Differences between IP Science VS Express Science

Q: What does Differences between IP Science VS Express Science cover?
A: Differences between IP Science VS Express Science outlines key points and next steps for students and families.

• IP schools can stretch Science earlier than the O-Level route, blending pure Physics, Chemistry, or Biology topics across Sec 1–4 instead of waiting for upper secondary.
• Assessments lean on explanation and evaluation, so questions may feel “out of syllabus” unless students can infer, justify, and apply concepts to new contexts.
• Students who rely on memorisation alone often miss the prompts and reasoning steps IP papers expect.

What mainstream science covers

• Lower-secondary Express/Normal Academic Science follows MOE’s 2021 syllabus built around the themes of Diversity, Models, Systems, Interactions, and Energy, with an emphasis on scientific inquiry, data handling, and application of concepts.
• Upper-secondary Express students prepare for subject-specific O-Level syllabuses (Pure or Combined Physics/Chemistry/Biology) that deepen measurement, experimental skills, and core conceptual strands for each discipline.

Source: MOE 2021 Science (Lower Secondary Express/Normal (Academic)) Syllabus.

How IP schools diverge

MOE’s Integrated Programme (IP) is a six-year route to the A-Level, IB Diploma, or NUS High School Diploma without taking O-Levels in Secondary 4. Because schools design their own progression, each IP science track is school-specific and often:

• Starts pure Physics, Chemistry, or Biology earlier, weaving in upper-secondary ideas (e.g., stoichiometry, kinematics, or energy transfers) during the lower-secondary years.
• Uses inference- and evaluation-heavy questions that require explanation and justification rather than recall.
• Expects mathematical treatment earlier (vector addition, rate-of-change graphs, uncertainty analysis) to bridge into A-Level/IB expectations.
• Publishes topic plans, assessment weightings, and sample papers on the school website—check those first before assuming coverage or difficulty.

Source: MOE Integrated Programme overview.

Example of a conceptual question