School MattersDunearn Secondary School vs New Town 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 | New Town 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 | 1020 Dover Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Dover, Clementi |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 15 |
| DSA listings | 1 | 6 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 7 CCA listings. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys), Scouts (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. New Town Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Fencing (Girls and Boys), Girl Guides (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 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. New Town Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Fencing (Girls and Boys), Guzheng Ensemble (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 Dunearn Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for New Town Secondary School: Dover, Clementi. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Dunearn Secondary School | New Town Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 11–22 | 2026 · 14–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–29 | 2026 · 26–30 |
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.
New Town Secondary School
New Town Secondary began on 2 January 1965 to serve Queenstown families, initially drawing pupils from several existing schools and language streams. It officially opened in September 1966. Technical education followed in 1969, when Baharuddin Vocational School merged with it. The school became single-session in 1992 and made its symbolic move to Dover Road in November 1998, with the new campus officially opened in 2000. Its current digital-communication and leadership programmes should be read as present provision, rather than assuming all earlier niches or pre-university classes still operate.
The current ALP, Digital Communicators, Change Makers, gives Sec 1 smartphone-photography workshops during curriculum time, including composition and camera basics. Sec 2 adds stop-motion animation, storytelling and storyboarding. Interest-based work through Infocomm and Art and Crafts CCAs includes photography, video and advertising, with media-literacy workshops or learning journeys for selected pupils. Digital work is linked to art and humanities and can involve community partners. This gives a specific sequence of learning without treating every pupil as enrolled in the same advanced media programme.
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)
New Town Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Fencing (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- 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)
- Softball (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Dunearn Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at New Town Secondary School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Fencing (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Dunearn Secondary School and New Town 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; New Town Secondary School 2026 · 14–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; New Town Secondary School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29; New Town Secondary School 2026 · 26–30.
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.