School MattersBowen Secondary School vs Woodlands 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 | Woodlands 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 | 11 Marsiling Road |
| Nearest MRT | Hougang, Serangoon, Sengkang | Marsiling, Woodlands |
| Listed CCAs | 19 | 15 |
| DSA listings | 5 | 6 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 11 CCA listings. Bowen Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Girl Guides (Girls), Indian Dance (Girls and Boys), Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Woodlands Secondary School also lists Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys), Sepaktakraw (Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- DSA programme
- The records share 2 DSA programme listings. Bowen Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys), Marching Band (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Woodlands Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Malay Dance (Girls and Boys), Sepaktakraw (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 Woodlands Secondary School: Marsiling, Woodlands. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bowen Secondary School | Woodlands Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 12–16 | 2026 · 15–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 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
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.
Woodlands Secondary School
Woodlands Secondary opened in 1982 with 205 pupils and 13 staff, initially using Si Ling Secondary’s premises. It moved to its own Admiralty Road campus in 1984, with the official opening on 20 September. A later change in the entrance gave the same site its present address, 11 Marsiling Road. The history also records the move to a single session in 1999 and later facilities development. This distinguishes an established campus from a recent relocation, and gives context to its present food-science and community-leadership programmes.
The Food Science and Technology ALP gives all Secondary 1 and 2 pupils its first two tiers. Molecular gastronomy introduces spherification, foams and gels; an annual drinks-making competition asks pupils to create a healthier, visually appealing drink. Computational-thinking work includes basic and advanced microcontroller programming and coding for drone flight. A third tier offers deeper enrichment and competitions for pupils with strong interest, with polytechnic and STEM partners among the examples. These are opportunities beyond common exposure, so ask how pupils are selected and whether workshop or industry-visit arrangements change each year.
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)
Woodlands Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay 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)
- Sepaktakraw (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 Woodlands Secondary School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Sepaktakraw (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Bowen Secondary School and Woodlands 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; Woodlands Secondary School 2026 · 15–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Woodlands Secondary School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bowen Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Woodlands Secondary School 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.