School Matters

Getting things ready

CHIJ Katong Convent 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

CompareCHIJ Katong ConventSwiss Cottage Secondary School
School typeGirls' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousNot listed
ZoneEastWest
Address346 Marine Terrace3 Bukit Batok Street 34
Nearest MRTBedok, Kembangan, Eunos, Paya Lebar, Marine TerraceBukit Gombak
Listed CCAs1817
DSA listings1311

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 1 CCA listing. CHIJ Katong Convent also lists Bowling (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls), Choir (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (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. CHIJ Katong Convent also lists Bowling (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls), Choir (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), 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 CHIJ Katong Convent: Bedok, Kembangan, Eunos, Paya Lebar, Marine Terrace; for Swiss Cottage Secondary School: Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareCHIJ Katong ConventSwiss Cottage Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 11–142026 · 8–11
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 12–20Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–242026 · 21–22
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 26–302026 · 25–26
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.

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

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)

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 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 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 CHIJ Katong Convent 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: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 11–14; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 12–20; Swiss Cottage Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 21–24; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 21–25; Swiss Cottage Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 26–30; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Katong Convent 2026 · 25–28; Swiss Cottage 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.