School MattersCommonwealth Secondary 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 | Commonwealth Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Girls' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | West | South |
| Address | 698 West Coast Road | 111 Farrer Road |
| Nearest MRT | Jurong East, Clementi | Farrer Road |
| Listed CCAs | 20 | 21 |
| DSA listings | 13 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 3 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. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (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 1 DSA programme listing. 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. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) 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 St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Commonwealth Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–13 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 10–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | 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
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.
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
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)
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 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 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 Commonwealth Secondary 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?
PG3 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 8–13; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary School 2026 · 25–28; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Commonwealth Secondary 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.