School MattersAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 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 | Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) | Commonwealth Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Autonomous |
| Zone | South | West |
| Address | 60 Barker Road | 698 West Coast Road |
| Nearest MRT | Newton, Stevens | Jurong East, Clementi |
| Listed CCAs | 23 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 17 | 13 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) also lists Badminton (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Broadcasting (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 2 DSA programme listings. 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. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Coding (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road): Newton, Stevens; for Commonwealth Secondary School: Jurong East, Clementi. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) | Commonwealth Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–9 | 2026 · 8–13 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 8–21 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | 2026 · 21–25 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–26 | 2026 · 25–28 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | Not listed |
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
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.
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
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)
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 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)
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 Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 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: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 6–9; Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 8–21; Commonwealth Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21; Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21–25; Commonwealth Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–26; Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 25–28. PG1 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–28; Commonwealth Secondary School Not listed.
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.