School MattersHillgrove Secondary School vs Tanjong Katong Secondary 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 | Tanjong Katong Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Autonomous |
| Zone | West | East |
| Address | 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 | 130 Haig Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Paya Lebar, Dakota |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 11 | 5 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 5 CCA listings. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), CONCERT BAND, Digital Media (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Floorball (Girls), Football (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. 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. Tanjong Katong Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Floorball (Girls), Football (Boys), Malay Language (Girls and Boys), 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 Tanjong Katong Secondary School: Paya Lebar, Dakota. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Hillgrove Secondary School | Tanjong Katong Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–18 | 2026 · 7–13 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| 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
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.
Tanjong Katong Secondary School
TK began as Tanjong Katong Secondary Technical School in 1956, initially serving boys. It admitted girls and introduced pre-university classes in the 1960s, dropped Technical from its name in 1993 and moved to Haig Road in 1998. It gained autonomous status in 2004. The band traces one branch to a 26-member brass band in 1965, later combined with TKGS before separating in 1989. The band page’s display awards and overseas competition examples are dated historical achievements, not a current ranking or a promise of opportunities for each new member.
The EMAS page describes a four-year programme linked to Higher Malay, with language and cultural workshops by level. TK pupils taking Higher Malay are included in EMAS; outside pupils attend the school’s Higher Malay lessons under a separate arrangement. MLEP-Sec is a different two-year upper-secondary pathway involving Malay literature. The school describes a choice for EMAS pupils to continue or switch, and entry criteria for other applicants. Its MLEP page still refers to O-Level subjects and JC incentives, so confirm current cohort requirements directly. Camps, immersion, scholarships and progression should not be assumed merely from enrolment at TK.
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)
Tanjong Katong Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Football (Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and 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 Tanjong Katong Secondary School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Football (Boys)
- Malay Language (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Hillgrove Secondary School and Tanjong Katong 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: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 13–18; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 7–13. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Tanjong Katong Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; Tanjong Katong Secondary 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.