DSA at the Top 22 Secondary Schools by PSLE Cut-off (2026)
22 top secondary schools offer 79 DSA talent areas between them for the 2026 exercise (Sec 1 2027 intake). The most common: Badminton (18), Basketball (17), Concert Band (16). 8 are girls' schools, 4 boys' schools and 10 co-ed.
How we define top
Top = the 20 secondary schools with the lowest non-affiliated PSLE AL cut-off in the 2025 Secondary 1 Posting, using MOE-published score ranges (lowest across posting groups). Schools tied at the 20th cut-off are all included. Same method as our Top Secondary Schools ranking.
22 top schools compared
| School | Area | Gender | PSLE AL cut-off | Talent areas | Top categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)(ACS Barker) | Novena | Boys | AL 9 (2025) | 17 | Sports 10, Performing Arts 4, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)(ACS(I)) | Queenstown | Co-ed | AL 7 (2025) | 24 | Sports 18, Performing Arts 1, STEM & Academic 4 |
 Catholic High School | Bishan | Boys | AL 7 (2025) | 19 | Sports 7, Performing Arts 7, STEM & Academic 2 |
 Cedar Girls Secondary School | Toa Payoh | Girls | AL 9 (2025) | 8 | Sports 6, Performing Arts 1, STEM & Academic 1 |
 CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh | Toa Payoh | Girls | AL 10 (2025) | 10 | Sports 7, Performing Arts 2, Languages & Humanities 1 |
 CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | Ang Mo Kio | Girls | AL 7 (2025) | 9 | Sports 7, Languages & Humanities 1, Leadership 1 |
 Chung Cheng High School Main | Marine Parade | Co-ed | AL 10 (2025) | 9 | Sports 6, Performing Arts 2, Languages & Humanities 1 |
 Dunman High School(DHS) | Kallang | Co-ed | AL 8 (2025) | 18 | Sports 8, Performing Arts 7, STEM & Academic 1 |
 Hwa Chong Institution(HCI) | Bukit Timah | Co-ed | AL 6 (2025) | 22 | Sports 12, Visual & Media Arts 1, STEM & Academic 4 |
 Methodist Girls' School(MGS) | Bukit Timah | Girls | AL 6 (2025) | 12 | Sports 8, Performing Arts 1, STEM & Academic 2 |
 Nan Hua High School | Clementi | Co-ed | AL 10 (2025) | 17 | Sports 6, Performing Arts 8, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 Nanyang Girls' High School(NYGH) | Bukit Timah | Girls | AL 6 (2025) | 18 | Sports 9, Performing Arts 6, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 National Junior College (Secondary)(NJC) | Bukit Timah | Co-ed | AL 8 (2025) | 18 | Sports 7, Performing Arts 9, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)(PLMGS) | Hougang | Girls | AL 10 (2025) | 10 | Sports 6, Performing Arts 3, Leadership 1 |
 Raffles Girls' School(RGS) | Toa Payoh | Girls | AL 6 (2025) | 18 | Sports 9, Performing Arts 1, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 Raffles Institution (Secondary)(RI) | Bishan | Co-ed | AL 6 (2025) | 25 | Sports 14, Performing Arts 5, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 River Valley High School(RVHS) | Jurong West | Co-ed | AL 9 (2025) | 16 | Sports 8, Performing Arts 4, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 Singapore Chinese Girls' School(SCGS) | Novena | Girls | AL 7 (2025) | 15 | Sports 6, Performing Arts 6, Languages & Humanities 2 |
 St. Andrew's School (Secondary) | Toa Payoh | Boys | AL 9 (2025) | 8 | Sports 5, Performing Arts 1, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
 St. Joseph's Institution(SJI) | Novena | Co-ed | AL 7 (2025) | 20 | Sports 14, Visual & Media Arts 1, STEM & Academic 4 |
 Temasek Junior College (Secondary)(TJC) | Tampines | Co-ed | AL 8 (2025) | 11 | Sports 4, Performing Arts 2, STEM & Academic 2 |
 Victoria School | Bedok | Boys | AL 8 (2025) | 16 | Sports 9, Performing Arts 3, Visual & Media Arts 1 |
Talent areas across top schools
The 20 most widely offered, with the schools that offer each one.
Badminton — 18 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Dunman High School, Temasek Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Basketball — 17 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), Temasek Junior College (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School
Concert Band — 16 of 22 schools:
Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), Temasek Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, St. Andrew's School (Secondary), CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Table Tennis — 14 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Dunman High School, Victoria School, Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Track and Field — 12 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School, Cedar Girls Secondary School, CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh
Leadership — 11 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Dunman High School, Temasek Junior College (Secondary), River Valley High School, St. Andrew's School (Secondary), Nan Hua High School, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Netball — 11 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Chinese Orchestra — 10 of 22 schools:
Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Catholic High School, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), River Valley High School, Chung Cheng High School Main, Nan Hua High School
Choir — 10 of 22 schools:
Raffles Institution (Secondary), Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls' School, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), River Valley High School, CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh, Nan Hua High School
Softball — 10 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Dunman High School, National Junior College (Secondary), River Valley High School, Nan Hua High School
Tennis — 10 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Nanyang Girls' High School, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Singapore Chinese Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), CHIJ Secondary Toa Payoh
Volleyball — 10 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Dunman High School, Victoria School, Cedar Girls Secondary School, River Valley High School, Chung Cheng High School Main, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary)
Mathematics — 7 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Temasek Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School
Science — 7 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Girls' School, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Temasek Junior College (Secondary), Victoria School
Wushu — 7 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls' High School, Catholic High School, Dunman High School, Victoria School, River Valley High School, Chung Cheng High School Main
Cross Country — 6 of 22 schools:
Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Institution (Secondary), Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), St. Joseph's Institution, National Junior College (Secondary), Nan Hua High School
Football — 6 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), St. Joseph's Institution, Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), St. Andrew's School (Secondary)
Hockey — 6 of 22 schools:
Raffles Institution (Secondary), CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School, St. Joseph's Institution, Victoria School, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), St. Andrew's School (Secondary)
Music Elective Programme — 6 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Raffles Girls' School, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Catholic High School, Dunman High School, Temasek Junior College (Secondary)
Squash — 6 of 22 schools:
Methodist Girls' School, Raffles Girls' School, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Singapore Chinese Girls' School, National Junior College (Secondary), St. Andrew's School (Secondary)
Frequently asked questions
Which top schools offer DSA in 2026?
What talent areas are most common at top schools?
How are the top schools chosen?
SGSchoolKaki Education Team
Ex-MOE Teachers, Private Tutors & Education Data Analysts with 15+ Years Combined Experience
Reviewed by: KW Phoon
Founder, BEng(Hons) in Computing Engineering
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