School Matters

Getting things ready

CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) vs Yusof Ishak 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)Yusof Ishak Secondary School
School typeGirls' SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousNot listed
ZoneSouthEast
Address626 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh8 Sumang Walk
Nearest MRTToa PayohPunggol
Listed CCAs2119
DSA listings1010

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. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Boys' Brigade (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 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. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Fencing (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 Yusof Ishak Secondary School: Punggol. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareCHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)Yusof Ishak Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 6–102026 · 7–15
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 8–20Not listed
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–222026 · 21–22
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–25Not listed
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–282026 · 25–27
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.

Yusof Ishak Secondary School

Yusof Ishak began in 1965 as Jubilee Integrated Secondary School, with English and Malay streams, and took its current name in 1966. Lee Kuan Yew officiated at its Jubilee Road opening on 29 July that year. MOE records its later Bukit Batok campus and the 2015 Heritage Gallery, which documents the first President and the school’s history. Subsequent CNA reporting places the school in Punggol. Older Jubilee Road or Bukit Batok accounts therefore need their campus context. Historical rankings and the presidential name do not establish the current experience of an individual pupil.

The Applied Learning Programme describes interdisciplinary work on sustainability and climate change, with school-wide exposure through urban farming, coding and aeronautics. Pupils interested in deeper work can pursue STEM Club or Robotics Club. The page’s 2024 examples include development of the AgriSphere Lab and garden learning spaces, hydrogen-car and drone challenges, and sustainability activities. These dated examples show past provision; they do not guarantee the same competition, expert or award to every pupil. Families can ask which practical projects are common to the incoming cohort and how club-based extensions are selected.

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)

Yusof Ishak Secondary School

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Boys' Brigade (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
  • Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
  • Fencing (Girls and Boys)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Table Tennis (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 Yusof Ishak Secondary School

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
  • Fencing (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Stem (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) and Yusof Ishak 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; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 7–15. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 8–20; Yusof Ishak Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–22; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 21–25; Yusof Ishak Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 25–28; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 25–27. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) 2026 · 26–29; Yusof Ishak 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.