School Matters

Getting things ready

Chung Cheng High School (Main) vs Xinmin Secondary School

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

At a glance

CompareChung Cheng High School (Main)Xinmin Secondary School
School typeCo-Ed SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsSAP · AutonomousAutonomous
ZoneEastNorth
Address50 Goodman Road11 Hougang Avenue 8
Nearest MRTDakotaHougang
Listed CCAs2219
DSA listings914

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 7 CCA listings. Chung Cheng High School (Main) also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Chess (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), Cross Country (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 2 DSA programme listings. Chung Cheng High School (Main) also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Language (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), 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.
Programme tags
Chung Cheng High School (Main): 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 Chung Cheng High School (Main): Dakota; for Xinmin Secondary School: Hougang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareChung Cheng High School (Main)Xinmin Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 5D–10M2026 · 8–13
PG2 · Non-affiliatedNot listed2026 · 21–23
PG1 · Non-affiliatedNot listed2026 · 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

Chung Cheng High School (Main)

Chung Cheng began as a boys' school at Kim Yam Road on 24 January 1939. It closed during the Japanese Occupation and reopened in 1945, admitting girls. The Goodman Road campus became Chung Cheng High School (Main) in 1947; the original campus became the Branch school, which later moved to Yishun. The school joined the Special Assistance Plan in 1979 and became autonomous in 1996. Its Administration Building and Entrance Arch were gazetted together as a National Monument in 2014. The school records the reopening of the Grand Auditorium in July 2025.

Students mention the lake when describing their school days. A 2024 graduate described walking beside it when studies felt overwhelming, and staying in classrooms to study after lessons. In a separate account, a self-described Secondary 4 student wrote about spending time revising in the “fish tank” study space. The 2024 graduate also gave specific examples of teacher help: optional Additional Maths lessons during the June holidays, Chemistry revision sessions for a small group, and teachers willing to mark extra work. The Secondary 4 writer praised their upper-secondary teachers but said their lower-secondary experience had been disappointing. For an incoming Secondary 1 family, support in the first two years is worth asking about.

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

Chung Cheng High School (Main)

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Chess (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Lion and Dragon Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

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 Chung Cheng High School (Main)

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Language (Girls and Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Netball (Girls)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

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 Chung Cheng High School (Main) 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?

PG3 · Non-affiliated: Chung Cheng High School (Main) 2026 · 5D–10M; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Chung Cheng High School (Main) Not listed; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Chung Cheng High School (Main) 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.