School MattersBowen Secondary School vs Maris Stella High 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 | Maris Stella High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | North | North |
| Address | 2 Lorong Napiri | 25 Mount Vernon Road |
| Nearest MRT | Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang | Bartley |
| Listed CCAs | 19 | 18 |
| DSA listings | 5 | 18 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 3 CCA listings. Bowen Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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. Bowen Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Bowen Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed; Maris Stella High School: SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Bowen Secondary School: Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang; for Maris Stella High School: Bartley. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bowen Secondary School | Maris Stella High School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–16 | 2026 · 7M–12 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4M–16 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 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
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.
Maris Stella High School
Maris Stella plans to rebuild its Mount Vernon campuses from 2027 to 2029. Its secondary section will use the former Bedok North Secondary School site; the primary section uses a different site. The 2027 information page sets an 8am start for Sec 1–4 pupils, superseding the 7.30am routine in its general admission FAQ for that period. Return to Mount Vernon is tentatively in 2030. The secondary school remains all-boys: the move towards co-education is a primary-section change. Families should plan travel to the secondary holding campus.
Brother Chanel Soon founded Maris Stella in 1958 in borrowed classrooms at St Stephen’s, initially with both primary and secondary classes. It moved to Mount Vernon in 1967; the secondary section became a SAP school in 1979 and autonomous in 1996. The current FAQ welcomes pupils of all faiths. Some assembly activities introduce Catholic traditions to all students, while additional Catholic camps and masses are described as optional for non-Catholics. Families can discuss those arrangements directly instead of assuming either religious membership or complete absence of faith-related activities.
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)
Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Culture and Language (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (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 Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Literary - Debate and Scrabble (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys)
- Media Arts / Film / Photography (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- Sport Climbing (Boys)
- Stem (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Bowen Secondary School and Maris Stella High 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; Maris Stella High School 2026 · 7M–12. PG3 · Affiliated: Bowen Secondary School Not listed; Maris Stella High School 2026 · 4M–16. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Maris Stella High School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Maris Stella High School 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.