School MattersBowen 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 | Bowen 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 | North | North |
| Address | 2 Lorong Napiri | 51 Sembawang Drive |
| Nearest MRT | Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang | Sembawang |
| Listed CCAs | 19 | 16 |
| DSA listings | 5 | 4 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 7 CCA listings. Bowen Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Canberra Secondary School also lists Concert Band (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. Bowen Secondary School also lists Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys), Marching Band (Girls and Boys), 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 Bowen Secondary School: Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang; for Canberra Secondary School: Sembawang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bowen Secondary School | Canberra Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–16 | 2026 · 17–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 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
Bowen Secondary School
Bowen Secondary started in Ang Mo Kio in 1982 and moved to 2 Lorong Napiri in December 1999. The following January it began single-session operation with 1,374 pupils. The school marked its 40th anniversary in 2022. These dates distinguish the founding school from its present campus. The history page also shows changes to the school emblem, including a temporary anniversary version, providing a useful introduction to the school’s identity before looking at today’s programmes.
Secondary 1 students spend two terms using design thinking to investigate school issues, such as classroom cleanliness or canteen queues, and pitch prototypes. Secondary 2 has a five-week service-learning programme with weekly visits to partners such as MINDS, AWWA or Bright Vision Hospital, alongside design workshops and reflection. Upper-secondary pupils choose a social cause and share their work at Bowen Congress. A smaller ALP Interest Group offers deeper design work. The distinction between cohort experiences and the additional group matters when comparing opportunities.
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
Bowen Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Media Resource Library (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) (Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (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 Bowen Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Marching Band (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 Bowen 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: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 12–16; Canberra Secondary School 2026 · 17–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Canberra Secondary School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bowen 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.