School MattersBukit Merah Secondary School vs St. Joseph's Institution
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Bukit Merah Secondary School | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | IP |
| Zone | South | South |
| Address | 10 Lengkok Bahru | 38 Malcolm Road |
| Nearest MRT | Redhill | Stevens |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 26 |
| DSA listings | 4 | 40 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 0 CCA listings. Bukit Merah Secondary School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), CROSS COUNTRY, Canoeing (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. Bukit Merah Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Floorball (Girls and Boys), Stem (Girls and Boys), Tchoukball (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), Badminton (Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys), Basketball (Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Bukit Merah Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed; St. Joseph's Institution: IP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Bukit Merah Secondary School: Redhill; for St. Joseph's Institution: Stevens. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bukit Merah Secondary School | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4–7 |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–22 | 2026 · 4–8 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 7–12 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 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
Bukit Merah Secondary School
Bukit Merah Secondary was established in 1968 at 10 Lengkok Bahru with English- and Chinese-medium classes. It became English-medium in 1984. MOE’s heritage history records mergers with Saint Thomas in 2001, Delta in 2004 and Henderson in 2017, and a temporary stay at Raeburn Park before returning in March 2003. The school marked its 50th anniversary in 2018. Its history therefore includes several former communities, alongside the floorball and robotics programmes now described on the school’s own pages.
Creative Robotics and Engineering is a two-year ALP for Secondary 1 and 2. The first year introduces AI and machine learning through Micro:bit coding tasks involving visual and vocal recognition. The second uses group design and prototypes to address simulated real-life problems. A separate tier, anchored by the Engineering and Innovation Club, serves pupils with greater interest or aptitude and offers competition opportunities. The common programme and that additional CCA tier are different commitments, even though both use coding and engineering.
St. Joseph's Institution
SJI began as St John’s School in 1852, a free boys’ school on Bras Basah Road established by the De La Salle Brothers. It took the St Joseph’s Institution name in 1855. In 1988 it became independent and moved to Malcolm Road; after a temporary Bishan relocation for redevelopment, it returned in 2017. The dual secondary pathway and co-educational post-secondary IB Diploma began in 2013. SJI International, established separately in 2007, should not be confused with this institution when checking fees, admissions or reviews. Historical free schooling also does not describe today’s independent-school charges.
The current SEC Programme page describes a four-year route preparing boys for Secondary Education Certificate examinations, with seven- or eight-subject combinations at upper secondary. SJI’s IP is a six-year route leading to the IB Diploma. Both pages describe a lower-secondary foundation in languages, humanities, sciences and mathematics, with inquiry and research. At Years 3–4, SEC pupils have Curriculum+, including project work and career encounters; IP pupils have Year 3 ArtScience and Year 4 Signum Fidei projects with external organisations. Confirm which route an offer covers and its progression conditions, rather than assuming secondary entry guarantees any later course or subject choice.
CCAs and programmes
Bukit Merah Secondary School
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Tchoukball (Girls and Boys)
St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- CROSS COUNTRY
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys)
- Indian Culture and Language (Boys)
- Malay Culture and Language (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Pipe Band (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Bukit Merah Secondary School
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Tchoukball (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys) - IP
- Coding (Boys)
- Coding (Boys) - IP
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Football (Boys)
- Football (Boys) - IP
- Hockey (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys) - IP
- International Chess (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys) - IP
- Judo (Boys)
- Judo (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys)
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys) - IP
- Robotics (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys) - IP
- Rugby (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys) - IP
- Sailing (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys) - IP
- Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Visual Arts (Boys)
- Visual Arts (Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Bukit Merah Secondary School and St. Joseph's Institution?
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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–7. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 8–22; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–8. PG3 · Affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 7–12. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; St. Joseph's Institution Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; St. Joseph's Institution 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.