School MattersBeatty Secondary School vs Dunearn 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 | Dunearn 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 | West |
| Address | 1 Toa Payoh North | 21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 |
| Nearest MRT | Braddell, Toa Payoh | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak |
| Listed CCAs | 17 | 13 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 1 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 8 CCA listings. Beatty Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys), Scouts (Boys), St John Brigade (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 0 DSA programme listings. Beatty Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Community Youth Leadership (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 Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Beatty Secondary School | Dunearn Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–18 | 2026 · 11–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–25 | 2026 · 22–25 |
| 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.
Dunearn Secondary School
Dunearn began as Dunearn Government Chinese Middle School at Hillcrest Avenue in 1962. It merged with Dunearn Vocational School in 1969, bringing Chinese- and English-medium education and academic and technical courses together. The school moved to Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 in 1993. Its former pre-university course was phased out in 1994. PRIME rebuilding involved a temporary Jalan Boon Lay site in 2016 and a return to Bukit Batok in 2018; older campus and pre-university memories need that context.
The current ApLM page says pupils have an opportunity to take an Applied Learning Module in Secondary 3. Its 2025 examples include Singapore Polytechnic food innovation, Python and machine-learning work that recognises food items, and game-character design using Wacom tablets and Photoshop. Food activities involved sensory analysis and recipes such as ice cream and croissants. These are dated examples of different modules, not a promise that one pupil takes all three. Families should ask which modules will be offered and how preferences are allocated for their cohort.
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)
Dunearn Secondary School
- Basketball (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)
- Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (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 Dunearn Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Beatty Secondary School and Dunearn 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; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 11–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Beatty Secondary School 2026 · 21–25; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Beatty Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Dunearn 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.