School MattersMaris Stella High School vs River Valley High School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Maris Stella High School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | SAP · Autonomous | IP · SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 25 Mount Vernon Road | 6 Boon Lay Avenue |
| Nearest MRT | Bartley | Boon Lay, Lakeside |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 18 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese Drama (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 0 DSA programme listings. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Boys), Chinese Language (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys) - IP, Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP, Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Maris Stella High School: SAP; River Valley High School: IP / SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Maris Stella High School: Bartley; for River Valley High School: Boon Lay, Lakeside. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Maris Stella High School | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4M–9M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 7M–12 | Not listed |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 4M–16 | 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
Maris Stella High School
Maris Stella plans to rebuild its Mount Vernon campuses from 2027 to 2029. Its secondary section will use the former Bedok North Secondary School site; the primary section uses a different site. The 2027 information page sets an 8am start for Sec 1–4 pupils, superseding the 7.30am routine in its general admission FAQ for that period. Return to Mount Vernon is tentatively in 2030. The secondary school remains all-boys: the move towards co-education is a primary-section change. Families should plan travel to the secondary holding campus.
Brother Chanel Soon founded Maris Stella in 1958 in borrowed classrooms at St Stephen’s, initially with both primary and secondary classes. It moved to Mount Vernon in 1967; the secondary section became a SAP school in 1979 and autonomous in 1996. The current FAQ welcomes pupils of all faiths. Some assembly activities introduce Catholic traditions to all students, while additional Catholic camps and masses are described as optional for non-Catholics. Families can discuss those arrangements directly instead of assuming either religious membership or complete absence of faith-related activities.
River Valley High School
River Valley High was established in 1956 and adopted the River Valley name after moving to Jalan Kuala in 1958. MOE records SAP status from 1979, autonomous status from 1994 and the Integrated Programme from 2006. It moved to its current Boon Lay Avenue premises in 2010. Today’s six-year programme runs through A Levels in the school’s own JC section. Secondary and JC activities share one school name, so a Year 1 family needs to check which opportunities apply at the secondary stage.
The school’s FAQ says primary-school Higher Chinese is not a prerequisite for admission, but all secondary pupils take Higher Chinese in S1–4. It lists after-school Chinese support for pupils who struggle and enrichment for developing interest in the language. The FAQ also says promotion criteria apply between levels. Its description of a seamless programme should therefore not be interpreted as automatic progression regardless of attainment. Families can ask for the current criteria and the support offered when a child finds the pace or language demands difficult.
CCAs and programmes
Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Culture and Language (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Maris Stella High School
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Language (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Literary - Debate and Scrabble (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys)
- Media Arts / Film / Photography (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- Sport Climbing (Boys)
- Stem (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at River Valley High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Chinese Painting (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Choir (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Robotics (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Scientific Investigation (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Softball (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Girls) - IP
- Wushu (Girls and Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Maris Stella High School and River Valley High 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?
IP · Non-affiliated: Maris Stella High School Not listed; River Valley High School 2026 · 4M–9M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Maris Stella High School 2026 · 7M–12; River Valley High School Not listed. PG3 · Affiliated: Maris Stella High School 2026 · 4M–16; River Valley High 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.