School MattersDunearn Secondary School vs Nan Chiau High 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 | Nan Chiau High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | SAP |
| Zone | West | North |
| Address | 21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 | 20 Anchorvale Link |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Sengkang, Renjong, Tongkang |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 23 |
| DSA listings | 1 | 8 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 8 CCA listings. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Football (Boys), Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys), Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys), Scouts (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Nan Chiau High School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (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 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. Nan Chiau High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Bilingualism (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Dunearn Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed; Nan Chiau High School: SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for Nan Chiau High School: Sengkang, Renjong, Tongkang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Dunearn Secondary School | Nan Chiau High School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 11–22 | 2026 · 4M–11M |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–29 | Not listed |
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.
Nan Chiau High School
Nan Chiau’s history starts with the teachers’ training school founded by Tan Kah Kee in 1941 on land donated by Lee Kong Chian. Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan converted it into Nan Chiau Girls’ High with a primary section in 1947. It became co-educational in 1984; the two sections moved to Sengkang as separate schools in 2001. The secondary school received SAP status in 2012 and introduced CLEP-Sec in 2020. This explains the institutional emphasis on bilingual and bicultural learning without confusing it with the primary school’s programmes.
The ALP page describes Sec 1 electronics lessons using Arduino, held fortnightly for 90 minutes over one semester, with pupils working in pairs. It also lists six forensic-science lessons in the second semester, from DNA and blood typing to fingerprint analysis. Sec 2 extends design thinking and programming into team projects, including healthcare devices and research on bacterial growth, with reports and presentations. Selected Sec 3 pupils can enter applied-science competitions. These are progressively different activities; the competition opportunities belong to the talent tier rather than every pupil’s timetable.
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)
Nan Chiau High School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Dunearn Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Nan Chiau High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bilingualism (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Dunearn Secondary School and Nan Chiau High 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; Nan Chiau High School 2026 · 4M–11M. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Nan Chiau High School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29; Nan Chiau High School Not listed.
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.