What do D, M and P mean for Higher Chinese?

Higher Chinese Language (HCL) is not graded with Achievement Levels at the PSLE. It has its own grades: Distinction (D) for 80 marks and above, Merit (M) for 65 to 79, Pass (P) for 50 to 64, and Ungraded below 50.

The PSLE score is the sum of the ALs for English, Maths, Science and Mother Tongue only. The HCL grade is not added to it.

In a secondary school's cut-off point, a letter in brackets after the score, such as 12(P), is the HCL grade of the last student admitted the year before. If that student did not take HCL, no grade is shown. In this example, a student with a score of 11 would get in without HCL, while a student with 12 and no HCL would not.