School Matters

Getting things ready

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) vs Tanjong Katong 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)Tanjong Katong Secondary School
School typeBoys' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsNot listedAutonomous
ZoneSouthEast
Address60 Barker Road130 Haig Road
Nearest MRTNewton, StevensPaya Lebar, Dakota
Listed CCAs2317
DSA listings175

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 4 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. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Choir (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 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. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Floorball (Girls), Malay Language (Girls and Boys), Netball (Girls), 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 Tanjong Katong Secondary School: Paya Lebar, Dakota. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareAnglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)Tanjong Katong Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 6–92026 · 7–13
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 8–21Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 212026 · 21–23
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–26Not listed
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.

Tanjong Katong Secondary School

TK began as Tanjong Katong Secondary Technical School in 1956, initially serving boys. It admitted girls and introduced pre-university classes in the 1960s, dropped Technical from its name in 1993 and moved to Haig Road in 1998. It gained autonomous status in 2004. The band traces one branch to a 26-member brass band in 1965, later combined with TKGS before separating in 1989. The band page’s display awards and overseas competition examples are dated historical achievements, not a current ranking or a promise of opportunities for each new member.

The EMAS page describes a four-year programme linked to Higher Malay, with language and cultural workshops by level. TK pupils taking Higher Malay are included in EMAS; outside pupils attend the school’s Higher Malay lessons under a separate arrangement. MLEP-Sec is a different two-year upper-secondary pathway involving Malay literature. The school describes a choice for EMAS pupils to continue or switch, and entry criteria for other applicants. Its MLEP page still refers to O-Level subjects and JC incentives, so confirm current cohort requirements directly. Camps, immersion, scholarships and progression should not be assumed merely from enrolment at TK.

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)

Tanjong Katong Secondary School

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • Shooting (Girls and Boys)
  • Track and Field (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 Tanjong Katong Secondary School

  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Malay Language (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Tanjong Katong 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; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 7–13. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 8–21; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 21–25; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–26; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 2026 · 25–28; Tanjong Katong 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.