📅 Published: July 25, 2026 · ✍️ By: PSLE Hero Editorial Team
Starting in August 2026, Singapore's traditional Primary 3 Gifted Education Programme (GEP) screening test has been replaced by the P3 High-Ability Identification Exercise. Under this new model, students no longer transfer out of their home schools. This parent guide covers key policy changes, Tier 1 vs Tier 2 breakdowns, the 15 Advanced Module Centres by region, and 10 free practice sample questions across Maths, Science, and English.
Our upcoming free Singapore P3 High Ability & GEP practice app — 1,000+ GEP-style questions across 6 reasoning domains and 4 levels, with Hero AI step-by-step guidance. Daily 5 questions in 5–8 minutes, kid-safe and bilingual.
Explore BrainActive — P3 High Ability & GEP App →The GEP replacement in Singapore is designed to be more inclusive and holistic. Here is a breakdown of how the old GEP compares to the new system introduced in 2026:
| Feature | Old GEP (Before 2026) | New System (2026 Onwards) |
|---|---|---|
| Test format | Two-stage (Screening Aug + Selection Oct) | One-stage (Aug only) |
| Subjects tested | English, Maths, General Ability | English & Maths aptitude |
| Students selected | ~1% (~500 students) | ~10% school-based + ~2% advanced modules |
| School transfer | Yes, transfer to 9 GEP schools | No, stay in own school |
| Entry points | P3 only | P3, P4, P5 (multiple entry) |
| Support model | Centralised GEP curriculum | School-based provisions + optional centre-based Advanced Modules |
| Feature | Tier 1: School-Based Provision | Tier 2: Advanced Module Centres |
|---|---|---|
| Target Group | Top ~10% of cohort (~4,000 students) | ~2% of cohort (~800 students) |
| Location | Student's own primary school | 1 of 15 Regional Advanced Module Centres |
| School Transfer? | No (Stay in current school) | No (Attend weekly after-school / holiday modules) |
| Entry Points | Primary 3, Primary 4, Primary 5 | Primary 3, Primary 4, Primary 5 |
The new P3 high ability identification exercise process works in clear phases:
MOE has said the identification exercise focuses on English and Mathematics aptitude rather than school-based curriculum content. It is a refreshed one-stage exercise, not a re-run of the old GEP General Ability papers. The assessment broadly spans two domains:
Expert Tip: MOE has consistently emphasised that the identification exercise assesses raw aptitude and potential — not curriculum knowledge that can be drilled. The best preparation is nurturing your child's natural curiosity and thinking habits.
MOE has designated 15 primary schools across Singapore as Advanced Module Centres starting from 2027. These schools are chosen for geographic spread to ensure accessibility for students nationwide.
Note: Students selected for Advanced Modules remain in their home schools for daily classes and only attend weekly after-school or holiday modules at the nearest centre.
The 2026 Identification Exercise assesses non-routine problem solving and higher-order thinking (HOTs) across core primary subjects and cognitive domains. Below are 10 original PSLE Hero practice questions with worked solutions to help parents understand the question formats.
Assesses pattern recognition, numeric sequences, double differences, and balance-scale substitution logic.
What is the next number in this sequence?
2, 6, 18, 54, ___
(A) 108 (B) 162 (C) 124 (D) 216
Option (B) 162. Each term is multiplied by 3 to get the next term.
2 × 3 = 6 | 6 × 3 = 18 | 18 × 3 = 54 | 54 × 3 = 162
Skill Assessed: Identifying constant multiplicative rules across term progressions.
What is the next number in this sequence?
2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ___
(A) 33 (B) 35 (C) 37 (D) 40
Option (C) 37. Look at the differences between consecutive terms: +3, +5, +7, +9. The differences increase by +2 each step. The next difference is +11.
+3, +5, +7, +9 → Next difference: +11
26 + 11 = 37
Skill Assessed: Two-level difference analysis (second-order arithmetic progressions).
On a balance scale:
• 2 Stars weigh the same as 3 Circles.
• 1 Circle weighs the same as 4 Squares.
How many Squares weigh the same as 1 Star?
(A) 4 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 12
Option (B) 6. Replace Circles with Squares.
1 Circle = 4 Squares → 3 Circles = 3 × 4 = 12 Squares
2 Stars = 12 Squares → 1 Star = 12 ÷ 2 = 6 Squares
Skill Assessed: Equivalence substitution and non-routine algebraic reasoning.
Assesses variable control in fair testing, cause-and-effect hypothesis testing, and observational deduction.
A student wants to test how water temperature affects how quickly sugar dissolves. Which variables MUST be kept constant (controlled) during the experiment?
(A) Water temperature and sugar mass
(B) Water volume, sugar mass, and stirring speed
(C) Water temperature, beaker size, and room temperature
(D) Stirring speed and water temperature only
Option (B) Water volume, sugar mass, and stirring speed. In a fair test, only ONE independent variable (water temperature) is changed. All other factors that could affect dissolving speed must remain strictly identical.
Skill Assessed: Isolating independent vs. controlled variables in scientific investigations.
A potted plant is placed inside a completely dark cardboard box with a single small hole cut into the right side. After 5 days, the plant stem bends towards the hole. Which scientific property does this demonstrate?
(A) Plants grow faster in dark sealed environments
(B) Plant stems grow towards light for photosynthesis (Phototropism)
(C) Roots push soil out of the container when light enters
(D) Plants absorb water through leaf stomata when exposed to air
Option (B) Plant stems grow towards light for photosynthesis. Plant shoots exhibit positive phototropism, orienting growth directionally toward light sources.
Skill Assessed: Inferring biological response principles from observational evidence.
Assesses word relationships, vocabulary nuances, structural analogies, and category hierarchies.
Complete the word relationship:
HOT is to COLD as ANCIENT is to ___?
(A) Old (B) Modern (C) Historic (D) Past
Option (B) Modern. HOT and COLD are exact antonyms. The direct antonym of ANCIENT is MODERN.
Skill Assessed: Identifying exact semantic opposite relationships.
Complete the word relationship:
MICROSCOPE is to BACTERIA as TELESCOPE is to ___?
(A) Stars / Galaxies (B) Microbes (C) Atoms (D) Lenses
Option (A) Stars / Galaxies. A microscope magnifies tiny microscopic organisms; a telescope magnifies distant astronomical bodies.
Skill Assessed: Instrument-to-target functional analogies.
Assesses mental 2D/3D rotation, grid pattern movement, and multi-variable logical constraint ordering.
If you rotate the capital letter "F" 90° clockwise, which direction do the two horizontal arm strokes point?
(A) Upward (B) Downward (C) Left (D) Right
Option (B) Downward. In standard orientation, the stem points down and the two arms point right. Rotating 90° clockwise turns the stem horizontal pointing right, causing the two arms to rotate from pointing right to pointing downward.
Skill Assessed: 2D mental rotation and spatial coordinate tracking.
In a 3×3 square grid, a shaded dot moves around the four outer corners in a clockwise direction in each step:
• Step 1: Top-Left corner
• Step 2: Top-Right corner
• Step 3: Bottom-Right corner
Where will the dot be located at Step 4?
(A) Top-Left (B) Bottom-Left (C) Center (D) Bottom-Right
Option (B) Bottom-Left. The dot cycles clockwise around the 4 corners: Top-Left → Top-Right → Bottom-Right → Bottom-Left.
Skill Assessed: Cyclic spatial trajectory tracking within geometric matrices.
Read the following clues:
1. Ali is taller than Ben.
2. Ben is taller than Chen.
3. David is shorter than Chen.
Who is the tallest and who is the shortest?
(A) Ali is tallest, David is shortest
(B) Ben is tallest, Chen is shortest
(C) Ali is tallest, Chen is shortest
(D) David is tallest, Ali is shortest
Option (A) Ali is tallest, David is shortest. Arrange in inequality order from tallest to shortest:
Ali > Ben > Chen > David
Skill Assessed: Deductive logic ordering from transitive relational constraints.
No. The traditional two-stage GEP Screening and Selection Test has been discontinued. Starting in August 2026, MOE has replaced it with a single-stage standardised High-Ability Identification Exercise for all Primary 3 students. Students identified for high-ability support remain in their own primary schools.
No. Under the new GEP replacement model, students do not transfer out of their primary schools. Students selected for Tier 2 Advanced Modules remain in their home schools for core classes and only attend weekly after-school or holiday modules at the nearest designated centre.
Tier 1 supports the top ~10% of the cohort (~4,000 students) through school-based enrichment within their own primary schools. Tier 2 supports ~2% of the cohort (~800 students) who are invited to attend higher-level Advanced Modules at 1 of 15 regional Advanced Module Centres.
MOE has designated 15 primary schools across Singapore as Advanced Module Centres starting from 2027: Ahmad Ibrahim Primary, Clementi Primary, Geylang Methodist School (Primary), Innova Primary, Jurong West Primary, Kheng Cheng School, Palm View Primary, Pioneer Primary, Punggol View Primary, Queenstown Primary, St. Gabriel's Primary, Tampines Primary, Teck Ghee Primary, Yew Tee Primary, and Yu Neng Primary.
The standardised identification exercise takes place in August 2026 for all Primary 3 students across primary schools in Singapore.
Yes. Unlike the old GEP which had a single entry point at P3, the new system allows identification at the end of each semester in Primary 4 and Primary 5 based on ongoing school observations and teacher recommendations. If your child is entering Primary 4 next year, it also helps to understand how P4 Subject-Based Banding works.
How can you best support your P3 child for the GEP screening test 2026 replacement?
The skills assessed in the P3 identification exercise — logical reasoning, pattern recognition, spatial thinking — are the SAME higher-order thinking skills that top PSLE scorers use. Building these skills early gives your child a strong foundation for PSLE in P6.
Help your child develop the logical reasoning, pattern recognition, and problem-solving abilities that matter — from P3 all the way to PSLE. Try real questions with step-by-step solutions.
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