School MattersCommonwealth Secondary School vs Northbrooks Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Commonwealth Secondary School | Northbrooks Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Not listed |
| Zone | West | North |
| Address | 698 West Coast Road | 585 Yishun Ring Road |
| Nearest MRT | Jurong East, Clementi | Yishun, Khatib |
| Listed CCAs | 20 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 8 CCA listings. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Broadcasting (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Bowling (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 3 DSA programme listings. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Coding (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aerospace (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Floorball (Boys), Guzheng Ensemble (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 Commonwealth Secondary School: Jurong East, Clementi; for Northbrooks Secondary School: Yishun, Khatib. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Commonwealth Secondary School | Northbrooks Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–13 | 2026 · 15–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 22–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 2026 · 25–27 |
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
Commonwealth Secondary School
Commonwealth Secondary began in 1964 as Tanglin Integrated Vocational Secondary School. It became Tanglin Secondary in 1969 and Commonwealth Secondary in 1972, commemorating the previous year's Commonwealth heads-of-government meeting in Singapore. It moved through two Jurong East campuses before reaching West Coast Road in 2006. Autonomous status dates to 1995, followed by recognised environmental-education and design-and-innovation centres in 2008 and 2016. This history helps explain its current mix of practical making, environmental learning and performing arts.
The eco-stewardship curriculum describes Geography water-quality investigations in the stream and wetland, Science farm-to-table work, and hydroponic design in Craft and Technology. Campus spaces include a rainforest, marine aquarium, plant nursery and indoor and outdoor farms. These are concrete learning settings; the pages do not give a fixed fieldwork allocation for every cohort. CCA projects also link sustainability with community partners and causes such as responsible consumption or animal welfare. Parents can ask how often students use these spaces within ordinary lessons.
Northbrooks Secondary School
Northbrooks Secondary opened on 2 January 2000. MOE explains its name through the proverb 饮水思源: remembering the people who have helped you. Aerospace applied learning and outdoor education were recognised as its ALP and LLP in 2015; a water-sustainability programme followed in 2017. Its heritage account also records stained-glass work, although the image caption and narrative give different starting years. That date is therefore left unresolved here. The current curriculum pages provide a more useful account of what pupils do today.
The aerospace ALP connects STEM learning with aviation careers, with partners including CAAS, Republic Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic and ST Aerospace. Its first tier includes lower-secondary STEM lessons and broader learning journeys, enrichment and career education. Advanced and elective modules, Youth Flying Club activities and other projects sit in the second tier. The CCA page shows NCC Air members building a glider and Flying Club members using a simulator. Those examples describe particular members’ activities; they do not establish flying training for every pupil or preferential admission to a post-secondary course.
CCAs and programmes
Commonwealth Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Broadcasting (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Dragon Boat (Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Percussion Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bowling (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Sp-Cca (Athletics) (Girls and Boys)
- Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Commonwealth Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Coding (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Tamil Language (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aerospace (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Commonwealth Secondary School and Northbrooks 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: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 8–13; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 15–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 25–27.
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.