The Singapore Maths Syllabus: MOE-Aligned, Primary 1 to 6
Explico's Singapore Maths is aligned to the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) 2021 Primary Mathematics Syllabus, which covers every primary level from 2026. Each chapter follows the MOE topic sequence and learning outcomes, and the books are written by MOE-trained Singapore teachers.
- Singapore: 2nd in the world for maths, PISA 2025
- Primary 1 to Primary 6, aligned to the MOE Singapore syllabus
- Written by MOE Singapore-trained Singapore teachers
- Print and eBook editions, taught in English
The Singapore Mathematics Framework
Singapore’s primary mathematics syllabus is built on a framework set out by the Ministry of Education (MOE). At its centre is mathematical problem solving: the main aim is for pupils to become able to use mathematics to solve problems.
Five connected components support problem solving:
- Concepts: understanding mathematical ideas, how they relate to one another, and why methods work.
- Skills: carrying out calculations and procedures accurately, visualising space, handling data and using mathematical tools.
- Processes: the ways mathematicians work: abstracting and reasoning, representing and communicating, and applying and modelling.
- Metacognition: thinking about one’s own thinking, for example choosing a strategy, watching whether it is working and changing course if needed.
- Attitudes: belief in and appreciation of mathematics, confidence, motivation, interest and perseverance.
Source: Ministry of Education, Singapore, Mathematics Syllabus, Primary One to Six (2021 syllabus, updated December 2023).
The framework describes what pupils should develop; it does not name a single teaching method. In Singapore Maths materials, approaches such as Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) and bar modelling are commonly used to help pupils build concepts and represent problems. In our view, they support the framework rather than replace it.
Take a fraction word problem solved with a bar model. The pupil uses the concept of a fraction, the skill of dividing, the process of representing the problem as a model, metacognition when checking that the answer fits the question, and perseverance when the first attempt does not work.
What "MOE-Aligned" Means
The same topics
Every topic in the MOE syllabus for each grade is taught, across the three strands: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics.
The same sequence
Topics are taught in the year and order set by the 2021 syllabus, including the topics that moved year.
The same learning outcomes
Each chapter is written to the MOE learning outcomes, and the AI assessment reports progress by learning objective.
What Changed in the 2021 Syllabus
The MOE 2021 Primary Mathematics Syllabus now applies to every primary level. Several topics moved to a different year, and Explico's Singapore Maths follows the new sequence.
| Topic | Previously taught in | Now taught in |
|---|---|---|
| Telling time to 5 minutes | Primary 2 | Primary 1 |
| 12-hour and 24-hour clock | Primary 4 | Primary 3 |
| Pie charts | Primary 6 | Primary 4 |
| Nets of solids | Primary 6 | Primary 4 |
| Turns and 8-point compass | Primary 4 | Removed |
| Ratio | Primary 5 | Primary 6 |
| Average | Primary 5 | Primary 6 |
| Speed | Primary 6 | Secondary 1 |
Alignment by Grade
Each grade covers the MOE topics for that level. Open a grade for its full topics list.
| Grade | Ages | Key MOE topics |
|---|---|---|
| Primary 1 (Grade 1) | 6 to 7 | Numbers to 100, number bonds, money, time to 5 minutes |
| Primary 2 (Grade 2) | 7 to 8 | Numbers to 1000, tables of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10, first fractions |
| Primary 3 (Grade 3) | 8 to 9 | Numbers to 10 000, tables of 6 to 9, area and perimeter, bar graphs |
| Primary 4 (Grade 4) | 9 to 10 | Factors and multiples, decimals, angles, nets, pie charts |
| Primary 5 (Grade 5) | 10 to 11 | Fraction operations, rate, percentage, volume, triangles |
| Primary 6 (Grade 6) | 11 to 12 | Ratio, algebra, circles, average, PSLE |
How Schools Outside Singapore Use an MOE-Aligned Curriculum
International and English-medium schools use Explico's Singapore Maths to teach the same Primary 1 to 6 sequence as Singapore schools, in English. The Teacher's Guide explains every lesson, and teacher training is part of every school licence, so teachers new to Singapore Maths can follow the sequence with confidence.
Read about Singapore Maths licensing for international schools.
The Official Syllabus
The primary mathematics syllabus is published by the Singapore Ministry of Education. See MOE's primary school syllabuses.
MOE Alignment Questions
Which syllabus does Explico's Singapore Maths follow?
It follows the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) 2021 Primary Mathematics Syllabus, which covers every primary level from 2026, including the updated topic sequence.
Can schools outside Singapore use an MOE-aligned curriculum?
Yes. All materials are in English, and international and English-medium schools use the same Primary 1 to 6 sequence as Singapore schools. See licensing for international schools.
Which topics moved under the 2021 syllabus?
Several topics moved year. For example, pie charts and nets of solids moved from Primary 6 to Primary 4, ratio and average moved from Primary 5 to Primary 6, and speed moved to Secondary 1. The full table is on this page.
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