School MattersBukit Merah Secondary School vs Swiss Cottage Secondary School
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 | Swiss Cottage Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | South | West |
| Address | 10 Lengkok Bahru | 3 Bukit Batok Street 34 |
| Nearest MRT | Redhill | Bukit Gombak |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 4 | 11 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 4 CCA listings. Bukit Merah Secondary School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Entrepreneurship (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Boys' Brigade (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 2 DSA programme listings. Bukit Merah Secondary School also lists Stem (Girls and Boys), Tchoukball (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) 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 Merah Secondary School: Redhill; for Swiss Cottage Secondary School: Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Bukit Merah Secondary School | Swiss Cottage Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–22 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 25–26 |
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.
Swiss Cottage Secondary School
Swiss Cottage began in 1962 with about 200 pupils at Raffles Institution’s Bras Basah premises. It moved to Dunearn Road in July 1963 and officially opened that November, with English- and Malay-medium pupils. Its history describes sport as a means of national integration, followed by a growing emphasis on character, reading and the performing arts. It later relocated to Bukit Batok, where it remains. The MOE history’s narrative and milestone table give different relocation years, so a precise year should not be asserted without reconciliation. PRIME upgrading was completed in 2005; the 50th-anniversary celebration took place in 2013.
Applied Sciences for Sustainable Development follows Awareness, Action and Advocacy. The table identifies common programmes in Sec 1—sustainability-infused Science and interdisciplinary work such as EARTH—and Sec 2, including STEM projects such as Project Dream Maker. It lists no core ALP programme for Sec 3 and above, although leadership opportunities continue. Science Ambassadors facilitate workshops; Maker Education Leaders manage iCreate @ Swiss. Overseas learning journeys are for selected ambassadors or maker leaders, not every pupil. The programme’s broad promise of access should be read alongside these stage and selection limits, rather than becoming a guarantee of travel or competition entry.
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)
Swiss Cottage Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Girls and Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and 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 Swiss Cottage Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Military Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Science for Sustainable Development (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Bukit Merah Secondary School and Swiss Cottage 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: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 8–22; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 8–11. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Bukit Merah Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 25–26.
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.