The official word from MOE is that GEO5A is meant for outstanding GEO5 officers who are stuck at the GEO5 ceiling.

Meaning you need to fulfill BOTH criteria:
at the GEO5 ceiling,
AND also an outstanding performer relative to your peers.

Actual scenario in school, base salary:

18 yrs, female,NIE grad, SEO1 (HOD), 9.8k
15 yrs, male, PGDE, SEO1 (HOD), 9.4k
13 yrs, female, mid-career, GEO5A, 8.5k (increment 5 to 5A was only $200)
12 yrs, male, PGDE, GEO5, 7.4k
11 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO5 (SH), 7.6k
9 yrs, female, HOD,*NUS*grad, GEO5, about 7k plus (she said it's below 8k)
8 yrs, male, GEO5, SH, 7.5K
6 yrs, male, PGDE Overseas degree, GEO5 6.6k
6 yrs, male, PGDE local degree (HQ officer), GEO5 6.7k
6 yrs, male, PGDE local degree (HQ officer), GEO4 6.3k
6 yrs, female, NIE grad, GEO4 (SH new), 6k
6 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO4, 6.2k
5 yrs, female, NIE grad, GEO3, 5.1k
4 yrs, female, mid-career, GEO3, 6.1k
4 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO4, 5.3k
3 yrs, male PGDE, GEO3, 5.4k
3 yrs, male PGDE, GEO3, 5.7k

Actual scenario in school, base salary:

18 yrs, female,NIE grad, SEO1 (HOD), 9.8k
15 yrs, male, PGDE, SEO1 (HOD), 9.4k
13 yrs, female, mid-career, GEO5A, 8.5k (increment 5 to 5A was only $200)
12 yrs, male, PGDE, GEO5, 7.4k
11 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO5 (SH), 7.6k
9 yrs, female, HOD,*NUS*grad, GEO5, about 7k plus (she said it's below 8k)
8 yrs, male, GEO5, SH, 7.5K
8 yrs, male, GEO3, 5.9k
6 yrs, male, PGDE Overseas degree, GEO5 6.6k
6 yrs, male, PGDE local degree (HQ officer), GEO5 6.7k
6 yrs, male, PGDE local degree (HQ officer), GEO4 6.3k
6 yrs, female, NIE grad, GEO4 (SH new), 6k
6 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO4, 6.2k
5 yrs, female, NIE grad, GEO3, 5.1k
4 yrs, female, mid-career, GEO3, 6.1k
4 yrs, male, NIE grad, GEO4, 5.3k
3 yrs, male PGDE, GEO3, 5.4k
3 yrs, male PGDE, GEO3, 5.7k

Highly likely their degree honours (1st class vs 2nd upper/lower)

From what I know, usually C+ and above to trigger a recommendation. But really depends on school leaders. They already have in mind over these years, who amongst the pool of stagnant GEO5s, are deserving of 5A.

May I know the difference between LH and SH?

In a primary school context. TIA

Be it SH or LH, it’s basically the 2IC in the department. LH is more commonly seen in primary school and the subjects being taught is lesser. For example Science in secondary school is divided into Chem/Phy/Bio so if the HOD is a Chem teacher, the SH teach Bio, he/she will he known as SH Bio. In pri sch, science is general science and the 2IC will be known as Level Head instead of Subject Head as technically “head” of the subject is basically the HOD. So in sec sch, in the English department, the 2IC will be known as Level Head English.

sorry just curious, do the number of years here include

1. contract teaching period
2. NIE phase (for the PGDE officers)?

but thank you all for contributing! this is very useful info :)

SH LH Rank and Recognition wise is Equivalent.

In Pri Schools

SH usually appears in departments where more than 1 subject is involved. E.g. Aesthetics, or PE/CCA, or in some schools, PE/Aesthetics. In that case, the HOD, may be a PE-trained or Music/Art-trained, but will require the expertise of SH PE or SH Aesthetics to help with the PD of the department. Overarching planning will still fall onto HOD. Other SH examples are like SH ML/TL and SH CL (Under MTL HOD), or SH SS/NE (under CCE HOD).

For LH, it usually appears in departments where it is just one subject focused (Meaning EMS), and usually because the number of teachers in these departments are larger, the HOD will be in charge of overarching planning, but also maybe just focused on a few levels (e.g. 246), and the LH or 2 LHs may take the other 3 levels (hence called 'level' head)

Sometimes in a school, when there are no HODs (or while waiting for open posting etc.), they will appoint SH to cover HOD work (e.g. SH Science to cover HOD Science duties until an official HOD comes).

But basically, LH and SH can interswitch, just slightly different contexts and hence the terminology (So it is possible for EMS departments to have SH and LH but for smaller departments like Aesthetics, PE, SS etc, usually just SH)