School MattersDunearn Secondary School vs Hillgrove Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Dunearn Secondary School | Hillgrove Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | West | West |
| Address | 21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 | 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 18 |
| DSA listings | 1 | 11 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 4 CCA listings. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Football (Boys), Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), CONCERT BAND 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 0 DSA programme listings. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), English Drama (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 Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for Hillgrove Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Dunearn Secondary School | Hillgrove Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 11–22 | 2026 · 13–18 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 2026 · 21–24 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–29 | 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
Dunearn Secondary School
Dunearn began as Dunearn Government Chinese Middle School at Hillcrest Avenue in 1962. It merged with Dunearn Vocational School in 1969, bringing Chinese- and English-medium education and academic and technical courses together. The school moved to Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 in 1993. Its former pre-university course was phased out in 1994. PRIME rebuilding involved a temporary Jalan Boon Lay site in 2016 and a return to Bukit Batok in 2018; older campus and pre-university memories need that context.
The current ApLM page says pupils have an opportunity to take an Applied Learning Module in Secondary 3. Its 2025 examples include Singapore Polytechnic food innovation, Python and machine-learning work that recognises food items, and game-character design using Wacom tablets and Photoshop. Food activities involved sensory analysis and recipes such as ice cream and croissants. These are dated examples of different modules, not a promise that one pupil takes all three. Families should ask which modules will be offered and how preferences are allocated for their cohort.
Hillgrove Secondary School
Hillgrove Secondary began in 2001 with 277 pupils, initially sharing Yusof Ishak Secondary’s premises. MOE records its move to 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 on 2 February 2002 and official opening on 5 March 2004. Flight and aerospace became its ALP in 2014, followed by the arts LLP in 2015. These milestones explain the two strands visible in the school’s current open-house materials. Historical enrolment and earlier principals’ descriptions are not used to infer the present pupil population or a uniform experience of school culture.
The ALP microsite describes a three-tier approach to STEM through flight and aerospace. Its April 2023 example involved all Secondary 2 pupils building and flying rubber-band-powered gliders; a separate group of 20 Secondary 1 and 2 pupils was selected for drone training. Earlier entries discuss autonomous-vehicle principles with mBot in 2021 and coding drones in 2019. These give tangible examples of applied learning, but they are dated records. Ask what the incoming cohort will actually build, how often lessons occur and how pupils enter additional training.
CCAs and programmes
Dunearn Secondary School
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
Hillgrove Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- CONCERT BAND
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- Singapore Youth Flying Club (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Dunearn Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Hillgrove Secondary School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Dunearn Secondary School and Hillgrove 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: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 11–22; Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 13–18. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 21–24. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29; Hillgrove 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.