School MattersGan Eng Seng School vs Maris Stella High School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Gan Eng Seng School | Maris Stella High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | South | North |
| Address | 1 Henderson Road | 25 Mount Vernon Road |
| Nearest MRT | Redhill, Tiong Bahru | Bartley |
| Listed CCAs | 1 | 18 |
| DSA listings | 9 | 18 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 1 CCA listing. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (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 1 DSA programme listing. Gan Eng Seng School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Football (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Gan Eng Seng School: no IP or SAP tag listed; Maris Stella High School: SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Gan Eng Seng School: Redhill, Tiong Bahru; for Maris Stella High School: Bartley. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Gan Eng Seng School | Maris Stella High School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 9–15 | 2026 · 7M–12 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4M–16 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 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
Gan Eng Seng School
Gan Eng Seng founded the Anglo-Chinese Free School in Tanjong Pagar shophouses in 1885 for children from poor families. It became a government school in 1938, reopened after the war in 1946, and eventually moved to its present Henderson Road campus in 2001. Its history also records participation in the Full Subject-Based Banding pilot in 2020. The present secondary school is distinct from Gan Eng Seng Primary: the shared founder's name does not make their programmes or parent experiences interchangeable.
Probes, the STEM Applied Learning Programme, combines sustainability with digitalisation and coding. Published examples include designing water-purification processes and tending edible gardens. Secondary 1 pupils undertake Code for Fun with Micro:bits and exposure to artificial intelligence, then design a solution to a given problem. Design thinking is also used in projects and alternative assessments. Pupils showing particular interest and potential may be selected for Tier 2 competitions. Those additional opportunities are separate from the general programme; participation alone does not establish independent proficiency in coding.
Maris Stella High School
Maris Stella plans to rebuild its Mount Vernon campuses from 2027 to 2029. Its secondary section will use the former Bedok North Secondary School site; the primary section uses a different site. The 2027 information page sets an 8am start for Sec 1–4 pupils, superseding the 7.30am routine in its general admission FAQ for that period. Return to Mount Vernon is tentatively in 2030. The secondary school remains all-boys: the move towards co-education is a primary-section change. Families should plan travel to the secondary holding campus.
Brother Chanel Soon founded Maris Stella in 1958 in borrowed classrooms at St Stephen’s, initially with both primary and secondary classes. It moved to Mount Vernon in 1967; the secondary section became a SAP school in 1979 and autonomous in 1996. The current FAQ welcomes pupils of all faiths. Some assembly activities introduce Catholic traditions to all students, while additional Catholic camps and masses are described as optional for non-Catholics. Families can discuss those arrangements directly instead of assuming either religious membership or complete absence of faith-related activities.
CCAs and programmes
Gan Eng Seng School
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Culture and Language (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Gan Eng Seng School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Literary - Debate and Scrabble (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys)
- Media Arts / Film / Photography (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- Sport Climbing (Boys)
- Stem (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Gan Eng Seng School and Maris Stella 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: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 9–15; Maris Stella High School 2026 · 7M–12. PG3 · Affiliated: Gan Eng Seng School Not listed; Maris Stella High School 2026 · 4M–16. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 21–24; Maris Stella High School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 25–27; Maris Stella 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.