School MattersDunman Secondary School vs River Valley High School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Dunman Secondary School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | IP · SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | East | West |
| Address | 21 Tampines Street 45 | 6 Boon Lay Avenue |
| Nearest MRT | Tampines East | Boon Lay, Lakeside |
| Listed CCAs | 17 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 9 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 6 CCA listings. Dunman Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Environmental Science (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (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. Dunman Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys) - IP, Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Dunman Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed; River Valley High School: IP / SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Dunman Secondary School: Tampines East; for River Valley High School: Boon Lay, Lakeside. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Dunman Secondary School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4M–9M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6–14 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 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
Dunman Secondary School
Dunman Secondary began at Haig Road in 1963 as Dunman Integrated Secondary School, initially with three language streams. It moved to Tampines Street 45 in 1990 and gained autonomous status in 2000. MOE records its Life Sciences Training and Research Centre and East Zone science-innovation role from 2001. The original language streams and former pre-university classes are history. Families should distinguish this Tampines secondary school from Dunman High’s SAP and six-year IP arrangements; the similar English names do not imply the same curriculum.
STEMviaDT describes applying design thinking to real-world challenges, with previous projects including a karaoke app and an essential-services app for seniors. The talent-development page separately records ELIXiR+ examples such as upcycling jeans into bags, hydroponics, a load-bearing-chair challenge and competition training. Its primary-school outreach and old 2022 DSA criteria should not be mistaken for an enrolled secondary pupil’s entitlement. The examples illustrate possible work; the pages do not establish that every pupil does every specialist activity or follows one fixed project timetable.
River Valley High School
River Valley High was established in 1956 and adopted the River Valley name after moving to Jalan Kuala in 1958. MOE records SAP status from 1979, autonomous status from 1994 and the Integrated Programme from 2006. It moved to its current Boon Lay Avenue premises in 2010. Today’s six-year programme runs through A Levels in the school’s own JC section. Secondary and JC activities share one school name, so a Year 1 family needs to check which opportunities apply at the secondary stage.
The school’s FAQ says primary-school Higher Chinese is not a prerequisite for admission, but all secondary pupils take Higher Chinese in S1–4. It lists after-school Chinese support for pupils who struggle and enrichment for developing interest in the language. The FAQ also says promotion criteria apply between levels. Its description of a seamless programme should therefore not be interpreted as automatic progression regardless of attainment. Families can ask for the current criteria and the support offered when a child finds the pace or language demands difficult.
CCAs and programmes
Dunman Secondary School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (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)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (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)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Dunman Secondary School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Choir (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Robotics (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Scientific Investigation (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Softball (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Girls) - IP
- Wushu (Girls and Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Dunman Secondary School and River Valley 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Dunman Secondary School Not listed; River Valley High School 2026 · 4M–9M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Dunman Secondary School 2026 · 6–14; River Valley High School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Dunman Secondary School 2026 · 21–23; River Valley High School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Dunman Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; River Valley 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.