School MattersNorthbrooks Secondary School vs Riverside Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Northbrooks Secondary School | Riverside 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 | North |
| Address | 585 Yishun Ring Road | 3 Woodlands Street 81 |
| Nearest MRT | Yishun, Khatib | Woodlands |
| Listed CCAs | 20 | 22 |
| DSA listings | 9 | 7 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 10 CCA listings. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys), Bowling (Girls and Boys), Floorball (Boys), Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Riverside Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys), Choir (Girls and Boys), Football (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. Northbrooks Secondary School also lists Aerospace (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Floorball (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Riverside Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), Environmental Science (Girls and Boys), Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys), Media (Girls and Boys) 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 Northbrooks Secondary School: Yishun, Khatib; for Riverside Secondary School: Woodlands. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Northbrooks Secondary School | Riverside Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 15–22 | 2026 · 8–14 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 22–25 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| 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
Northbrooks Secondary School
Northbrooks Secondary opened on 2 January 2000. MOE explains its name through the proverb 饮水思源: remembering the people who have helped you. Aerospace applied learning and outdoor education were recognised as its ALP and LLP in 2015; a water-sustainability programme followed in 2017. Its heritage account also records stained-glass work, although the image caption and narrative give different starting years. That date is therefore left unresolved here. The current curriculum pages provide a more useful account of what pupils do today.
The aerospace ALP connects STEM learning with aviation careers, with partners including CAAS, Republic Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic and ST Aerospace. Its first tier includes lower-secondary STEM lessons and broader learning journeys, enrichment and career education. Advanced and elective modules, Youth Flying Club activities and other projects sit in the second tier. The CCA page shows NCC Air members building a glider and Flying Club members using a simulator. Those examples describe particular members’ activities; they do not establish flying training for every pupil or preferential admission to a post-secondary course.
- Northbrooks Secondary School
- Applied Learning (Aerospace)
- Learning for Life (Outdoor Education)
- Co Curricular Activities
Riverside Secondary School
Riverside Secondary’s own history says it began in 1987 at Fuchun Secondary’s premises before moving to 3 Woodlands Street 81 that December. It became single-session in 1999 and returned to its upgraded campus in 2004 after a holding-site period. Its history records a 2020 Full Subject-Based Banding pilot and Tamil Language Elective Programme provision. Older heritage material describes an Arts for Life LLP; the present programme page instead identifies Digital Citizenship. Historical programme names should therefore be kept separate from current provision.
The ALP, Global Citizenship Education through Critical Social Inquiry, uses UN Sustainable Development Goals to explore global issues and affected communities. Its page gives a dated 2025 Riverside Model United Nations example focused on technology, sustainability and inclusion, with stakeholder perspectives and proposed resolutions. VIA separately asks pupils to understand community needs, plan, act and reflect. These descriptions show an inquiry-and-service approach; they do not establish that every pupil attends the same forum or takes the same community role.
CCAs and programmes
Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aero-Modelling (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Bowling (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls and Boys)
- Sp-Cca (Athletics) (Girls and Boys)
- Student Leadership (Council) (Girls and Boys)
Riverside Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Sea) (Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Northbrooks Secondary School
- Aerospace (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Outdoor Adventure (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Riverside Secondary School
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys)
- Media (Girls and Boys)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Tamil Language (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Northbrooks Secondary School and Riverside 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: Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 15–22; Riverside Secondary School 2026 · 8–14. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Riverside Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Northbrooks Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; Riverside 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.