School MattersMaris Stella High School vs Swiss Cottage Secondary 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 | Swiss Cottage Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | SAP · Autonomous | Not listed |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 25 Mount Vernon Road | 3 Bukit Batok Street 34 |
| Nearest MRT | Bartley | Bukit Gombak |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 18 | 11 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 2 CCA listings. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys), Concert Band (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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 1 DSA programme listing. Maris Stella High School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Chinese Language (Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Swiss Cottage Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys) 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; Swiss Cottage Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Maris Stella High School: Bartley; for Swiss Cottage Secondary School: Bukit Gombak. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Maris Stella High School | Swiss Cottage Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 7M–12 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 4M–16 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–26 |
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.
Swiss Cottage Secondary School
Swiss Cottage began in 1962 with about 200 pupils at Raffles Institution’s Bras Basah premises. It moved to Dunearn Road in July 1963 and officially opened that November, with English- and Malay-medium pupils. Its history describes sport as a means of national integration, followed by a growing emphasis on character, reading and the performing arts. It later relocated to Bukit Batok, where it remains. The MOE history’s narrative and milestone table give different relocation years, so a precise year should not be asserted without reconciliation. PRIME upgrading was completed in 2005; the 50th-anniversary celebration took place in 2013.
Applied Sciences for Sustainable Development follows Awareness, Action and Advocacy. The table identifies common programmes in Sec 1—sustainability-infused Science and interdisciplinary work such as EARTH—and Sec 2, including STEM projects such as Project Dream Maker. It lists no core ALP programme for Sec 3 and above, although leadership opportunities continue. Science Ambassadors facilitate workshops; Maker Education Leaders manage iCreate @ Swiss. Overseas learning journeys are for selected ambassadors or maker leaders, not every pupil. The programme’s broad promise of access should be read alongside these stage and selection limits, rather than becoming a guarantee of travel or competition entry.
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)
Swiss Cottage Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Marching Band (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Girls and Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Scouts (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 Swiss Cottage Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bowling (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Military Band (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Science for Sustainable Development (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Maris Stella High School and Swiss Cottage 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: Maris Stella High School 2026 · 7M–12; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Maris Stella High School 2026 · 4M–16; Swiss Cottage Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Maris Stella High School Not listed; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Maris Stella High School Not listed; Swiss Cottage Secondary School 2026 · 25–26.
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.