School MattersTampines Secondary School 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 | Tampines Secondary School | Temasek Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Not listed | Autonomous |
| Zone | East | East |
| Address | 252 Tampines St 12 | 600 Upper East Coast Road |
| Nearest MRT | Tampines | Bedok, Tanah Merah |
| Listed CCAs | 16 | 17 |
| DSA listings | 9 | 5 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 5 CCA listings. Tampines Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), BADMINTON, Basketball (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) 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), Environmental Science (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 3 DSA programme listings. Tampines Secondary School also lists Chinese and Modern Dance (Girls), Concert Band (Girls and Boys), Football (Girls and Boys), Malay Dance (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Temasek Secondary School also lists Leadership (Girls and Boys), Shooting (Girls and Boys), 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 Tampines Secondary School: Tampines; for Temasek Secondary School: Bedok, Tanah Merah. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Tampines Secondary School | Temasek Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 13–19 | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–24 | 2026 · 21–22 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 25–27 | 2026 · 25–26 |
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
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.
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
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)
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 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)
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 Tampines Secondary School 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: Tampines Secondary School 2026 · 13–19; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 8–11. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Tampines Secondary School 2026 · 21–24; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Tampines Secondary School 2026 · 25–27; Temasek Secondary School 2026 · 25–26.
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.