School Matters

Getting things ready

St. Margaret's School (Secondary) vs St. Patrick's School

Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.

At a glance

CompareSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)St. Patrick's School
School typeGirls' SchoolBoys' School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsAutonomousNot listed
ZoneSouthEast
Address111 Farrer Road490 East Coast Road
Nearest MRTFarrer RoadMarine Terrace
Listed CCAs2118
DSA listings1617

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 0 CCA listings. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Patrick's School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Concert Band (Boys), Cricket (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. 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. St. Patrick's School also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Boys), Computational Thinking Skills (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 St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road; for St. Patrick's School: Marine Terrace. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareSt. Margaret's School (Secondary)St. Patrick's School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 8–112026 · 11
PG3 · Affiliated2026 · 10–202026 · 13–20
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 21–232026 · 21–22
PG2 · Affiliated2026 · 21–252026 · 21–25
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 25–262026 · 25–27
PG1 · Affiliated2026 · 25–282026 · 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

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.

St. Patrick's School

St Patrick’s began in 1933 as a branch of St Joseph’s Institution before becoming a school in its own right. Its building was used as a hospital and then a Japanese administrative facility during the war, returning to the La Salle Brothers in 1946. The primary section separated to become St Stephen’s School in 1957. A co-educational pre-university period ended with a return to an all-boys school in 1978. Its 90th anniversary was celebrated in 2023. The Catholic ethos includes prayers, reflections, Masses and Catholic societies; families should clarify how these experiences apply to pupils of different faiths.

The Music and Music Technology LLP introduces all lower-secondary pupils to instrumental skills, performance and digital music creation. The page describes ukulele group work, a keyboard module involving melody and chords with both hands, and software for arrangements or expressive music cues. Sec 1 orientation includes performances and instrument stations led by Military Band and Guitar Ensemble students. A separate Rock Band Interest Group has weekly guided jamming for interested pupils. Talent shows and lunchtime showcases offer performance platforms, but linked 2021 submissions are historical examples rather than evidence of this year’s event schedule.

CCAs and programmes

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)

St. Patrick's School

  • Badminton (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Concert Band (Boys)
  • Cricket (Boys)
  • English Drama (Boys)
  • Floorball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Golf (Boys)
  • Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
  • Media Resource Library (Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • Singapore Youth Flying Club (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (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)

Listed DSA programmes at St. Patrick's School

  • Badminton (Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Community Youth Leadership (Boys)
  • Computational Thinking Skills (Boys)
  • Concert Band (Boys)
  • Cricket (Boys)
  • English Drama (Boys)
  • Floorball (Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Golf (Boys)
  • Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
  • Media/Journalism (Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
  • Scouts (Boys)
  • Tennis (Boys)
  • Track and Field (Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between St. Margaret's School (Secondary) and St. Patrick's 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: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 11. PG3 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 13–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 21–22. PG2 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26; St. Patrick's School 2026 · 25–27. PG1 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28; St. Patrick's School 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.