School Matters

Getting things ready

CHIJ Katong Convent vs Dunearn Secondary School

Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.

At a glance

CompareCHIJ Katong ConventDunearn Secondary School
School typeGirls' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousNot listed
ZoneEastWest
Address346 Marine Terrace21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2
Nearest MRTBedok, Kembangan, Eunos, Paya Lebar, Marine TerraceBukit Batok, Bukit Gombak
Listed CCAs1813
DSA listings131

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 0 CCA listings. CHIJ Katong Convent also lists Badminton (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Choir (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. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
DSA programme
The records share 0 DSA programme listings. CHIJ Katong Convent also lists Badminton (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), 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 CHIJ Katong Convent: Bedok, Kembangan, Eunos, Paya Lebar, Marine Terrace; for Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareCHIJ Katong ConventDunearn Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 11–142026 · 11–22
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 12–20Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–242026 · 22–25
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 26–302026 · 25–29
PG1 · Affiliated2026 · 25–28Not 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

CHIJ Katong Convent

Katong Convent began in 1930 as a private English primary school on Martia Road, with 197 pupils. During the war it used Ceylon Road premises and the name Ceylon Road Girls’ School. It later developed a strong tradition of literature, choral speaking and Shakespeare productions. After the primary section merged with Opera Estate Convent in 1990, Katong Convent operated solely as a secondary school at Marine Terrace. The school gained autonomous status in 2003; primary-school experiences belong to the separate CHIJ Katong Primary entry.

The Communicative, Performing and Visual Arts programme uses three levels: experience for everyone, enrichment for an identified group, and extension for pupils ready for further challenge. Upper-secondary pupils offering Art can access the Enhanced Art Programme’s artist workshops and learning journeys. The Drama Elective Programme describes practical and theoretical theatre study, artist-led masterclasses and performance experiences. The selected drama page still uses O-Level terminology; families choosing a future examination cohort should check the applicable subject name and entry requirements instead of assuming every pupil takes drama as an examination subject.

Dunearn Secondary School

Dunearn began as Dunearn Government Chinese Middle School at Hillcrest Avenue in 1962. It merged with Dunearn Vocational School in 1969, bringing Chinese- and English-medium education and academic and technical courses together. The school moved to Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 in 1993. Its former pre-university course was phased out in 1994. PRIME rebuilding involved a temporary Jalan Boon Lay site in 2016 and a return to Bukit Batok in 2018; older campus and pre-university memories need that context.

The current ApLM page says pupils have an opportunity to take an Applied Learning Module in Secondary 3. Its 2025 examples include Singapore Polytechnic food innovation, Python and machine-learning work that recognises food items, and game-character design using Wacom tablets and Photoshop. Food activities involved sensory analysis and recipes such as ice cream and croissants. These are dated examples of different modules, not a promise that one pupil takes all three. Families should ask which modules will be offered and how preferences are allocated for their cohort.

CCAs and programmes

CHIJ Katong Convent

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Drama (Girls)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • Debating and Public Speaking (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Entrepreneurship (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Heritage (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • Modular CCA (Sports) (Girls)
  • National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)

Dunearn Secondary School

  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at CHIJ Katong Convent

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Drama (Girls)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • Debating and Public Speaking (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)
  • Visual Arts (Girls)

Listed DSA programmes at Dunearn Secondary School

  • Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between CHIJ Katong Convent and Dunearn 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: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 11–14; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 11–22. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 12–20; Dunearn Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 21–24; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 21–25; Dunearn Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 26–30; Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 25–28; Dunearn Secondary 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.