School Matters

Getting things ready

Bukit Batok Secondary School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.

At a glance

CompareBukit Batok Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
School typeCo-Ed SchoolGirls' School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsNot listedAutonomous
ZoneWestSouth
Address50 Bukit Batok West Ave 8111 Farrer Road
Nearest MRTBukit BatokFarrer Road
Listed CCAs1721
DSA listings1116

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 1 CCA listing. Bukit Batok Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) 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. Bukit Batok Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) and more, 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 Bukit Batok Secondary School: Bukit Batok; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareBukit Batok Secondary SchoolSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 8–152026 · 8–11
PG3 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 10–20
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–232026 · 21–23
PG2 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 21–25
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–262026 · 25–26
PG1 · AffiliatedNot listed2026 · 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

Bukit Batok Secondary School

Bukit Batok Secondary began in 1986 with 400 students to serve the developing new town. MOE’s Heritage Centre records the introduction of Habits of Mind in 2003 and the rebuilding completed in 2008, after two years at a holding school in Toh Tuck Terrace. A community heritage corridor was launched in 2019 to connect school and neighbourhood stories. The school is at 50 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8. This history provides a local context for its current projects without treating old programme names as today’s curriculum.

The current ALP describes Secondary 1 Code for Fun and AI applications, followed by a Secondary 2 redesign of the BBSS Legacy Trail. Upper-secondary work can involve polytechnics, A*STAR or Infineon Technologies. The page explicitly separates school-wide learning from selected interest groups and partnerships, then a stretch tier for talents. Design thinking focuses on understanding users and revising prototypes, alongside computational and reflective thinking. Those details explain the learning approach; specialist projects and international partnerships should not be assumed available to every pupil.

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.

The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.

CCAs and programmes

Bukit Batok Secondary School

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Boys' Brigade (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Rugby (Boys)
  • Shooting (Girls and Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)

St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls)
  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Red Cross Youth (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)

Listed DSA programmes at Bukit Batok Secondary School

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Rugby (Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Stem (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Dance (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Fencing (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Indian Dance (Girls)
  • Malay Dance (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • String Ensemble (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Visual Arts (Girls)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Bukit Batok Secondary School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?

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: Bukit Batok Secondary School 2026 · 8–15; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Bukit Batok Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Batok Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Bukit Batok Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Batok Secondary School 2026 · 25–26; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Bukit Batok Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 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.