School MattersCHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School vs Xinmin Secondary School
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 | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | North |
| Address | 501 Ang Mo Kio Street 13 | 11 Hougang Avenue 8 |
| Nearest MRT | Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Mayflower | Hougang |
| Listed CCAs | 26 | 19 |
| DSA listings | 18 | 14 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Artistic Gymnastics (Girls), Chinese Culture and Language (Girls), Chinese Drama (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 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. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 St. Nicholas Girls' School: IP / SAP; Xinmin Secondary School: 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 Xinmin Secondary School: Hougang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6M–8M | 2026 · 8–13 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7M–14 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG1 · Non-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.
Xinmin Secondary School
Xinmin began as Sin Min School on 1 November 1945, initially teaching primary pupils. Its founders rented three bungalows after Yap Fun Hong sold five pigs to help fund education for the Hougang-Serangoon community. Secondary classes began in 1956, and performances helped raise money for facilities in 1958. MOE’s heritage record dates autonomous status to 2001 and the Creative Arts Complex to 2015. Its 80th anniversary was in 2025. These are historical milestones; earlier examination bands or rankings do not establish a current teaching-quality ranking.
MAKERS@Xinmin combines digital and analogue making across a specially designed two-year lower-secondary curriculum. All pupils in those years learn about AI applications and ethics, and design and prototype solutions to real problems. Examples include sustainability models using AI, eco-themed games and environmental-data analysis, with workshops, pop-up sessions and showcases. This is broader than a coding club for selected enthusiasts. Ask what the child will build, how teachers supervise tool use and how a pupil with little coding experience is helped to contribute within a group.
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)
Xinmin Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Students' Council (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
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 Xinmin Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School and Xinmin 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 4D–7M; Xinmin Secondary School Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 6M–8M; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 7M–14; Xinmin Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School Not listed; Xinmin Secondary School 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.