School MattersCatholic High School vs River Valley High School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Catholic High School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | IP · SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 9 Bishan Street 22 | 6 Boon Lay Avenue |
| Nearest MRT | Bishan | Boon Lay, Lakeside |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 34 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Catholic High School also lists Chinese Drama (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys), Choir (Boys), Concert Band (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese Drama (Girls and 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. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Bilingualism (Boys) - IP, Chinese Drama (Boys), Chinese Drama (Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP 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 Catholic High School: Bishan; for River Valley High School: Boon Lay, Lakeside. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Catholic High School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | 2026 · 4M–9M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6D–8M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–12 | 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
Catholic High School
Catholic High began in 1935 within the Church of St Peter and Paul at Queen Street, founded by Father Edward Becheras. It moved to Bishan in 1992. The school describes bilingualism as a founding principle and welcomes Catholic and non-Catholic pupils. This review concerns the secondary section: primary-school CCA, curriculum and camp reports cannot establish what a secondary pupil will experience, even though both sections share the school name and website.
The current secondary overview presents the Joint Integrated Programme and SEC Programme. IP pupils spend four years at Catholic High before progressing to Eunoia Junior College; SP pupils apply to post-secondary institutions using examination results and may choose junior college or polytechnic. The track is chosen during DSA or Secondary 1 posting. The page distinguishes CJC affiliation from EJC: SP pupils do not receive affiliation bonus points for EJC. Families should check the applicable admissions rules rather than assume an IP partnership guarantees an SP place.
River Valley High School
River Valley High was established in 1956 and adopted the River Valley name after moving to Jalan Kuala in 1958. MOE records SAP status from 1979, autonomous status from 1994 and the Integrated Programme from 2006. It moved to its current Boon Lay Avenue premises in 2010. Today’s six-year programme runs through A Levels in the school’s own JC section. Secondary and JC activities share one school name, so a Year 1 family needs to check which opportunities apply at the secondary stage.
The school’s FAQ says primary-school Higher Chinese is not a prerequisite for admission, but all secondary pupils take Higher Chinese in S1–4. It lists after-school Chinese support for pupils who struggle and enrichment for developing interest in the language. The FAQ also says promotion criteria apply between levels. Its description of a seamless programme should therefore not be interpreted as automatic progression regardless of attainment. Families can ask for the current criteria and the support offered when a child finds the pace or language demands difficult.
CCAs and programmes
Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Bilingualism (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys) - IP
- Choir (Boys)
- Choir (Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys) - IP
- English Drama (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Humanities (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Mathematics (Boys) - IP
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys) - IP
- Music Elective Programme (Boys)
- Music Elective Programme (Boys) - IP
- Science (Boys) - IP
- Softball (Boys)
- Softball (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys) - IP
- Wushu (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys) - IP
Listed DSA programmes at River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Choir (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Robotics (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Scientific Investigation (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Softball (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Girls) - IP
- Wushu (Girls and Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Catholic High School and River Valley High 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 4D–7M; River Valley High School 2026 · 4M–9M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 6D–8M; River Valley High School Not listed. PG3 · Affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 7–12; River Valley High School 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.