School MattersHillgrove Secondary School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Hillgrove Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Girls' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Autonomous |
| Zone | West | South |
| Address | 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 | 111 Farrer Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Farrer Road |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 21 |
| DSA listings | 11 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), CONCERT BAND and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (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 1 DSA programme listing. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (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 Hillgrove Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Hillgrove Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–18 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 10–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 2026 · 25–26 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–28 |
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
Hillgrove Secondary School
Hillgrove Secondary began in 2001 with 277 pupils, initially sharing Yusof Ishak Secondary’s premises. MOE records its move to 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 on 2 February 2002 and official opening on 5 March 2004. Flight and aerospace became its ALP in 2014, followed by the arts LLP in 2015. These milestones explain the two strands visible in the school’s current open-house materials. Historical enrolment and earlier principals’ descriptions are not used to infer the present pupil population or a uniform experience of school culture.
The ALP microsite describes a three-tier approach to STEM through flight and aerospace. Its April 2023 example involved all Secondary 2 pupils building and flying rubber-band-powered gliders; a separate group of 20 Secondary 1 and 2 pupils was selected for drone training. Earlier entries discuss autonomous-vehicle principles with mBot in 2021 and coding drones in 2019. These give tangible examples of applied learning, but they are dated records. Ask what the incoming cohort will actually build, how often lessons occur and how pupils enter additional training.
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.
The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.
CCAs and programmes
Hillgrove Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- CONCERT BAND
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (Girls and Boys)
- Singapore Youth Flying Club (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Hillgrove Secondary School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
- Visual Arts (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Hillgrove Secondary School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?
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: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 13–18; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28.
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.