board for the Teaching and Testing of South Asian
Languages.

Asian/Foreign Language as MTL-in-lieu (not as Third Language)

Students are required to learn the AsL/FL privately at the primary, secondary and pre-university
levels, as instruction is not provided by MOE. Students are required to provide documentation (e.g.
marked assignment, result slip, payment receipt) to the school to show that they are learning
AsL/FL regularly. Students are required to take the AsL/FL papers at the GCE O Level
examinations or under the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC).
Students are required to fulfil the MTL requirement by attaining the minimum AsL/FL grade for
admission into a junior college or centralised institute (D7 or above for GCE O Level). There is no
Higher AsL/FL, ‘B’ syllabus or G1/G2 for AsL/FL.

Sec 1 students who have obtained approval at the primary level to offer FL and would like to be on
the waiting list for admission to the MOE Language Centre (MOELC) can resubmit their application.
Should vacancies arise at MOELC, students will be informed to sit for a readiness test. Admission
to MOELC is subject to students passing the test. Students who have not been notified to sit for
the readiness test or did not pass the test are required to continue with their private study
arrangements.

If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Ms Koh Bee Choo (HOD/MTL) at
[email protected].

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Full Subject-based Banding (Full-SBB)
Offering subjects at a more demanding level
Your child will be in a mixed-form class in Secondary 1 and 2, with students from different Posting
Groups (PG) in the same class. Students in PG1 and PG2 who met the eligibility criteria may
choose to offer subjects at G2 and/or G3 levels. Parents of students who are eligible would receive
a notification from the school via Parents Gateway.

Juncture Eligibility Criteria to offer subject(s) at a more demanding level

Start of Indicative PSLE PSLE Option to

Sec 1 Level of Most Standard Foundation offer
Subjects at Grade Grade subject
the Start of S1 at
G1 AL 5 or - G3 / G2
better
AL 6 AL A G2
G2 AL 5 or - G3
better

Beyond the start of S1, students may also offer these subjects at a more demanding level based
on their performance in secondary school.

Juncture Eligibility Criteria

For offering EL, MTL, MA and SCI at a more demanding level

End of
Sec 1 Current School-based Option to offer subject
Subject Results starting from the next
Level academic year (Sec 2)

G1 75% or higher in G2
the specific
subject
G2 75% or higher in G3
the specific
subject

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 Juncture Eligibility Criteria

End of For offering Humanities subject(s) at a more demanding level

Sec 1
Current School-based Results
Subject
Level
G1 Students who offered G1 Humanities in S1 can
offer G2 Humanities (History) in S2 if they
obtained:
● ≥ 75% overall in G1 English Language (or ≥50%
overall in G2 English Language); AND
● A Pass with Distinction grade for both G1
Humanities (Social Studies component)
Performance Tasks in Semesters 1 and 2.

In addition, schools will consider:

● students’ interests and observable traits in
Humanities and
● factor in students’ readiness to manage the
additional curricular and cognitive load and
mental well-being.
G2 Students offering G2 Humanities in S1 can offer
G3 Geography, History and/or Literature in
English in S2 if they obtained ≥75% overall in G2
History, Geography or Literature in English.

You may refer to our school’s subject information and bridging microsite to find out more about the
different subject syllabuses: https://for.edu.sg/cvssbridge.

Offering subjects at a Less Demanding Level

If students are unable to cope with the subject levels at which they are offering the subject(s), there
is flexibility beyond S1 to offer the subject(s) at a less demanding level based on holistic
considerations and in consultation with the school.

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Personal learning device (pld)
Every secondary school student will own a school-prescribed Personal Learning Device
(PLD).

The PLD will be used together with the national e-learning platform – the Singapore Student
Learning Space (“SLS”) – as well as other educational technology to personalise and enhance
students’ learning. This will also enable students to acquire digital skills and apply these skills as
they navigate an increasingly digitalised world. To ensure safe and responsible use of the PLDs,
they will come with built-in Digital Management Application (DMA) which allows the school to
determine settings to control usage of the PLDs and screen time.

The school has selected the iPad PLD bundle and will make arrangements for the purchase of the
device. More information on the purchase of the PLD will be sent via Parents Gateway by 27
December 2024 and shared during the Secondary 1 Parents Briefing on 27 December 2024.

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