School MattersCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) vs Gan Eng Seng School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) | Gan Eng Seng School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Not listed |
| Zone | South | South |
| Address | 626 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh | 1 Henderson Road |
| Nearest MRT | Toa Payoh | Redhill, Tiong Bahru |
| Listed CCAs | 21 | 1 |
| DSA listings | 10 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 0 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. Gan Eng Seng School also lists National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys), 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 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. Gan Eng Seng School also lists Basketball (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (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.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh): Toa Payoh; for Gan Eng Seng School: Redhill, Tiong Bahru. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) | Gan Eng Seng School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–10 | 2026 · 9–15 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 8–20 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–22 | 2026 · 21–24 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | 2026 · 21–25 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 25–27 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | 2026 · 26–29 | Not 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.
Gan Eng Seng School
Gan Eng Seng founded the Anglo-Chinese Free School in Tanjong Pagar shophouses in 1885 for children from poor families. It became a government school in 1938, reopened after the war in 1946, and eventually moved to its present Henderson Road campus in 2001. Its history also records participation in the Full Subject-Based Banding pilot in 2020. The present secondary school is distinct from Gan Eng Seng Primary: the shared founder's name does not make their programmes or parent experiences interchangeable.
Probes, the STEM Applied Learning Programme, combines sustainability with digitalisation and coding. Published examples include designing water-purification processes and tending edible gardens. Secondary 1 pupils undertake Code for Fun with Micro:bits and exposure to artificial intelligence, then design a solution to a given problem. Design thinking is also used in projects and alternative assessments. Pupils showing particular interest and potential may be selected for Tier 2 competitions. Those additional opportunities are separate from the general programme; participation alone does not establish independent proficiency in coding.
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)
Gan Eng Seng School
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (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 Gan Eng Seng School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and Gan Eng Seng 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 Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 6–10; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 9–15. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 8–20; Gan Eng Seng School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–22; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 21–24. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–25; Gan Eng Seng School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 25–28; Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 25–27. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 26–29; Gan Eng Seng 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.