School Matters

Getting things ready

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) vs Chung Cheng High School (Main)

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

At a glance

CompareCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)Chung Cheng High School (Main)
School typeGirls' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousSAP · Autonomous
ZoneSouthEast
Address626 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh50 Goodman Road
Nearest MRTToa PayohDakota
Listed CCAs2122
DSA listings109

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 2 CCA listings. CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Chung Cheng High School (Main) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (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 Secondary (Toa Payoh) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Choir (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Chung Cheng High School (Main) also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Language (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
CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh): no IP or SAP tag listed; Chung Cheng High School (Main): SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
The daily journey
Nearby MRT stations listed for CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh): Toa Payoh; for Chung Cheng High School (Main): Dakota. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)Chung Cheng High School (Main)
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 6–102026 · 5D–10M
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 8–20Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–22Not listed
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–28Not listed
PG1 · Affiliated2026 · 26–29Not 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 Secondary (Toa Payoh)

CHIJ’s Victoria Street convent school began in 1854; its history records separate primary and secondary administration from 1964. The move out of Victoria Street took place in December 1983, with Toa Payoh classes beginning in 1984. The secondary school became autonomous in 1994. From 1 January 2027 it will be named Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (Secondary), according to the May2026 announcement. Parents comparing the two Toa Payoh schools should keep their admissions and programmes separate.

The English page describes food reviews, letters about current issues and lower-secondary heritage walks used for descriptive writing. Literature tasks include filming scenes or writing from a character’s perspective. Secondary 3 has a level-wide interclass debate after examinations. IJ FLAIR brings language, art and music together for a week, including storytelling, choral reading and mini TED-style talks. CAP@IJ is a separate creative-writing programme: students are selected for demonstrated interest and potential, with workshops and competition opportunities.

Chung Cheng High School (Main)

Chung Cheng began as a boys' school at Kim Yam Road on 24 January 1939. It closed during the Japanese Occupation and reopened in 1945, admitting girls. The Goodman Road campus became Chung Cheng High School (Main) in 1947; the original campus became the Branch school, which later moved to Yishun. The school joined the Special Assistance Plan in 1979 and became autonomous in 1996. Its Administration Building and Entrance Arch were gazetted together as a National Monument in 2014. The school records the reopening of the Grand Auditorium in July 2025.

Students mention the lake when describing their school days. A 2024 graduate described walking beside it when studies felt overwhelming, and staying in classrooms to study after lessons. In a separate account, a self-described Secondary 4 student wrote about spending time revising in the “fish tank” study space. The 2024 graduate also gave specific examples of teacher help: optional Additional Maths lessons during the June holidays, Chemistry revision sessions for a small group, and teachers willing to mark extra work. The Secondary 4 writer praised their upper-secondary teachers but said their lower-secondary experience had been disappointing. For an incoming Secondary 1 family, support in the first two years is worth asking about.

CCAs and programmes

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls)
  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Chinese Culture and Language (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Community Service (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • Debating and Public Speaking (Girls)
  • English Drama (Girls)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Guitar Ensemble (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Red Cross Youth (Girls)
  • Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
  • Robotics (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)

Chung Cheng High School (Main)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Chess (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Lion and Dragon Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)

  • Badminton (Girls)
  • Basketball (Girls)
  • Bowling (Girls)
  • Choir (Girls)
  • Concert Band (Girls)
  • Debating (Girls)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
  • Tennis (Girls)
  • Track and Field (Girls)

Listed DSA programmes at Chung Cheng High School (Main)

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Language (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and Chung Cheng High School (Main)?

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 Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 6–10; Chung Cheng High School (Main) 2026 · 5D–10M. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 8–20; Chung Cheng High School (Main) Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–22; Chung Cheng High School (Main) Not listed. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–25; Chung Cheng High School (Main) Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 25–28; Chung Cheng High School (Main) Not listed. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 26–29; Chung Cheng High School (Main) 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.