School Matters

Getting things ready

Anderson Secondary School vs Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.

At a glance

CompareAnderson Secondary SchoolAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)
School typeCo-Ed SchoolBoys' School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousNot listed
ZoneNorthSouth
Address10 Ang Mo Kio Street 5360 Barker Road
Nearest MRTAng Mo Kio, Yio Chu KangNewton, Stevens
Listed CCAs2023
DSA listings817

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 1 CCA listing. Anderson Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Biological Science (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
DSA programme
The records share 1 DSA programme listing. Anderson Secondary School also lists Chinese Dance (Girls), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Malay Language (Girls and Boys), Netball (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) also lists Badminton (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys), Choir (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
The daily journey
Nearby MRT stations listed for Anderson Secondary School: Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang; for Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road): Newton, Stevens. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareAnderson Secondary SchoolAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 7–112026 · 6–9
PG3 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 8–21
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–232026 · 21
PG2 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 21–25
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–282026 · 25–26
PG1 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 25–28

Each range belongs to the intake year and programme shown. Affiliated and non-affiliated ranges are separate. D, M and P are Higher Mother Tongue requirements. Past ranges do not guarantee admission.

Get to know each school

Anderson Secondary School

MOE’s heritage account traces Anderson to a primary school founded in 1960, a secondary girls’ school in 1964 and a co-educational school in 1965. It moved to Ang Mo Kio Street 53 in 1993 and became one of the first six autonomous schools in 1994. Its science-research niche was established in 2000, followed by recognition as a Cluster Centre of Excellence for Science in 2005. This is Anderson Secondary’s institutional history, separate from the present Anderson Primary formed by a later merger.

The Science department distinguishes its Science Research Programme from a Science Talent Programme. The latter lists Olympiad preparation and external competitions such as the C.B. Paul Science Quiz and National STEM Challenge. The department’s emphasis is on investigation and communicating ideas, but an activity or historical award does not establish how many pupils participate. A child keen on laboratory work should ask how research groups are formed, what mentoring they receive and whether enrichment involves additional time beyond ordinary Science lessons.

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

The ACS family began with a shophouse school on Amoy Street in 1886, but the Barker Road school itself was established in January 1994 with primary and secondary pupils. MOE’s Heritage Centre records the split into ACS (Primary) and ACS (Barker Road) in 1997, followed by a return to the rebuilt Barker Road campus in January 2003. A shared indoor sports hall was consecrated in 2022 after construction delays. This history helps distinguish the secondary school from the primary school on the same campus.

The Applied Learning Programme uses drama, debate and public speaking. Its published sequence starts with Secondary 1 storytelling workshops, moves to Secondary 2 drama and theatre exposure linked to the literature text, and adds debates, drama workshops and theatre exposure in Secondary 3. A separate talent-development tier offers training for speaking competitions, Model United Nations and emceeing school events. The distinction matters: the basic sequence describes broader provision, while competition preparation involves additional participation.

CCAs and programmes

Anderson Secondary School

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Biological Science (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

  • Badminton (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Bowling (Boys)
  • Boys' Brigade (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
  • Choir (Boys)
  • Concert Band (Boys)
  • Debating and Public Speaking (Boys)
  • English Drama (Boys)
  • Floorball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Hockey (Boys)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
  • Robotics (Boys)
  • Rugby (Boys)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Water Polo (Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at Anderson Secondary School

  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Malay Language (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Table Tennis (Girls)
  • Volleyball (Girls)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

  • Badminton (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Bowling (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
  • Choir (Boys)
  • Concert Band (Boys)
  • Debating (Boys)
  • Digital Media (Boys)
  • Floorball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Hockey (Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Boys)
  • Robotics (Boys)
  • Rugby (Boys)
  • Swimming (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Water Polo (Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Anderson Secondary School and Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)?

Start with programmes, the CCAs your child wants and the actual journey from home. Visit both schools to assess the daily environment. Counts and past results alone do not establish which school fits your child.

How do their recorded PSLE entry ranges compare?

PG3 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 7–11; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 6–9. PG3 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 8–21. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21. PG2 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–28.

Do past admission records guarantee a place?

No. Ranges belong to the intake year and programme shown and can change. Keep affiliated and non-affiliated ranges separate and retain any D, M or P Higher Mother Tongue suffix.