School MattersCHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Girls' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | South |
| Address | 501 Ang Mo Kio Street 13 | 111 Farrer Road |
| Nearest MRT | Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Mayflower | Farrer Road |
| Listed CCAs | 26 | 21 |
| DSA listings | 18 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 10 CCA listings. CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School also lists Artistic Gymnastics (Girls), Chinese Culture and Language (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Fencing (Girls), Floorball (Girls) 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 2 DSA programme listings. CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School also lists Artistic Gymnastics (Girls), Artistic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP, Badminton (Girls) - IP, Bilingualism (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls), Choir (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School: IP / SAP; St. Margaret's School (Secondary): no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School: Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Mayflower; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6M–8M | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7M–14 | 2026 · 10–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–26 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–28 |
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 St. Nicholas Girls' School
St Nicholas began on 16 January 1933 as Victoria Girls’ School, a Chinese-medium primary school started by the Infant Jesus sisters with 40 pupils. Secondary classes followed in 1938–1939. The school became a SAP school in 1979, moved to Ang Mo Kio Street 13 in 1985 and introduced its Joint Integrated Programme in 2013. These milestones help explain the combination families encounter today: a Catholic school identity alongside a substantial Chinese-language and cultural programme.
The 2026 DSA notice distinguishes the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate Programme (SP) from the Joint Integrated Programme (JIP) for the 2027 intake. JIP students spend four years at St Nicholas before two at Eunoia Junior College and the A Levels. The school shares the JIP partnership with Catholic High and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. The notice also requires applicants to offer Chinese or Higher Chinese in primary school, excluding those exempted from these subjects at PSLE.
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.
The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.
CCAs and programmes
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Chinese Drama (Girls)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Community Service (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Environmental Science (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Hockey (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls)
- Media Resource Library (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Publication (Girls)
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls)
- Trampoline (Girls)
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP
- Badminton (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls) - IP
- Bilingualism (Girls)
- Bilingualism (Girls) - IP
- Hockey (Girls)
- Hockey (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls)
- Leadership (Girls) - IP
- Netball (Girls)
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Girls) - IP
- Track and Field (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls) - IP
Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
- Visual Arts (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?
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?
IP · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 4D–7M; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 6M–8M; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 7M–14; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28.
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.