School MattersNational Junior College 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 | National Junior College | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP | IP · SAP · Autonomous |
| Zone | South | West |
| Address | 37 Hillcrest Road | 6 Boon Lay Avenue |
| Nearest MRT | Botanic Gardens, Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue | Boon Lay, Lakeside |
| Listed CCAs | 32 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 23 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 8 CCA listings. National Junior College also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. River Valley High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Chinese Calligraphy and Brush Painting (Girls and Boys), Chinese Drama (Girls and Boys), English 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. National Junior College also lists Art Elective Programme (AEP) (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and 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
- National Junior College: IP; River Valley High School: IP / SAP. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for National Junior College: Botanic Gardens, Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue; 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 | National Junior College | River Valley High School |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 5–8 | 2026 · 4M–9M |
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
National Junior College
National Junior College opened in January 1969 with 570 students and was officially opened in May 1970. MOE records its move to Hillcrest Road in 1995, a four-year Integrated Programme from 2004, and expansion to six years with Sec 1 admission in 2009. This profile concerns Junior High, the four secondary-stage years within that six-year route. Its learning experiences and activity choices should be distinguished from the two Senior High years, even though both stages share the college name and some programmes.
The current Junior High page describes interdisciplinary SPIRE work and Perspectives Tasks alongside languages, mathematics, integrated sciences, humanities, PE, art and music. JH1–2 pupils can take one or more electives, subject to selection and timetable fit. JH3–4 pupils normally take at most two; those taking triple science can take at most one. Examples include coding, forensic science and advanced science or mathematics. This offers room to explore, but not an unrestricted menu. Families can ask how choices, project deadlines and subject progression fit together across the four years.
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
National Junior College
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Community Service (Rotary-Sponsored) (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Indian Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls and Boys)
- Squash (Girls and Boys)
- String Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Touch Rugby (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls and 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 National Junior College
- Art Elective Programme (AEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Dragon Boat (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Language Elective Programme - Malay (MLEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Language Elective Programme - Tamil (TLEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Science Research (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls and Boys)
- String Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
- Western Dance (Girls and 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 National Junior College 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: National Junior College 2026 · 5–8; River Valley High School 2026 · 4M–9M.
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.