School MattersGan Eng Seng 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 | Gan Eng Seng 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 | South | North |
| Address | 1 Henderson Road | 585 Yishun Ring Road |
| Nearest MRT | Redhill, Tiong Bahru | Yishun, Khatib |
| Listed CCAs | 1 | 20 |
| DSA listings | 9 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 0 CCA listings. Gan Eng Seng School also lists National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys), 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), Basketball (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 1 DSA programme listing. Gan Eng Seng School also lists Basketball (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Cross Country (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, 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 Gan Eng Seng School: Redhill, Tiong Bahru; for Northbrooks Secondary School: Yishun, Khatib. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Gan Eng Seng School | Northbrooks Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 9–15 | 2026 · 15–22 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 22–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 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
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.
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
Gan Eng Seng School
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (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 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 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 Gan Eng Seng 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: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 9–15; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 15–22. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 21–24; Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 22–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Gan Eng Seng School 2026 · 25–27; 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.