School MattersAnglo-Chinese School (Independent) vs River Valley High 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) | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP | IP · SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | South | West |
| Address | 121 Dover Road | 6 Boon Lay Avenue |
| Nearest MRT | Dover, Buona Vista, One-North | Boon Lay, Lakeside |
| Listed CCAs | 50 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 48 | 16 |
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), Bowling (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese 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 1 DSA programme listing. Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) also lists Badminton (Boys), Badminton (Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP 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; River Valley High School: IP / SAP. 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 River Valley High School: Boon Lay, Lakeside. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4–7 | 2026 · 4M–9M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–8 | Not listed |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–13 | 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 (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.
River Valley High School
River Valley High was established in 1956 and adopted the River Valley name after moving to Jalan Kuala in 1958. MOE records SAP status from 1979, autonomous status from 1994 and the Integrated Programme from 2006. It moved to its current Boon Lay Avenue premises in 2010. Today’s six-year programme runs through A Levels in the school’s own JC section. Secondary and JC activities share one school name, so a Year 1 family needs to check which opportunities apply at the secondary stage.
The school’s FAQ says primary-school Higher Chinese is not a prerequisite for admission, but all secondary pupils take Higher Chinese in S1–4. It lists after-school Chinese support for pupils who struggle and enrichment for developing interest in the language. The FAQ also says promotion criteria apply between levels. Its description of a seamless programme should therefore not be interpreted as automatic progression regardless of attainment. Families can ask for the current criteria and the support offered when a child finds the pace or language demands difficult.
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)
River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and 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 River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Choir (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Robotics (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Scientific Investigation (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Softball (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Girls) - IP
- Wushu (Girls and Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and River Valley High 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; River Valley High School 2026 · 4M–9M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 6–8; River Valley High School Not listed. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 7–13; River Valley High 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.