DSA @ Northbrooks
DSA @ Northbrooks
Thank you for your interest in Northbrooks Secondary School.
About DSA
The Direct School Admission (DSA) is an opportunity for Primary 6 students to directly apply for admission into participating secondary schools based on their talents and achievement which might not have been demonstrated at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
Northbrooks Secondary School offers DSA in the following areas in 2023:
1. Aerospace
2. Outdoor Adventure
3. Leadership
4. Floorball (Boys)
5. Guzheng Ensemble
6. Modern Dance
7. Concert Band
8. Badminton
About Northbrooks
The school offers a variety of enrichment programmes to widen the students’ learning experiences for greater development in cognitive, physical and aesthetics domains.
The school’s distinctive Applied Learning Programme (ALP) in Aerospace provides our students an edge when applying for Aerospace-related courses in ITE and the Polytechnics, which in turn opens a career pathway for them in the rapidly growing Aerospace industry. All Lower Secondary students are equipped with basic knowledge in general Aerospace topics and essential Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) skills. Students who demonstrate passion in this field of study would be further engaged/stretched in related external competitions and programmes.
Our Learning for Life Programme (LLP) in Outdoor Education is known as A.C.E. and stands for Adventure, Character, Environment. The programme aims to develop character, inculcate values of grit and resilience and build leadership traits in all students as they learn adventure skills such as orienteering, rock climbing and abseiling as well as cultivate an appreciation for the outdoors and the environment during PE lessons and Level Camps. Students who excel at the various adventure skills may have the opportunity to participate at a higher challenge level in various outdoor competitions.
General Criteria for All Talent Areas
1. Applicants should have a keen interest and passion for the respective talent areas.
2. Applicants should have a positive learning attitude and a growth mindset.
3. Applicants should have demonstrated good conduct and leadership skills in school.
Criteria and Selection Process
| Talent Area | Criteria | Selection Process |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct 2. Strong interest in Aerospace and STEAM fields 3. Highly motivated and resilient when faced with an unfamiliar setting 4. Good content knowledge on basic physics of flight and STEAM concepts 5. Demonstration of skills in the areas of critical thinking and reasoning, problem solving, adaptability and teamwork 6. Demonstration of skills related to Aerospace |
1. Multiple Choice Questions on Theory of Flight and Aerodynamics 2. Interview *During the interview, applicants are encouraged to share their STEAM related projects done in their primary schools through portfolio. |
| Outdoor Adventure | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct 2. Leadership skills 3. Good physical fitness Prior experiences in outdoor adventure-related activities |
1. Applicants are preferred to have assumed leadership roles in CCA, or as class monitor or school prefect in Primary 5 and 6. 2. Applicants must have obtained at least a ‘Silver’ award in Primary 4 or 6. 3. Interview |
| Leadership | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct. 2. Leadership skills. Prior experiences in leadership-related activities |
1. Interview 2. Leadership Challenge *Both interview and Leadership Challenge will be conducted in person |
| Floorball (Boys) | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct. 2. Good physical fitness. Prior experiences in Floorball/Hockey competitions |
1. Sports Trial 2. Interview |
| Guzheng Ensemble | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct. 2. Good performance skills and techniques in Guzheng 3. Participated in performances/ events in or outside school 4. Demonstrate high level of commitment and self-motivation |
1. Submission of any existing video recording of a performance. If a video recording is submitted, applicants must ensure that he/she is in the video frame and that the recording is not edited. Applicants who do not have any existing videos will not be required to make a new video to support this application. Details on video submission will be sent to applicants via email 2. Live Audition 3. Interview |
| Modern Dance | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct 2. Demonstration of good performance skills and techniques in Dance 3. Participated in performances/ events in or outside school 4. Demonstrate high level of commitment and self-motivation |
1. Submission of any existing video recording of a dance performance (Not longer than 3 minutes). If a video recording is submitted, applicants must ensure that he/she is in the video frame and that the recording is not edited. Applicants who do not have any existing videos will not be required to make a new video to support this application. Details on video submission will be sent to applicants via email. 2. Live Audition 3. Interview |
| Concert Band | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct 2. Demonstration of good performance skills and techniques in playing of a musical instrument 3. Participated in performances/ events in or outside school 4. Demonstrate high level of commitment and self-motivation |
1. Submission of any existing video recording of a dance performance (Not longer than 3 minutes). If a video recording is submitted, applicants must ensure that he/she is in the video frame and that the recording is not edited. Applicants who do not have any existing videos will not be required to make a new video to support this application. Details on video submission will be sent to applicants via email. 2. Live Audition 3. Interview |
| Badminton | Demonstration of 1. Positive attitude and conduct 2. Good physical fitness |
1. Applicants will be assessed via drills and mini-games set by the coach/ Teacher-in-charge. Some of the skills that may be evaluated are: - Lobbing, - Service, - Netting, - Smash, - Footwork Assessment. Ability to strategically place the shuttle to score a point. 2. Interview. |
*Meeting all the criteria does not guarantee that the student will be shortlisted/ given an offer.
Application Process
Application for DSA-Sec can be submitted through the online DSA-Sec Portal. The application is free-of-charge and will be open from Thursday, 4 May 2023 11.00am to Wednesday, 31 May 2023 3.00pm. For more details, please refer to MOE DSA-Sec website – www.moe.gov.sg/dsa-sec.
Parents and students are encouraged to choose schools wisely based on the student’s aptitudes and strengths, bearing in mind the schools’ academic and non-academic requirements, and the programmes available to develop the area of talent. Students who are successfully admitted to the school via DSA are expected to honour their commitment to the school, and participate in the activities related to the talent they are selected for from year 1-4.
Outcome
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the application via a letter by late November 2023 (between Wednesday, 22 November and Friday, 24 November 2023).. The letter will indicate whether the applicant has been given a Confirmed Offer, put on the Waiting List or Unsuccessful.
Key Dates
| Dates | Process |
|---|---|
| 4 May 2023 – 31 May 2023 | DSA Application period |
| 26 June 2023 – 11 September 2023 | Selection and Interview period |
| By 11 September 2023 | Release of Outcome of DSA Application |
| 23 October 2023 –27 October 2023 | School Preference Submission by Applicants who have received at least one DSA-Sec offer |
| Late November 2023 (between Wednesday, 22 November and Friday, 24 November 2023). | DSA-Sec Allocation Results Release |