Hidden-Gem Secondary Schools that You May Not Know About

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As parents in Singapore, we can easily name a few ‘top’ secondary schools. Often, these are Integrated Programme (IP) schools, where students will ‘skip’ the O-Level exams that secondary school students typically take after four years of studies. Instead, IP students will only need to prepare for either the A-Level or International Baccalaureate exams in their sixth and final year of the programme.

However, in a typical cohort of about 40,000 Primary 6 students, only about 10% (or almost 4,000 students) will qualify for an IP secondary school. Most students will enter secondary school via the G3 (formerly Express) pathway, while around 30% of students will take subjects at either the G2 (formerly Normal Academic) or G1 (formerly Normal Technical) levels. 

There are no official statistics for what an ‘average’ Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) score is. However, those who have previously scored AL17 to 18 for the PSLE might have noticed that they were able to meet the entry requirements for about half the secondary schools in Singapore — this suggests that it’s a score range that many students achieve.

Although schools that accept students with AL scores of 17 and above may not be on your radar now, it’s useful to find out more about them. These are potentially places where your child can thrive, and it’s good to have school options for different score ranges, in case your child’s grades don’t turn out as expected. 

Below, we highlight some hidden-gem secondary schools with accessible entry cut-offs, so that you can consider them for your child. Apart from these schools, you can also research other lesser-known schools by seeking recommendations from your network. You may discover that there are many good schools around you, once you take the time to get to know them!

Christ Church Secondary School

Christ Church Secondary is located next to Woodlands South MRT station along the Thomson East-Coast Line (TEL), making it a surprisingly convenient option for students living near TEL stations in the north-central region. For instance, the school is just a 15-minute train ride from the Upper Thomson station. 

The school stands out for its unconventional 4+1 timetable, where lessons are conducted from Mondays to Thursdays, while Fridays are reserved for co-curricular activities and chapel sessions. We’ve also heard that parents who have attended Christ Church’s school events, such as the Open House, have been impressed. At these events, students take the lead in interacting with visitors, with teachers acting as background observers — this approach showcases the confidence and school pride of the student community. Forward-thinking parents will also appreciate the school’s affiliation ties to St. Andrew’s Junior College.

Yusof Ishak Secondary School

Yusof Ishak Secondary was previously situated in Bukit Batok; it shifted to Punggol in 2022. Currently, the school is a 12-minute walk from Punggol MRT station on the North-East Line. 

The school engaged its stakeholders — including students, teachers, and alumni — in designing the new campus, prioritising usability and flexibility. For instance, modular furniture and equipment are strategically placed throughout the school to facilitate easier collaboration among students.

While the school’s new facilities have captured attention, the school’s principal Maureen Lee has also been lauded for her “Dear Mdm Lee” initiative, where students write letters to her, and in return, receive handwritten replies. This highlights that the school embraces a flat organisational structure, where students and educators are mutually accessible to ease communication and build trust.

Unity Secondary School

Unity Secondary is an eight-minute walk from the Yew Tee MRT station on the North-South Line, which makes it a reasonable option for those living near the Jurong, Woodlands, and Sembawang MRT stations.

The school offers transparency about its academic performance, and you can visit their website to view their national exam results for 2023. 

Unity Secondary has also made the news for supporting their ‘top achiever’, a Malaysian student who managed to overcome the odds to advance from the then-Normal Technical stream all the way to the Express stream, and do well in the O-Level exams with a single-digit score. Citing his teachers as inspiration, the student aspires to become a teacher himself, showcasing the school’s lasting influence.

Naval Base Secondary School

Naval Base Secondary is located within walking distance (seven minutes) from Khatib MRT station on the North-South Line. 

The school is notable for its overseas art study programme, which it credits for transforming the mindsets of its delinquent students. The programme kicked off in 2003 with an eight-day art tour of Paris, and in order to be considered for the trip, students had to maintain good behaviour. This requirement motivated them to attend school regularly, complete assignments, and even fundraise for the trip. In subsequent years, trip destinations have included Amsterdam, Venice, and Tokyo, and participants have also had the opportunity to exhibit their artworks at foreign art festivals. Today, several of these students have gone on to carve out thriving careers in art and design. 

For those with a keen interest in art, do consider this school. Naval Base has noted an increase in applications during the Direct School Admissions process, and students who don’t live nearby have said that they are willing to put up with a longer commute, just to study in a school with a rich arts programme.

Broadrick Secondary School

A five-minute walk from Dakota MRT station on the Circle Line, Broadrick Secondary has several interesting initiatives to help students expand their learning experiences. For instance, the school has recently introduced “whitespace” slots in their timetables, in order to give students flexible time to pace their own learning or explore interests beyond the syllabus.

Another goal for the school is nurturing a sense of community and compassion. Broadrick students are given responsibilities such as maintaining the cleanliness of the neighbourhood, and playing host to visiting students from a nearby primary school by planning fun activities for them. In the upper secondary years, they will reach out to elderly citizens in the vicinity, and be guided to identify an area of need in the community that they can help to address.

Want to chat with other parents about secondary school selection? Join a conversation on the KiasuParents forum!