What is TSA Maths? What Primary 3, Primary 6 and Secondary 3 students are assessed on, and how

• 40 minPrimary 3 Maths, per sub-paperSource: 2026年全港性系統評估（小學）便覽：數學科
• 50 minPrimary 6 Maths, per sub-paperSource: 2026年全港性系統評估（小學）便覽：數學科
• 65 minSecondary 3 Maths, per sub-paperSource: 2026年全港性系統評估（中學）便覽：數學科

What is the TSA? It assesses basic competencies, not individual results

The Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) is an assessment conducted across Hong Kong and coordinated by the Government. It looks at students' basic competencies in Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics at the end of Key Stages 1 to 3, that is, in Primary 3, Primary 6 and Secondary 3. It is a standards-referenced assessment: it shows whether students reach the basic competencies, not how students rank against each other.

After the assessment, schools receive a school report and item analyses that show which basic competencies their students are strong or weak in, so they can adjust their teaching. The reports do not show individual students' results, and the data may not be used to compare schools or students. In other words, the TSA is a tool that helps schools and the Government understand learning as a whole, not an exam score for each student.

Which levels take it? The 2027 Maths dates

The TSA is held at three levels, with different arrangements for each. According to Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 74/2026, Primary 3 is assessed on a territory-wide sampling basis, and schools that arrange for all their Primary 3 students to take part receive a detailed school report. The Primary 6 assessment has been held in odd-numbered years since 2015, and in even-numbered years schools may still take part voluntarily. In Secondary 3, schools are asked to arrange for all students to take part.

The table below shows the dates of the Maths written assessments for the 2026/27 school year. Speaking assessments are for Chinese and English only and have their own dates. The HKEAA's notices to schools set out the actual arrangements, so parents should look out for school notices.

What does Maths cover? Strands, timing and question types at each level

At all three levels the Maths assessment is a written paper divided into four sub-papers, and each student answers only one of them. Every sub-paper covers all the strands for that key stage. There are several sub-papers so that the curriculum is covered more fully; it does not mean students sit four papers.

The Primary 3 assessment focuses on the basic and important parts of the Primary 1 to 3 curriculum. Since 2016 the HKEAA has revised the Primary 3 Maths paper design: the number of questions was cut by about 20%, each question centres on one basic competency, and there are fewer linked questions, with questions matched to students' daily experience. The Primary 6 assessment assumes students have the Key Stage 1 basic competencies, focuses on the Primary 4 to 6 curriculum and adds the Algebra strand, so students may need to write equations.

The Secondary 3 assessment focuses on the Secondary 1 to 3 curriculum. An HKEAA-approved calculator may be used, and no formulae are provided in the sub-papers. With no formula sheet, students need to remember the common junior secondary formulae, such as those for area and volume.

All three levels include objective questions such as multiple choice, as well as open-ended ones such as fill-in-the-blank and working questions. Working questions ask students to write the number sentence, the answer, an explanation or the steps, so showing clear steps in everyday practice helps more than writing answers alone.

Does the TSA affect secondary school places?

No. According to the HKEAA FAQ, TSA school reports do not list individual students' results, so they do not affect promotion or further studies, and the results are not used in Secondary School Places Allocation. The HKEAA also points out that the TSA is not an allocation exam.

Secondary School Places Allocation uses internal school assessment results, and the two are often confused. To learn about allocation exams and the allocation process, see the articles below.

• What are allocation exams?
• The Secondary School Places Allocation process

Is drilling needed? How parents can prepare

The HKEAA says no. Basic competencies are only part of the curriculum, and schools need not change how they teach just for the TSA; over-drilling weakens interest in learning and adds needless pressure. For students, the best preparation is to learn their everyday class topics well.

Parents who want to see what the questions look like can download past primary assessment papers and marking schemes and secondary assessment papers and marking schemes free from the HKEAA website. It is best to use only one or two to see the question types and what answers need, such as the steps a working question expects, rather than as drilling material.

In everyday study, notice which topics your child finds hard. In Primary 3, for example, the quick guide's sample questions include working out time from clock faces, measuring length with a ruler, and fractions. A question such as 240 + 10 × 6 checks that multiplication comes before addition; a student who works left to right will get it wrong. Once a weak area is found, revisiting the concept and examples topic by topic works better than doing lots of mock papers.

• Primary 3 maths course
• Primary 6 maths course
• Secondary 3 maths course

Frequently asked questions

The links in this article go to the organisations’ own pages. Dates, fees and arrangements can change; check the latest information from the organisation concerned.

Review maths topics by level