School Matters

Getting things ready

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

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

At a glance

CompareAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)Dunearn Secondary School
School typeBoys' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsNot listedNot listed
ZoneSouthWest
Address60 Barker Road21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2
Nearest MRTNewton, StevensBukit Batok, Bukit Gombak
Listed CCAs2313
DSA listings171

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 2 CCA listings. 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. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), English Drama (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 0 DSA programme listings. Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), 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 Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)Dunearn Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 6–92026 · 11–22
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 8–21Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 212026 · 22–25
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–262026 · 25–29
PG1 · Affiliated2026 · 25–28Not 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.

Dunearn Secondary School

Dunearn began as Dunearn Government Chinese Middle School at Hillcrest Avenue in 1962. It merged with Dunearn Vocational School in 1969, bringing Chinese- and English-medium education and academic and technical courses together. The school moved to Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 in 1993. Its former pre-university course was phased out in 1994. PRIME rebuilding involved a temporary Jalan Boon Lay site in 2016 and a return to Bukit Batok in 2018; older campus and pre-university memories need that context.

The current ApLM page says pupils have an opportunity to take an Applied Learning Module in Secondary 3. Its 2025 examples include Singapore Polytechnic food innovation, Python and machine-learning work that recognises food items, and game-character design using Wacom tablets and Photoshop. Food activities involved sensory analysis and recipes such as ice cream and croissants. These are dated examples of different modules, not a promise that one pupil takes all three. Families should ask which modules will be offered and how preferences are allocated for their cohort.

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)

Dunearn Secondary School

  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (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 Dunearn Secondary School

  • Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Dunearn 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; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 11–22. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 8–21; Dunearn Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG2 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21–25; Dunearn Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–26; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29. PG1 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–28; Dunearn 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.