School MattersNan Chiau High 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 | Nan Chiau High School | Yusof Ishak Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | SAP | Not listed |
| Zone | North | East |
| Address | 20 Anchorvale Link | 8 Sumang Walk |
| Nearest MRT | Sengkang, Renjong, Tongkang | Punggol |
| Listed CCAs | 23 | 19 |
| DSA listings | 8 | 10 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 11 CCA listings. Nan Chiau High School also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), English Language, Drama and Debating (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.
- DSA programme
- The records share 3 DSA programme listings. Nan Chiau High School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Bilingualism (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Fencing (Girls and Boys), Modern Dance (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
- Nan Chiau High School: SAP; Yusof Ishak Secondary School: no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Nan Chiau High School: Sengkang, Renjong, Tongkang; for Yusof Ishak Secondary School: Punggol. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Nan Chiau High School | Yusof Ishak Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4M–11M | 2026 · 7–15 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 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
Nan Chiau High School
Nan Chiau’s history starts with the teachers’ training school founded by Tan Kah Kee in 1941 on land donated by Lee Kong Chian. Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan converted it into Nan Chiau Girls’ High with a primary section in 1947. It became co-educational in 1984; the two sections moved to Sengkang as separate schools in 2001. The secondary school received SAP status in 2012 and introduced CLEP-Sec in 2020. This explains the institutional emphasis on bilingual and bicultural learning without confusing it with the primary school’s programmes.
The ALP page describes Sec 1 electronics lessons using Arduino, held fortnightly for 90 minutes over one semester, with pupils working in pairs. It also lists six forensic-science lessons in the second semester, from DNA and blood typing to fingerprint analysis. Sec 2 extends design thinking and programming into team projects, including healthcare devices and research on bacterial growth, with reports and presentations. Selected Sec 3 pupils can enter applied-science competitions. These are progressively different activities; the competition opportunities belong to the talent tier rather than every pupil’s timetable.
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
Nan Chiau High School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and 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)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
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 Nan Chiau High School
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bilingualism (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (Girls and Boys)
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 Nan Chiau High 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: Nan Chiau High School 2026 · 4M–11M; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 7–15. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Nan Chiau High School Not listed; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Nan Chiau High School Not listed; 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.