School MattersAnderson Secondary School vs Commonwealth Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Anderson Secondary School | Commonwealth Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 10 Ang Mo Kio Street 53 | 698 West Coast Road |
| Nearest MRT | Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang | Jurong East, Clementi |
| Listed CCAs | 20 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 8 | 13 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 11 CCA listings. 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. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Broadcasting (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and 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 3 DSA programme listings. Anderson Secondary School also lists Chinese Dance (Girls), Malay Language (Girls and Boys), Table Tennis (Girls), Volleyball (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Coding (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and 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 Commonwealth Secondary School: Jurong East, Clementi. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Anderson Secondary School | Commonwealth Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 7–11 | 2026 · 8–13 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 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.
Commonwealth Secondary School
Commonwealth Secondary began in 1964 as Tanglin Integrated Vocational Secondary School. It became Tanglin Secondary in 1969 and Commonwealth Secondary in 1972, commemorating the previous year's Commonwealth heads-of-government meeting in Singapore. It moved through two Jurong East campuses before reaching West Coast Road in 2006. Autonomous status dates to 1995, followed by recognised environmental-education and design-and-innovation centres in 2008 and 2016. This history helps explain its current mix of practical making, environmental learning and performing arts.
The eco-stewardship curriculum describes Geography water-quality investigations in the stream and wetland, Science farm-to-table work, and hydroponic design in Craft and Technology. Campus spaces include a rainforest, marine aquarium, plant nursery and indoor and outdoor farms. These are concrete learning settings; the pages do not give a fixed fieldwork allocation for every cohort. CCA projects also link sustainability with community partners and causes such as responsible consumption or animal welfare. Parents can ask how often students use these spaces within ordinary lessons.
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)
Commonwealth Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Broadcasting (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Dragon Boat (Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Percussion Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and 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 Commonwealth Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Coding (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Tamil Language (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Anderson Secondary School and Commonwealth Secondary School?
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; Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Commonwealth Secondary School 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.