School Matters

Getting things ready

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) vs Tanjong Katong Secondary School

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

At a glance

CompareCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)Tanjong Katong Secondary School
School typeGirls' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousAutonomous
ZoneSouthEast
Address626 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh130 Haig Road
Nearest MRTToa PayohPaya Lebar, Dakota
Listed CCAs2117
DSA listings105

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 3 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. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (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.
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. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Floorball (Girls), Football (Boys), Malay Language (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 Secondary (Toa Payoh): Toa Payoh; for Tanjong Katong Secondary School: Paya Lebar, Dakota. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)Tanjong Katong Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 6–102026 · 7–13
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 8–20Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–222026 · 21–23
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.

Tanjong Katong Secondary School

TK began as Tanjong Katong Secondary Technical School in 1956, initially serving boys. It admitted girls and introduced pre-university classes in the 1960s, dropped Technical from its name in 1993 and moved to Haig Road in 1998. It gained autonomous status in 2004. The band traces one branch to a 26-member brass band in 1965, later combined with TKGS before separating in 1989. The band page’s display awards and overseas competition examples are dated historical achievements, not a current ranking or a promise of opportunities for each new member.

The EMAS page describes a four-year programme linked to Higher Malay, with language and cultural workshops by level. TK pupils taking Higher Malay are included in EMAS; outside pupils attend the school’s Higher Malay lessons under a separate arrangement. MLEP-Sec is a different two-year upper-secondary pathway involving Malay literature. The school describes a choice for EMAS pupils to continue or switch, and entry criteria for other applicants. Its MLEP page still refers to O-Level subjects and JC incentives, so confirm current cohort requirements directly. Camps, immersion, scholarships and progression should not be assumed merely from enrolment at TK.

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)

Tanjong Katong Secondary School

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • Shooting (Girls and Boys)
  • Track and Field (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 Tanjong Katong Secondary School

  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Floorball (Girls)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Malay Language (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and Tanjong Katong 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 Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 6–10; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 7–13. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 8–20; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–22; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–25; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 25–28; Tanjong Katong Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 26–29; Tanjong Katong 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.