School MattersCommonwealth Secondary School vs Orchid Park 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 | Orchid Park 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 | 10 Yishun Street 81 |
| Nearest MRT | Jurong East, Clementi | Khatib |
| Listed CCAs | 20 | 15 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 11 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 7 CCA listings. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Broadcasting (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Orchid Park Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Floorball (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 5 DSA programme listings. Commonwealth Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Coding (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Orchid Park Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Floorball (Girls and Boys), Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys), Leadership (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 Orchid Park Secondary School: Khatib. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Commonwealth Secondary School | Orchid Park Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–13 | 2026 · 10–19 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 21–24 |
| 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.
Orchid Park Secondary School
Orchid Park Secondary began in January 1999 at Woodlands Ring Secondary before moving to Yishun Street 81 that September. Its official opening on 21 April 2001 used a concert, Around the World in 80 Minutes. MOE’s heritage account describes later Arts Panache productions and student enterprises such as the 2002 Art Rock Café. Those businesses are historical examples, not confirmed current facilities. The ARTOPIA visual-arts niche began in 2011, extended to an ALP in 2014, and the Enhanced Art Programme launched in 2016.
The current ARTopIA page describes art, music, dance and drama through workshops, performances, exhibitions and competitions. Specific examples include open-mic sessions, a Sec 2 Battle of the Bands and a Sec 3 theatre experience. EAP is separately described as an upper-secondary art programme for pupils with interest and potential who want to pursue the subject further. The broad ALP therefore does not mean every pupil takes specialist art. Families can discuss subject-selection requirements, assessable work and how much preparation happens outside lessons.
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)
Orchid Park Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Girls and Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
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 Orchid Park Secondary School
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Commonwealth Secondary School and Orchid Park 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; Orchid Park Secondary School 2026 · 10–19. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; Orchid Park Secondary School 2026 · 21–24. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; Orchid Park 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.