School Matters

Getting things ready

Bendemeer Secondary School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.

At a glance

CompareBendemeer Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
School typeCo-Ed SchoolGirls' School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsNot listedAutonomous
ZoneSouthSouth
Address1 St Wilfred Road111 Farrer Road
Nearest MRTBoon KengFarrer Road
Listed CCAs1321
DSA listings516

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 1 CCA listing. Bendemeer Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) 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. Bendemeer Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys), Modern Dance (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) and more, 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 Bendemeer Secondary School: Boon Keng; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareBendemeer Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 11–222026 · 8–11
PG3 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 10–20
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 22–252026 · 21–23
PG2 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 21–25
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–282026 · 25–26
PG1 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 25–28

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

Bendemeer Secondary School

Bendemeer Secondary opened in 1977 along Serangoon Road and also served as a pre-university centre from 1980 to 1995. It merged with Whampoa Secondary in 1994, then moved to the former Whampoa site at 1 St Wilfred Road in 1998. These are distinct events in MOE’s history record. Older alumni memories may include the pre-university years or the former campus, rather than the present secondary-school setting.

The current ALP introduces all students to sustainability over Secondary 1 and 2. The first year covers food, water and land through design-thinking projects and waste-reduction campaigns. The second turns to energy: students examine carbon footprints and life-cycle assessments, and use micro:bit technology for systems such as energy monitoring or smart lighting. The ALP Eco Stewards talent-development programme goes further into inquiry and national-level initiatives. That extension is separate from the two-year programme for the whole cohort.

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.

The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.

CCAs and programmes

Bendemeer Secondary School

  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Girls and Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
  • Taekwondo (Girls and Boys)
  • Tchoukball (Girls and Boys)

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls)
  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Red Cross Youth (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)

Listed DSA programmes at Bendemeer Secondary School

  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Tchoukball (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Visual Arts (Girls)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Bendemeer Secondary School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?

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: Bendemeer Secondary School 2026 · 11–22; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Bendemeer Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bendemeer Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Bendemeer Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bendemeer Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Bendemeer Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28.

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.