School MattersBoon Lay Secondary School vs St. Joseph's Institution
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Boon Lay Secondary School | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | IP |
| Zone | West | South |
| Address | 11 Jurong West Street 65 | 38 Malcolm Road |
| Nearest MRT | Boon Lay | Stevens |
| Listed CCAs | 16 | 26 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 40 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Boon Lay Secondary School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), CROSS COUNTRY, Canoeing (Boys), Chinese Culture and Language (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. Boon Lay Secondary School also lists Badminton (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. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), Badminton (Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys) - IP, Canoeing (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Boon Lay Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed; St. Joseph's Institution: IP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Boon Lay Secondary School: Boon Lay; for St. Joseph's Institution: Stevens. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Boon Lay Secondary School | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4–7 |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 7–22 | 2026 · 4–8 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 7–12 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 26–30 | 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
Boon Lay Secondary School
Boon Lay Secondary merged with Pioneer Secondary in 2017. Its heritage garden and gallery retain both histories rather than suggesting that the combined school was newly founded that year. The school describes a replica of the Wisdom Bridge, originally built with students’ involvement in 1978, and Ng Eng Teng’s Unity sculpture, unveiled in 1995. The latter also inspired the school logo. These are tangible connections to the two schools’ past that a visitor can look for near the entrance and General Office.
The handbook effective from 29 June 2026 says pupils’ school experiences are organised around CCA groups, with CCA mentors acting as form teachers and guiding the same group through secondary school. NIE’s September 2023 SingTeach feature explains the CCA-Family and CCE-Level structures: juniors and seniors interact, and different CCAs can be paired, such as Boys’ Brigade and Contemporary Dance. The current directory lists 16 CCAs, some with gender restrictions. A family should therefore understand allocation and mentoring arrangements as well as the activity itself.
- History
- Boon Lay Secondary Student Handbook2026 (effective29June)
- NIE SingTeach: school explanation of CCA-centric model
- CCA Families
St. Joseph's Institution
SJI began as St John’s School in 1852, a free boys’ school on Bras Basah Road established by the De La Salle Brothers. It took the St Joseph’s Institution name in 1855. In 1988 it became independent and moved to Malcolm Road; after a temporary Bishan relocation for redevelopment, it returned in 2017. The dual secondary pathway and co-educational post-secondary IB Diploma began in 2013. SJI International, established separately in 2007, should not be confused with this institution when checking fees, admissions or reviews. Historical free schooling also does not describe today’s independent-school charges.
The current SEC Programme page describes a four-year route preparing boys for Secondary Education Certificate examinations, with seven- or eight-subject combinations at upper secondary. SJI’s IP is a six-year route leading to the IB Diploma. Both pages describe a lower-secondary foundation in languages, humanities, sciences and mathematics, with inquiry and research. At Years 3–4, SEC pupils have Curriculum+, including project work and career encounters; IP pupils have Year 3 ArtScience and Year 4 Signum Fidei projects with external organisations. Confirm which route an offer covers and its progression conditions, rather than assuming secondary entry guarantees any later course or subject choice.
CCAs and programmes
Boon Lay Secondary School
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (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)
- Netball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- CROSS COUNTRY
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys)
- Indian Culture and Language (Boys)
- Malay Culture and Language (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Pipe Band (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Boon Lay Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Theatre (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys) - IP
- Coding (Boys)
- Coding (Boys) - IP
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Football (Boys)
- Football (Boys) - IP
- Hockey (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys) - IP
- International Chess (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys) - IP
- Judo (Boys)
- Judo (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys)
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys) - IP
- Robotics (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys) - IP
- Rugby (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys) - IP
- Sailing (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys) - IP
- Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Visual Arts (Boys)
- Visual Arts (Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Boon Lay Secondary School and St. Joseph's Institution?
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: Boon Lay Secondary School Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–7. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Boon Lay Secondary School 2026 · 7–22; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–8. PG3 · Affiliated: Boon Lay Secondary School Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 7–12. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Boon Lay Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; St. Joseph's Institution Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Boon Lay Secondary School 2026 · 26–30; St. Joseph's Institution 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.