Kangaroo.Study 2025 S1 Math Enrollment

高旭明

1. Secondary Math: From "No Difference" to "Worlds Apart"

Over years of teaching, we've noticed that even students with the same PSLE Mathematics AL1 grades show increasing differences in performance once they enter secondary school. The transition to S1 involves shifts in algebraic thinking, difficulty, and methods, causing some students to struggle. Additionally, since scoring 75% can secure an A1, many students can’t realize their weaknesses in study.

In S2, as difficulty increases, students with weak foundations begin to struggle more, and the number of students achieving A1 decreases. The gap between Top schools and other schools widens, even among sister schools like RGS and RI.

In S3 and S4, with the introduction of A-Math, the difficulty spikes for both E-Math and A-Math, posing a significant challenge to students' math abilities and energy. And achieving an ideal score requires over 75% on the O-levels so that fewer students can attain this.

As the difficulty increases layer by layer, the gap between students widens. Only those with good study habits, consistent learning, and advanced preparation can maintain stable performance, easily handle the higher difficulty of JC's H2 Math, and excel in competitions like SMO and AMC. Otherwise, students may fall further behind.

The Reasons Behind the Issues

※Huge Gap Between E&A Math Difficulty:

E-Math: Studied from S1 to S4, covering algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics.

A-Math: Studied from S3, mainly covering algebra and geometry. The additional content includes calculus, binomial theorem, elementary functions, and deeper topics, such as algebraic transformations, radical expressions, functions, trigonometric functions, and circles.

The sudden increase in content and difficulty from Secondary 3 poses a huge challenge to students' foundation and energy.

※Systematic Knowledge:

Weak foundations severely impact later learning. For instance, mastering complex theorems in S3 and S4 requires a thorough understanding of multiplication formulas and factorization learned in S2. Establishing solid algebraic thinking in S1  is crucial. Knowledge points are interconnected. If any link is missing, it will inevitably lead to falling behind in S3 and S4.

※The lowevaluation standards cause learning issues to be discovered late.

The teaching difficulty varies between schools, even among Top schools. Scoring 75% is enough for an A1, and many students are satisfied with this grade, causing them to overlook their deficiencies. In fact 75% accuracy is insufficient for future learning demands. It is only when encountering difficult problems in higher grades that students realize their issues. However, trying to catch up at that point is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Two Major Strategies to Solve Problems

※Preparation and Foundation Building:

After starting A-Math in S3, the content is extensive, the difficulty is high, and the pressure is immense. To alleviate the learning pressure in higher grades, part of the higher-grade content should be introduced during the lower-grade learning process. By familiarizing students with these topics in advance and reinforcing practice, it helps them build a solid foundation and prepares them for future learning. This is also a common practice in many prestigious schools, where knowledge is taught earlier.

※Self-Breakthrough, expand and strengthen, and engage in top-level learning:

Higher grades demand a stronger foundation and greater learning ability from students. Each knowledge point must be studied in-depth, with an understanding of the underlying principles. It's important to expand learning as much as possible, even tackling competition-level problems. This approach enhances mastery of the material and better prepares students for advanced topics in higher grades.

2.Secondary School Math Competitions

SMO Competition Overview

SMO (Singapore Mathematical Olympiad): Organized by the Singapore Mathematical Society. It is the most authoritative and challenging mathematics competition for secondary school students in Singapore and a key pathway for members of the national team.

SMO is divided into three categories: Junior (S1+S2), Senior (S3+S4), and Open (S1 ~ JC2, with the highest difficulty).

SMO Junior has nearly 4,000 participants each year (S1+S2), but only a little over 100 advance to the second round (106 in 2023 and 124 in 2024, with those advancing to the second round guaranteed at least a silver medal). Approximately 60 gold medals are expected, and the top 30 participants will receive individual awards.

Significance of Competition Results

Enhances Mathematical Ability and Interest: Intensive learning helps improve children's logical thinking and problem-solving abilities, while also sparking their interest in mathematics. This lays a strong foundation for their future learning and development.

file:///C:/Users/10757/AppData/Local/Temp/ksohtml5332/wps374.jpgIncreases Competitiveness: High-value competition awards in secondary school, such as SMO and AMC, are widely recognized. They showcase children's efforts and achievements in mathematics, giving them an advantage in JC-DSA (Junior College Direct School Admission), as well as in university and scholarship applications. For example, the image below is a screenshot of the achievements section when applying to NUS.

Differences Between School and Competition Math

The coverage of knowledge is similar, but the difficulty level is much higher and better assesses a child's problem-solving skills and creative thinking. For instance, in the table below, for the topic of factorization, middle school usually only covers the simplest cases such as extracting common factors. Some schools may also teach the formulas for perfect squares and difference of squares, which can be solved in at most 2 steps. However, SMO Junior requires knowledge of ten factorization methods, including cross-method and the factor theorem, which are typically taught in higher grades. The difficulty difference is obvious.

For students who have not systematically studied competitions but have extra learning capacity, exposing themselves to progressively challenging competition content and practicing extensively will help them handle school exams more skillfully and offer opportunities to participate in competitions and aim for awards.

The key to excelling in competitions

Systematic learning in advance is key for achieving ideal results in S1.

For the SMO (Singapore Mathematical Olympiad) in 2025: Round 1 (at the end of May) features 25 questions worth 1 point each, primarily focusing on elementary algebra and geometry, covering 28 categories and 126 knowledge points; Round 2 (at the end of June) consists of 5 questions worth 10 points each, requiring detailed solutions. This round mainly tests combinations, number theory, and includes algebra and geometry, with a low repetition of problem types and very high difficulty. For S1 students, time is tight and the workload is heavy. Starting preparation for secondary school competitions right after PSLE is essential to cover all knowledge points, complete revision, and ensure proficiency before the exams.

3. Kangaroo Secondary Mathematics Five-Level System

To help each child address challenges in their learning journey, fully tap into their potential, and meet different developmental needs, Kangaroo Secondary Mathematics has established a five-level system: Cultivation Class, Enhancement Class, Innovation Class, Elite Class, and Exploration Class. With "pre-course preparation during the holidays," every child is ensured entry into the most suitable class for their learning. Additionally, regular advancement exams assess student progress, providing opportunities for those with extra capacity to advance to higher levels.

Exploration Class: Advance learning of secondary school competition to aim for top ranks in SMO

This class gathers students with a strong foundation in mathematics and significant potential. Starting after the PSLE, students will complete a round of learning and revision before the SMO Junior exams next year. The goal is to help students reach Junior Round 2 (approximately 110 students from S1/S2) and prepare specifically for Round 2 during the mid-year break to achieve ideal results.

Suitable for students with rich experience in math competitions, solid fundamentals, outstanding performance, and potential to be among the top 40 in Singapore competitions.

Elite Class: Expand learning of secondary school competition content to aim for medals in SMO, AMC, etc.

This class delves into competition content with adjusted difficulty levels, ensuring that students are sufficiently challenged yet able to keep up and understand the material. It aims to solidify the foundation and strive for excellent results in SMO Junior during S1 and S2.

Suitable for students with a background in math competitions, excellent performance, a desire to challenge themselves, and a goal to advance further in competitions.

Innovation Class: Expand high-grade and competition knowledge and fully explore student potential

This class caters to students with outstanding performance in regular studies and extra capacity. The curriculum will cover and exceed all school-level math content, ensuring strong performance in school. It will also include extensive expansion, covering high-grade knowledge and competition-level problems. Students will have opportunities to participate in major math competitions and aim for medals.

Suitable for students with limited competition experience but who have extra capacity, strong interest, a willingness to challenge themselves, and a desire to participate in math competitions.

Enhancement Class: Expand difficulty to enhance high-grade learning efficiency and effectiveness

The curriculum will cover and exceed all school-level math content, with significant expansion in problem difficulty and types to enhance student interest and prepare for high-grade key knowledge. This will reinforce practice and improve future learning efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring strong performance.

Suitable for students with a solid foundation who want to challenge themselves, expand their learning, and ensure future academic success.

Cultivation Class: Strengthen the foundation, prepare for expansion, and ensure good school performance

The class will also cover school-level math content, with some expansion in problem difficulty and knowledge range, reinforced with practice to solidify the foundation and build an interest in math. It aims to help students achieve good results in school exams and lay a solid foundation for future learning, reducing pressure and avoiding gaps.

Suitable for students who need to consolidate their foundation, enhance training, improve thinking abilities, and ensure academic performance while reducing future learning pressure.

4. Kangaroo Syllabus

5. Kangaroo Supports and Guarantees Student Success

Comprehensive Teaching Model and System

※Parent Observation: Each enrolled student can bring one parent into the classroom to observe. Parents can monitor their child's progress, understand course content and pacing, and take notes, provided it does not disrupt the class.

※Refund at any time: Students can receive a prorated refund at any time during the course.

※Dual-Teacher Classroom: Each class features one primary teacher and one assistant teacher. The primary teacher delivers lessons while the assistant teacher provides ongoing feedback, tracks student progress, and manages real-time classroom streaming.

※Seven-Step Teaching Method: Guarantees learning results through Pre-Class Quiz, Classroom instruction, Error Correction, Live Streaming, Post-Class Quiz, Homework Reinforcement, and Course Summary. Help students cultivate good learning habits.

※Daily Practice: Utilizes Kangaroo.Study APP, an online daily practice system where students engage in daily exercises. The app provides data on students’ grasp of different knowledge points and helps organize and review mistakes.

Regular Personal Learning Progress Reports for Students

To help children understand their learning status and address issues promptly, teachers will regularly assess their performance. This includes evaluating classroom participation, quiz results, study habits, homework completion, and knowledge mastery. Teachers will provide encouragement and improvement suggestions based on these assessments, helping children refine their skills, develop good study habits, and ensure academic success.

Professional and Free Learning Resources

Kangaroo has a dedicated research team that deeply analyzes and studies the examination methods, question styles, and knowledge systems of various Singaporean exams. This ensures comprehensive coverage of competition knowledge points, with some original questions appearing in actual SMO exam papers. To support students in their practice, Kangaroo provides specialized collections of past exam papers and practice questions, which are shared for free with students. If students encounter any difficulties with the problems, they can always seek help from teachers through group chats or private messages.

Free Learning Activities and Guidance

To help students prepare effectively and at the right time, we have designed a series of learning activities such as lectures, public classes, live streaming classes, practice check-ins, mock exams, and test reviews. These activities have been well-received by parents.

6. Achievements of Kangaroo Students

Kangaroo has been in Singapore for less than two years, and in that short time, its students have achieved outstanding results in the SMO across two cohorts:

※2023 Kangaroo.Study First Cohort(Junior): 10 students from Exploration Class participated, 100% advanced to Round 2, all 10 students earned gold medals, 6 students reached the Top 30, 4 students made it to the Top 10, 5 were elected for the Junior Training Team.

※2024 Kangaroo.Study First Cohort(Junior): 19 students from the Exploration Class participated in the Junior SMO, with a 100% advancement rate to Round 2. Remarkably, the 5th question in Round 2 was an exact match with a problem from the holiday course materials (Round 2 results have not yet been published). Junior group participants made up less than 1.5% of the national competitors, and those advancing to Round 2 represented 25% of the national Round 2 qualifiers.

※Yang Yihan (student from Exploration Class): After rigorous selection by the Nations Training Team, Yang Yihan (S4) was chosen to be part of the 2024 IMO Singapore National Team (out of a total of 6 students nationwide).

7. Introduction of Teachers

Teacher Cao Kenan:

※ Gold medal coach from the Chinese Math Olympiad.

※From his class of 16 students in 2022, 4 won the gold medal and 8 won the silver medal of NMOS. Among them, 1 has taken part in IMSO team and was ranked 1st in Asia. 2 of his secondary school students also joined the senior training team. In 2022, his student obtained overall first place in the IMSO national team. All students from the P6 exploration class achieved RMO HD or APMOPS Platinum. Several students simultaneously received Direct School Admission to prestigious schools such as NUS High School, Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution, and others.

※In 2023 SMO (Singapore Mathematical Olympiad) exam, all 10 students from the secondary school exploration class advanced to the SMO second round. Six students made it to the Top 30, four to the Top 10, and five entered the Junior Training Team. Additionally, P6 students joined the secondary school national youth training team, and a Secondary 1 student entered the national team training squad.

※In 2024, In the 2024 SMO exam, a total of 19 students from the middle school exploration class participated in Junior, all of whom entered the second round. 10 students entered the Top 30, 3 students entered the Top 10, and 16 students entered the Junior Training Team. At the same time, S4 student YANG YIHAN joined the Singapore IMO team of six and won Singapore's only gold medal at the 65th IMO, ranking 14th in the world.

Teacher Gao Xuming:

※ Graduated from Wuhan University, Teacher Gao is an S-level (highest level) teacher at Fangtian Education and also the head of the secondary school department. Familiar with the Olympiad mathematics system and an in-depth understanding of Math Olympiad competitions, over ten of the students under his guidance have won the Yingchun Cup Gold Award (equivalent to the highest award in RMO).

※ In 2023, the first year in Singapore, 10 students under his guidance smoothly entered the second round of the SMO Junior (a total of 106 students from the first and second years nationwide entered the second round). At the same time, some students successfully joined the Junior Training Team.

※ In 2024, 13 students from the non exploration class entered the SMO Junior second round, 6 won gold medals, and 3 entered the Junior Training Team

8. Registration Information

※Class Schedule:

Cultivation: Oct 23 to Oct 27, and Oct 31 to Nov 3. Every day from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Exploration: Oct 23 to Oct 27, Oct 31 to Nov 3 and Nov 5 to Nov 9. Every day from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

※Class Format: Physical

※Class Location: #02-12, Grantral Mall, 601 MacPherson Road, 368242

※Class Limit: 16 students

※Course Fee: $120 per lesson (No registration fee, no deposit, no textbook fee).

※Entrance Diagnosis Test: The admission test is not just an entrance test but also a check on the essential knowledge points for P5 PSLE. Students aiming for AL1 next year can come for the test. After the test, teachers will provide free explanations and one-on-one test diagnostics. Students who have previously tested for Olympiad courses are also welcome to take the test.

※App Download: Search for "Kangaroo.Study" in the app store to download.

For any questions regarding the secondary course, you can scan the QR code below to consult Teacher Gao, WeChat/WhatsApp: +65 80398242