School MattersHillgrove Secondary School vs Yusof Ishak 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 | Yusof Ishak Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | West | East |
| Address | 10 Bukit Batok Street 52 | 8 Sumang Walk |
| Nearest MRT | Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak | Punggol |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 19 |
| DSA listings | 11 | 10 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 7 CCA listings. Hillgrove Secondary School also lists Badminton (Boys), CONCERT BAND, Digital Media (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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.
- DSA programme
- The records share 2 DSA programme listings. 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. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Fencing (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 Hillgrove Secondary School: Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak; for Yusof Ishak Secondary School: Punggol. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Hillgrove Secondary School | Yusof Ishak Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–18 | 2026 · 7–15 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–22 |
| 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
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.
Yusof Ishak Secondary School
Yusof Ishak began in 1965 as Jubilee Integrated Secondary School, with English and Malay streams, and took its current name in 1966. Lee Kuan Yew officiated at its Jubilee Road opening on 29 July that year. MOE records its later Bukit Batok campus and the 2015 Heritage Gallery, which documents the first President and the school’s history. Subsequent CNA reporting places the school in Punggol. Older Jubilee Road or Bukit Batok accounts therefore need their campus context. Historical rankings and the presidential name do not establish the current experience of an individual pupil.
The Applied Learning Programme describes interdisciplinary work on sustainability and climate change, with school-wide exposure through urban farming, coding and aeronautics. Pupils interested in deeper work can pursue STEM Club or Robotics Club. The page’s 2024 examples include development of the AgriSphere Lab and garden learning spaces, hydrogen-car and drone challenges, and sustainability activities. These dated examples show past provision; they do not guarantee the same competition, expert or award to every pupil. Families can ask which practical projects are common to the incoming cohort and how club-based extensions are selected.
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)
Yusof Ishak Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Fencing (Girls and Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (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 Yusof Ishak Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Fencing (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- Stem (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Hillgrove Secondary School and Yusof Ishak 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; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 7–15. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Hillgrove Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; Yusof Ishak 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.