School MattersAnglo-Chinese School (Independent) vs Gan Eng Seng 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 (Independent) | Gan Eng Seng School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP | Not listed |
| Zone | South | South |
| Address | 121 Dover Road | 1 Henderson Road |
| Nearest MRT | Dover, Buona Vista, One-North | Redhill, Tiong Bahru |
| Listed CCAs | 50 | 1 |
| DSA listings | 48 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 1 CCA listing. Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) also lists Art and Crafts (Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Boys), Badminton (Boys), Basketball (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 (Independent) also lists Badminton (Boys), Badminton (Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys) - IP, Bowling (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Gan Eng Seng School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Marching 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.
- Programme tags
- Anglo-Chinese School (Independent): IP; Gan Eng Seng School: no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Anglo-Chinese School (Independent): Dover, Buona Vista, One-North; for Gan Eng Seng School: Redhill, Tiong Bahru. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | Gan Eng Seng School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4–7 | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–8 | 2026 · 9–15 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–13 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–24 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–27 |
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 (Independent)
The ACS family began in 1886, while ACS (Independent) became an independent school in January 1988 and moved from Barker Road to Dover Road in January 1992. MOE’s Heritage Centre records the introduction of its dual-track model in 2004 and IB World School accreditation in 2005. These milestones explain how the present routes developed. The school’s six-year history also includes pre-university education, so an account of Years 5 and 6 should not automatically be treated as a secondary pupil’s experience.
The school profile updated in September 2026 describes a four-year Secondary Education Certificate route and a six-year Integrated Programme leading to the IB Diploma. It says the IP allows progression to pre-university study without sitting the SEC examinations. This is a meaningful distinction when reading subject pages or community accounts: some describe preparation for an examination route, while others describe a curriculum built towards IB. Families should establish the route offered to their child and the progression conditions before comparing the experiences.
Gan Eng Seng School
Gan Eng Seng founded the Anglo-Chinese Free School in Tanjong Pagar shophouses in 1885 for children from poor families. It became a government school in 1938, reopened after the war in 1946, and eventually moved to its present Henderson Road campus in 2001. Its history also records participation in the Full Subject-Based Banding pilot in 2020. The present secondary school is distinct from Gan Eng Seng Primary: the shared founder's name does not make their programmes or parent experiences interchangeable.
Probes, the STEM Applied Learning Programme, combines sustainability with digitalisation and coding. Published examples include designing water-purification processes and tending edible gardens. Secondary 1 pupils undertake Code for Fun with Micro:bits and exposure to artificial intelligence, then design a solution to a given problem. Design thinking is also used in projects and alternative assessments. Pupils showing particular interest and potential may be selected for Tier 2 competitions. Those additional opportunities are separate from the general programme; participation alone does not establish independent proficiency in coding.
CCAs and programmes
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
- Art and Crafts (Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Chinese Chess (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Cricket (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Environmental Science (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Golf (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys)
- International and Global Studies (Boys)
- Mathematics (Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- Modular CCA (Sports) (Boys)
- Modular CCA (Vpa) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Photography (Boys)
- Physical Science (Boys)
- Publication (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys)
- Shooting (Boys)
- Social Studies (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- Space Science (Boys)
- Squash (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- String Ensemble (Boys)
- Swimming (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Water Polo (Boys)
Gan Eng Seng School
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
- Badminton (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Bowling (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys) - IP
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys) - IP
- Cricket (Boys)
- Cricket (Boys) - IP
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys) - IP
- Football (Boys)
- Football (Boys) - IP
- Golf (Boys)
- Golf (Boys) - IP
- Humanities (Boys)
- Humanities (Boys) - IP
- International Chess (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys) - IP
- Mathematics (Boys)
- Mathematics (Boys) - IP
- Music Elective Programme (Boys)
- Music Elective Programme (Boys) - IP
- Robotics (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys) - IP
- Rugby (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys) - IP
- Sailing (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys) - IP
- Science (Boys)
- Science (Boys) - IP
- Shooting (Boys)
- Shooting (Boys) - IP
- Softball (Boys)
- Softball (Boys) - IP
- Squash (Boys)
- Squash (Boys) - IP
- Swimming (Boys)
- Swimming (Boys) - IP
- Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys) - IP
- Water Polo (Boys)
- Water Polo (Boys) - IP
Listed DSA programmes at Gan Eng Seng School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Gan Eng Seng 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 4–7; Gan Eng Seng School Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 6–8; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 9–15. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 7–13; Gan Eng Seng School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Not listed; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 21–24. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Not listed; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 25–27.
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.