School Matters

Getting things ready

Whitley Secondary School vs Yusof Ishak Secondary School

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

At a glance

CompareWhitley Secondary SchoolYusof Ishak Secondary School
School typeCo-Ed SchoolCo-Ed School
LevelSecondary (S1-S4)Secondary (S1-S4)
School tagsNot listedNot listed
ZoneSouthEast
Address30 Bishan Street 248 Sumang Walk
Nearest MRTBishan, MarymountPunggol
Listed CCAs1419
DSA listings210

Differences to explore

CCA
The records share 6 CCA listings. Whitley Secondary School also lists Basketball (Girls and Boys), Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys), English Drama (Girls and Boys), Football (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Boys' Brigade (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (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. Whitley Secondary School also lists Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys), Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys), which do not appear in the other school's records. Yusof Ishak Secondary School also lists Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Boys), Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys), Fencing (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 Whitley Secondary School: Bishan, Marymount; for Yusof Ishak Secondary School: Punggol. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.

Recorded entry ranges

CompareWhitley Secondary SchoolYusof Ishak Secondary School
PG3 · Non-affiliated2026 · 15–222026 · 7–15
PG2 · Non-affiliated2026 · 22–252026 · 21–22
PG1 · Non-affiliated2026 · 26–302026 · 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

Whitley Secondary School

Whitley Secondary opened on 4 January 1965 at the junction of Whitley and Dunearn roads. It moved to its Bishan campus in 1992, with an official opening and a move to a single session in 1994. During redevelopment in 2006–2007, it used temporary premises at Toa Payoh Lorong 1. The MOE heritage account records an Active Citizenship for Social Change LLP from 2014, alongside a communication-focused ALP. These dates help place older graduates’ accounts: they may describe different buildings, programme names or examination pathways from those facing a new intake.

The Communicative Arts page gives concrete classroom examples. Secondary 1 pupils work in pairs to curate online information and make a one-minute vlog using their personal learning devices. Secondary 2 pairs research a syllabus-related interest and conduct a two-minute role-play interview. Secondary 3 pairs prepare a three-minute talk show with slides, then answer at least three questions from classmates. This progression moves beyond prepared speech towards responding to an audience. Ask how teachers assess information sources, give individual feedback within paired work, and support pupils who find public speaking difficult.

Yusof Ishak Secondary School

Yusof Ishak began in 1965 as Jubilee Integrated Secondary School, with English and Malay streams, and took its current name in 1966. Lee Kuan Yew officiated at its Jubilee Road opening on 29 July that year. MOE records its later Bukit Batok campus and the 2015 Heritage Gallery, which documents the first President and the school’s history. Subsequent CNA reporting places the school in Punggol. Older Jubilee Road or Bukit Batok accounts therefore need their campus context. Historical rankings and the presidential name do not establish the current experience of an individual pupil.

The Applied Learning Programme describes interdisciplinary work on sustainability and climate change, with school-wide exposure through urban farming, coding and aeronautics. Pupils interested in deeper work can pursue STEM Club or Robotics Club. The page’s 2024 examples include development of the AgriSphere Lab and garden learning spaces, hydrogen-car and drone challenges, and sustainability activities. These dated examples show past provision; they do not guarantee the same competition, expert or award to every pupil. Families can ask which practical projects are common to the incoming cohort and how club-based extensions are selected.

CCAs and programmes

Whitley Secondary School

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
  • English Drama (Girls and Boys)
  • Football (Boys)
  • Girl Guides (Girls)
  • Golf (Girls and Boys)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Photography (Girls and Boys)

Yusof Ishak Secondary School

  • Art and Crafts (Girls and Boys)
  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Boys' Brigade (Boys)
  • Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
  • Choir (Girls and Boys)
  • Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
  • English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
  • Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
  • Fencing (Girls and Boys)
  • Girls' Brigade (Girls)
  • Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Girls and Boys)
  • National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at Whitley Secondary School

  • Debating and Public Speaking (Girls and Boys)
  • Leadership and Character (Girls and Boys)

Listed DSA programmes at Yusof Ishak Secondary School

  • Badminton (Girls and Boys)
  • Basketball (Boys)
  • Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
  • Fencing (Girls and Boys)
  • Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
  • Robotics (Girls and Boys)
  • Softball (Girls)
  • Stem (Girls and Boys)
  • Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
  • Wushu (Girls and Boys)

Questions about these schools

How should I choose between Whitley Secondary School and Yusof Ishak 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: Whitley Secondary School 2026 · 15–22; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 7–15. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Whitley Secondary School 2026 · 22–25; Yusof Ishak Secondary School 2026 · 21–22. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Whitley Secondary School 2026 · 26–30; Yusof Ishak 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.