School MattersAnglo-Chinese School (Independent) vs Zhonghua 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 (Independent) | Zhonghua Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP | Autonomous |
| Zone | South | South |
| Address | 121 Dover Road | 13 Serangoon Avenue 3 |
| Nearest MRT | Dover, Buona Vista, One-North | Serangoon |
| Listed CCAs | 50 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 48 | 10 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 3 CCA listings. 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. Zhonghua Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Chinese Culture and Language (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), Basketball (Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Zhonghua Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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; Zhonghua Secondary 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 Zhonghua Secondary School: Serangoon. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | Zhonghua Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4–7 | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–8 | 2026 · 8–12 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–13 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| 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.
Zhonghua Secondary School
Zhonghua traces its roots to the 1911 Chung Hwa Girls’ School. MOE records separation of the primary and secondary sections in 1951, English-medium intake in 1980 and the transition to a co-educational government school in 1984. It took the Zhonghua Secondary name in 1987, gained autonomous status in 1996 and moved to Serangoon Avenue 3 in 2000. AEP began in 2010. These dates distinguish the earlier girls’ school and previous campuses from today’s setting. The heritage and art emphasis are substantial parts of the school’s story, but do not establish a particular pupil’s current subject access or classroom experience.
The Signature Programmes Framework sets out STEAM, Sustainability, Character and Glocal education, supported by digital literacy, eco stewardship, cross-cultural learning, leadership and talent development. The talent strand explicitly concerns identified individuals, so it should not be treated as identical access for every pupil. A framework describes the school’s intended connections rather than a weekly timetable. To judge it, ask what an incoming pupil actually does in each year, which activities sit in regular lessons or CCAs, how teachers assess the work and what opportunities require selection or additional time.
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)
Zhonghua Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Volleyball (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 Zhonghua Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Zhonghua 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 4–7; Zhonghua Secondary School Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 6–8; Zhonghua Secondary School 2026 · 8–12. PG3 · Affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 2026 · 7–13; Zhonghua Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Not listed; Zhonghua Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Not listed; Zhonghua Secondary 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.