School MattersBeatty Secondary School vs Canberra Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Beatty Secondary School | Canberra Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | South | North |
| Address | 1 Toa Payoh North | 51 Sembawang Drive |
| Nearest MRT | Braddell, Toa Payoh | Sembawang |
| Listed CCAs | 17 | 16 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 4 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 6 CCA listings. Beatty Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Canberra Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Digital Media (Girls and Boys), Girls' Brigade (Girls), Guitar Ensemble (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. Beatty Secondary School also lists Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Canberra Secondary School also lists Media Arts / Film / Photography (Girls and Boys), Robotics (Girls and Boys), Volleyball (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 Beatty Secondary School: Braddell, Toa Payoh; for Canberra Secondary School: Sembawang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Beatty Secondary School | Canberra Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–18 | 2026 · 17–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–25 | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 25–29 |
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
Beatty Secondary School
Beatty began in 1953 with 323 pupils in eight classes. It was initially co-educational, became a boys’ school in 1956, and enrolled girls again in 1983 after moving to Toa Payoh in 1982. Its 2017 merger with Balestier Hill Secondary brought another school community into its history. After that merger, Beatty was designated as a mainstream secondary school supporting students with hearing loss who learn through signing. That specialised provision is an important part of its present identity.
The hearing-loss programme describes specialised teachers and educational interpreters from the Singapore Association of the Deaf who use Singapore Sign Language. They work with subject teachers, the student-development team and parents, with supplementary sessions to revisit classroom concepts. The page also lists literacy support, mentoring and deaf-awareness activities, alongside frequency-modulation systems and speech-to-text applications. This explains the published support model; a family would still need to discuss the individual child’s communication and examination arrangements.
Canberra Secondary School
Canberra Secondary was established in 2000, first operating at what is now Sembawang Secondary before moving to 51 Sembawang Drive. MOE’s history records digital-media niche status in 2012 and the introduction of its digital-media ALP and community-leadership LLP in 2015. Teachers were designated Character Coaches in 2018. These milestones provide context for the current programmes; they are not a comparison of the school’s results or pastoral effectiveness with other schools.
The current Visual Arts, Design and Media ALP moves from finding a community need to planning, making and communicating through photos and video. Cohort 1 focuses on photography, editing and photo journals; Cohort 2 covers storyboarding, videography and video editing. Projects explore themes such as sustainability, food and health, and a diverse society. The school distinguishes Tier 1 knowledge-building from Tier 2 personal projects through the Digital Media in Visual Arts CCA, so the CCA extension should not be assumed for everyone.
CCAs and programmes
Beatty Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (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)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (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)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Canberra Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Girls and Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Taekwondo (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Beatty Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Canberra Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Media Arts / Film / Photography (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Beatty Secondary School and Canberra 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: Beatty Secondary School 2026 · 12–18; Canberra Secondary School 2026 · 17–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Beatty Secondary School 2026 · 21–25; Canberra Secondary School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Beatty Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Canberra Secondary School 2026 · 25–29.
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.