School MattersTanjong Katong Girls' School vs Xinmin Secondary School
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Tanjong Katong Girls' School | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | East | North |
| Address | 20 Dunman Lane | 11 Hougang Avenue 8 |
| Nearest MRT | Paya Lebar, Dakota | Hougang |
| Listed CCAs | 19 | 19 |
| DSA listings | 10 | 14 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 1 CCA listing. Tanjong Katong Girls' School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Choir (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), 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 1 DSA programme listing. Tanjong Katong Girls' School also lists Bowling (Girls), Choir (Girls), Concert Band (Girls), Floorball (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Xinmin Secondary School also lists Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls), Choir (Girls and Boys), Concert Band (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 Tanjong Katong Girls' School: Paya Lebar, Dakota; for Xinmin Secondary School: Hougang. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Tanjong Katong Girls' School | Xinmin Secondary School |
|---|---|---|
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 7–13 | 2026 · 8–13 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 21–23 | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 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
Tanjong Katong Girls' School
MOE records TKGS’s establishment in 1953 as Singapore’s first post-war government English-medium girls’ school. It began the Music Elective Programme in 1983, gained autonomous status and moved to Dunman Lane in 1995, and returned there in 2019 following PRIME upgrading at a temporary Bedok South site. Its arts identity therefore predates the current signature programmes. This history helps explain the place of music and community service in the school’s published curriculum; it should not be read as evidence of a particular child’s fit or future results.
The Music Elective Programme is for pupils with passion and aptitude, rather than a general music CCA. TKGS describes four years of in-depth study, encompassing listening, research, performance or composition, with workshops and collaborations. The school’s selection exercise includes an audition, an e-listening test and an interview. The audition calls for two unaccompanied solo pieces on an instrument or voice, totalling no more than five minutes. Interested pupils register through the Sec 1 package after a TKGS placement is confirmed. The page still uses O-Level Higher Music terminology; ask which qualification and assessment framework applies to the incoming cohort.
Xinmin Secondary School
Xinmin began as Sin Min School on 1 November 1945, initially teaching primary pupils. Its founders rented three bungalows after Yap Fun Hong sold five pigs to help fund education for the Hougang-Serangoon community. Secondary classes began in 1956, and performances helped raise money for facilities in 1958. MOE’s heritage record dates autonomous status to 2001 and the Creative Arts Complex to 2015. Its 80th anniversary was in 2025. These are historical milestones; earlier examination bands or rankings do not establish a current teaching-quality ranking.
MAKERS@Xinmin combines digital and analogue making across a specially designed two-year lower-secondary curriculum. All pupils in those years learn about AI applications and ethics, and design and prototype solutions to real problems. Examples include sustainability models using AI, eco-themed games and environmental-data analysis, with workshops, pop-up sessions and showcases. This is broader than a coding club for selected enthusiasts. Ask what the child will build, how teachers supervise tool use and how a pupil with little coding experience is helped to contribute within a group.
CCAs and programmes
Tanjong Katong Girls' School
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Community Service (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
- Media Resource Library (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls)
- Softball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
Xinmin Secondary School
- Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Students' Council (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Tanjong Katong Girls' School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- Music Elective Programme (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Softball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Xinmin Secondary School
- Badminton (Girls)
- Boys' Brigade (Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- St John Brigade (Girls and Boys)
- Volleyball (Girls and Boys)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Tanjong Katong Girls' School and Xinmin 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: Tanjong Katong Girls' School 2026 · 7–13; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 8–13. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Tanjong Katong Girls' School 2026 · 21–23; Xinmin Secondary School 2026 · 21–23. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Tanjong Katong Girls' School Not listed; Xinmin Secondary 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.