School MattersBowen Secondary School vs Serangoon 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 | Serangoon 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 | South |
| Address | 2 Lorong Napiri | 11 Upper Serangoon View |
| Nearest MRT | Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang | Hougang, Kangkar |
| Listed CCAs | 19 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 5 | 2 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 5 CCA listings. Bowen Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Football (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Serangoon Secondary School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Chinese Instrumental Ensemble (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Floorball (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 Badminton (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. Serangoon Secondary School also lists Programming and 3D Modelling (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 Serangoon Secondary School: Hougang, Kangkar. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bowen Secondary School | Serangoon Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–16 | 2026 · 16–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 26–28 |
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
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.
Serangoon Secondary School
Serangoon Secondary traces its origins to Serangoon English School on Simon Road in 1928. It stopped primary classes in 1957, moved to Lowland Road and adopted its current name in 1967, then relocated to 11 Upper Serangoon View in 2001. Earlier periods included feeding pupils to Raffles schools and offering pre-university classes, which ended in 1976. These are historical roles rather than present affiliations or courses. The school’s long history should be read separately from the programmes and subject options available to a new cohort.
The Future of Transportation ALP gives all Sec 1 pupils 3D modelling and printing in Semester 2, using Tinkercad to design prototypes. All Sec 2 pupils move to drone programming in Semester 1, using Tynker and applying ideas about flight through simulation, testing and debugging. Selected Sec 2–3 pupils extend their learning through Infocomm Club programmes. Upper-secondary Computing is an elective subject offered at G1, G2 and G3 levels to interested pupils who meet academic requirements. Introductory ALP participation therefore does not automatically secure a later Computing place.
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)
Serangoon Secondary School
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Instrumental Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (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 Serangoon Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Bowen Secondary School and Serangoon 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; Serangoon Secondary School 2026 · 16–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Serangoon Secondary School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Serangoon Secondary School 2026 · 26–28.
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.