School MattersHillgrove Secondary School vs St. Patrick's School
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. Patrick's School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | West | East |
| Address | 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 | 490 East Coast Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Marine Terrace |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 18 |
| DSA listings | 11 | 17 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), CONCERT BAND, Choir (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Patrick's School also lists Basketball (Boys), Concert Band (Boys), Cricket (Boys), English Drama (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 2 DSA programme listings. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Malay Dance (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Patrick's School also lists Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Boys), Computational Thinking Skills (Boys), Concert Band (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 Hillgrove Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for St. Patrick's School: Marine Terrace. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Hillgrove Secondary School | St. Patrick's School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–18 | 2026 · 11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 13–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 2026 · 25–27 |
| 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. Patrick's School
St Patrick’s began in 1933 as a branch of St Joseph’s Institution before becoming a school in its own right. Its building was used as a hospital and then a Japanese administrative facility during the war, returning to the La Salle Brothers in 1946. The primary section separated to become St Stephen’s School in 1957. A co-educational pre-university period ended with a return to an all-boys school in 1978. Its 90th anniversary was celebrated in 2023. The Catholic ethos includes prayers, reflections, Masses and Catholic societies; families should clarify how these experiences apply to pupils of different faiths.
The Music and Music Technology LLP introduces all lower-secondary pupils to instrumental skills, performance and digital music creation. The page describes ukulele group work, a keyboard module involving melody and chords with both hands, and software for arrangements or expressive music cues. Sec 1 orientation includes performances and instrument stations led by Military Band and Guitar Ensemble students. A separate Rock Band Interest Group has weekly guided jamming for interested pupils. Talent shows and lunchtime showcases offer performance platforms, but linked 2021 submissions are historical examples rather than evidence of this year’s event schedule.
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. Patrick's School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Cricket (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Golf (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Singapore Youth Flying Club (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
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. Patrick's School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Boys)
- Computational Thinking Skills (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Cricket (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Golf (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Media/Journalism (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Hillgrove Secondary School and St. Patrick's 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: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 13–18; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 11. PG3 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 13–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 21–22. PG2 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 25–27. PG1 · Affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School Not listed; St. Patrick's School 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.