School MattersCatholic High School vs Xinmin Secondary 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 | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | North |
| Address | 9 Bishan Street 22 | 11 Hougang Avenue 8 |
| Nearest MRT | Bishan | Hougang |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 19 |
| DSA listings | 34 | 14 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Chinese Drama (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys), Choir (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (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 1 DSA programme listing. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Basketball (Boys) - IP, Bilingualism (Boys) - IP, Chinese Drama (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), 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.
- Programme tags
- Catholic High School: IP / SAP; Xinmin Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Catholic High School: Bishan; for Xinmin Secondary School: Hougang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Catholic High School | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6D–8M | 2026 · 8–13 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–12 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 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
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.
Xinmin Secondary School
Xinmin began as Sin Min School on 1 November 1945, initially teaching primary pupils. Its founders rented three bungalows after Yap Fun Hong sold five pigs to help fund education for the Hougang-Serangoon community. Secondary classes began in 1956, and performances helped raise money for facilities in 1958. MOE’s heritage record dates autonomous status to 2001 and the Creative Arts Complex to 2015. Its 80th anniversary was in 2025. These are historical milestones; earlier examination bands or rankings do not establish a current teaching-quality ranking.
MAKERS@Xinmin combines digital and analogue making across a specially designed two-year lower-secondary curriculum. All pupils in those years learn about AI applications and ethics, and design and prototype solutions to real problems. Examples include sustainability models using AI, eco-themed games and environmental-data analysis, with workshops, pop-up sessions and showcases. This is broader than a coding club for selected enthusiasts. Ask what the child will build, how teachers supervise tool use and how a pupil with little coding experience is helped to contribute within a group.
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)
Xinmin Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Students' Council (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (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 Xinmin Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Catholic High School and Xinmin 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 4D–7M; Xinmin Secondary School Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 6D–8M; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG3 · Affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 7–12; Xinmin Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; Xinmin 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.