School MattersNaval Base Secondary School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Naval Base Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Girls' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | South |
| Address | 901 Yishun Ring Road | 111 Farrer Road |
| Nearest MRT | Khatib | Farrer Road |
| Listed CCAs | 14 | 21 |
| DSA listings | 7 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 3 CCA listings. Naval Base Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and 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. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) 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. Naval Base Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Indian Dance (Girls and Boys), Leadership (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) 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 Naval Base Secondary School: Khatib; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Naval Base Secondary School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–19 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 10–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 2026 · 25–26 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–28 |
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
Naval Base Secondary School
Naval Base Secondary traces its beginnings to 1957, when the British Navy provided land at Bah Tan Road for children of naval-base employees. It was initially a full school; the primary section moved to Canberra School in 1968 and it adopted its secondary-school name. It moved to Yishun Ring Road in July 1988. After a temporary holding site during upgrading, it returned in December 2009 to a campus designed as a garden and giant art gallery. The current art curriculum gives that historical emphasis a practical teaching context.
Lower-secondary pupils have the General Art Programme. Upper-secondary pupils taking art receive the two-year Enhanced Art Programme during curriculum time, with art offered at G1, G2 or G3. The school describes artist mentorship, talks, two art studios, ceramics space and an in-house gallery. Its wider learning framework separates broad experiences from interest-based development and selected advanced opportunities, while also identifying pupils who need structured intervention. EAP access should be read as provision for upper-secondary art students, rather than an extra specialist subject automatically taken by the entire cohort.
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.
The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.
CCAs and programmes
Naval Base Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Naval Base Secondary School
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
- Visual Arts (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Naval Base Secondary School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?
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: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 13–19; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28.
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.