School MattersSt. Margaret's School (Secondary) vs Temasek Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) | Temasek Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | South | East |
| Address | 111 Farrer Road | 600 Upper East Coast Road |
| Nearest MRT | Farrer Road | Bedok, Tanah Merah |
| Listed CCAs | 21 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 16 | 5 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 1 CCA listing. 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. Temasek Secondary School also lists Basketball (Boys), Bowling (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Choir (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. 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. Temasek Secondary School also lists Choir (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Leadership (Girls and Boys), Modern Dance (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 St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road; for Temasek Secondary School: Bedok, Tanah Merah. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) | Temasek Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 8–11 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 10–20 | Not listed |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | 2026 · 21–25 | Not listed |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–26 | 2026 · 25–26 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | 2026 · 25–28 | Not listed |
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.
Temasek Secondary School
Temasek Secondary began in 1980, briefly sharing Bedok South Secondary’s premises before moving to its own Upper Changi Road campus that May. It officially opened in April 1982. Autonomous status and its Higher Malay Language centre followed in 1995; the move to 600 Upper East Coast Road came in 1999. MOE records student leadership as a hallmark from 2001, Cross-Cultural Awareness from 2014 and the Temasek Ignis Programme from 2016. These are the school’s own strands, distinct from Temasek JC’s Integrated Programme.
In S1 Project Culture, pupils work in groups to investigate a nationality living in Singapore, compare cultural practices and give an oral presentation. S2 Camp Culture is non-residential, combining visits and facilitated reflection; the page describes its broader Singapore-history and multicultural focus from 2018. Overseas school exchanges resumed after 2023, with examples in Thailand, Malaysia and other ASEAN countries. The local curriculum and overseas opportunities should be distinguished: families should ask which trips run for the coming cohort, how places are allocated and what participation costs.
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)
Temasek Secondary School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Bowling (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Robotics (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
- Wushu (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)
Listed DSA programmes at Temasek Secondary School
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between St. Margaret's School (Secondary) and Temasek 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: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20; Temasek Secondary School Not listed. PG2 · Non-affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG2 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25; Temasek Secondary School Not listed. PG1 · Non-affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28; Temasek Secondary School Not listed.
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.