School MattersNaval Base Secondary School vs Tampines Secondary School
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 | Tampines Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Not listed |
| Zone | North | East |
| Address | 901 Yishun Ring Road | 252 Tampines St 12 |
| Nearest MRT | Khatib | Tampines |
| Listed CCAs | 14 | 16 |
| DSA listings | 7 | 9 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 6 CCA listings. Naval Base Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls), Football (Girls and Boys), Girl Guides (Girls), Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Tampines Secondary School also lists BADMINTON, Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Design and Innovation (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 4 DSA programme listings. Naval Base Secondary School also lists Indian Dance (Girls and Boys), Leadership (Girls and Boys), Table Tennis (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Tampines Secondary School also lists Chinese and Modern Dance (Girls), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys), Malay 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 Tampines Secondary School: Tampines. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Naval Base Secondary School | Tampines Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–19 | 2026 · 13–19 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–24 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 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
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.
Tampines Secondary School
Tampines Secondary opened to its first 458 pupils on 2 January 1986, with 12 teachers and founding principal Koh Sei Hian. Its official opening followed on 8 August 1988. The school later underwent PRIME upgrading in 2008 and developed creative engineering and visual and performing arts as distinctive areas. Its founding motto, Betterment of Self for Society, remains part of the school’s stated identity. The history gives context for the current programmes; it does not establish how every pupil experiences the school or its present exam performance.
Creative Engineering: Tinker, Design, Innovate offers all Sec 1 pupils upcycling and drone activities, then group challenges related to water or technology. Sec 2 includes building a solar toy car, Microbit coding and challenges about energy or ageing. These Tier 1 sessions use a Maker Hub with fabrication and electronics equipment. Tier 2 gives interested pupils opportunities for student-led projects; the more advanced Maker Faire CCA track involves identified, especially enthusiastic pupils. The page still contains a pandemic-era statement about overseas trips being on hold, so it cannot confirm the present travel programme or availability.
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)
Tampines Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- BADMINTON
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Girls and Boys)
- Digital Media (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- FOOTBALL
- GIRL GUIDES
- MALAY DANCE
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- NETBALL
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC)
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 Tampines Secondary School
- Chinese and Modern Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Stem - Creative Engineering and Modelling (Girls and Boys)
- Visual Arts (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Naval Base Secondary School and Tampines 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: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 13–19; Tampines Secondary School 2026 · 13–19. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Tampines Secondary School 2026 · 21–24. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Naval Base Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; Tampines 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.