How is the PSLE score calculated, and why is lower better?

Since 2021, each PSLE subject is graded into 8 Achievement Levels (AL). AL1 is the best and AL8 the lowest. For example, 90 marks and above is AL1, and below 20 is AL8.

The PSLE score is the sum of the ALs for English, Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue. AL1 in all four gives 4; AL8 in all four gives 32. So the score ranges from 4 to 32, and a smaller number is better.

There are only 29 possible scores, so many students share the same score. That is why, in Secondary 1 posting, citizenship and the order of school choices are used when scores are tied.