School MattersDunearn Secondary School vs Northbrooks 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 | Northbrooks 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 | North |
| Address | 21 Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 | 585 Yishun Ring Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Yishun, Khatib |
| Listed CCAs | 13 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 1 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 6 CCA listings. Dunearn Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Football (Boys), Media Resource Library (Girls and Boys), National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys), Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Bowling (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. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aerospace (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 Northbrooks Secondary School: Yishun, Khatib. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Dunearn Secondary School | Northbrooks Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 11–22 | 2026 · 15–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 2026 · 22–25 |
| 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.
Northbrooks Secondary School
Northbrooks Secondary opened on 2 January 2000. MOE explains its name through the proverb 饮水思源: remembering the people who have helped you. Aerospace applied learning and outdoor education were recognised as its ALP and LLP in 2015; a water-sustainability programme followed in 2017. Its heritage account also records stained-glass work, although the image caption and narrative give different starting years. That date is therefore left unresolved here. The current curriculum pages provide a more useful account of what pupils do today.
The aerospace ALP connects STEM learning with aviation careers, with partners including CAAS, Republic Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic and ST Aerospace. Its first tier includes lower-secondary STEM lessons and broader learning journeys, enrichment and career education. Advanced and elective modules, Youth Flying Club activities and other projects sit in the second tier. The CCA page shows NCC Air members building a glider and Flying Club members using a simulator. Those examples describe particular members’ activities; they do not establish flying training for every pupil or preferential admission to a post-secondary course.
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)
Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bowling (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Sp-Cca (Athletics) (Girls and Boys)
- Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Dunearn Secondary School
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aerospace (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Dunearn Secondary School and Northbrooks 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; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 15–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Dunearn Secondary School 2026 · 25–29; Northbrooks 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.