School MattersCatholic High School vs Zhonghua 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 | Zhonghua Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | South |
| Address | 9 Bishan Street 22 | 13 Serangoon Avenue 3 |
| Nearest MRT | Bishan | Serangoon |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 34 | 10 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 3 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. Zhonghua Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), 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. 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. Zhonghua Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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; Zhonghua 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 Zhonghua Secondary School: Serangoon. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Catholic High School | Zhonghua Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6D–8M | 2026 · 8–12 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–12 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–27 |
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.
Zhonghua Secondary School
Zhonghua traces its roots to the 1911 Chung Hwa Girls’ School. MOE records separation of the primary and secondary sections in 1951, English-medium intake in 1980 and the transition to a co-educational government school in 1984. It took the Zhonghua Secondary name in 1987, gained autonomous status in 1996 and moved to Serangoon Avenue 3 in 2000. AEP began in 2010. These dates distinguish the earlier girls’ school and previous campuses from today’s setting. The heritage and art emphasis are substantial parts of the school’s story, but do not establish a particular pupil’s current subject access or classroom experience.
The Signature Programmes Framework sets out STEAM, Sustainability, Character and Glocal education, supported by digital literacy, eco stewardship, cross-cultural learning, leadership and talent development. The talent strand explicitly concerns identified individuals, so it should not be treated as identical access for every pupil. A framework describes the school’s intended connections rather than a weekly timetable. To judge it, ask what an incoming pupil actually does in each year, which activities sit in regular lessons or CCAs, how teachers assess the work and what opportunities require selection or additional time.
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)
Zhonghua Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and 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)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Volleyball (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 Zhonghua Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Catholic High School and Zhonghua 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; Zhonghua Secondary School Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 6D–8M; Zhonghua Secondary School 2026 · 8–12. PG3 · Affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 7–12; Zhonghua Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; Zhonghua Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; Zhonghua Secondary School 2026 · 25–27.
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.