School Matters

Getting things ready

Anderson Secondary School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

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

At a glance

CompareAnderson Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
School typeCo-Ed SchoolGirls' School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousAutonomous
ZoneNorthSouth
Address10 Ang Mo Kio Street 53111 Farrer Road
Nearest MRTAng Mo Kio, Yio Chu KangFarrer Road
Listed CCAs2021
DSA listings816

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 3 CCA listings. Anderson Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Biological Science (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) 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 2 DSA programme listings. Anderson Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Malay Language (Girls and Boys), Table Tennis (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Choir (Girls) 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 St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareAnderson Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 7–112026 · 8–11
PG3 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 10–20
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–232026 · 21–23
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.

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.

The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.

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)

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls)
  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Red Cross Youth (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)

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 St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Visual Arts (Girls)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Anderson Secondary School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?

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; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anderson Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Anderson Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 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.