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Serangoon Secondary School
Explore the history of Serangoon Secondary School.
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School History
Serangoon Secondary School started out as Serangoon English School in 1928, housed in a two-storey building on Simon Road. It was then the only government co-educational school in Singapore, and it also served as a feeder school to Raffles Institution.
In 1937, three more standards were added; with this, the school provided education up to Standard Eight (equivalent of present-day Secondary Three). The boys and girls who successfully completed Standard Eight went on to Raffles Institution and Raffles Girls’ School respectively, where they would sit for the School Certificate of Examinations (equivalent to the O-Level examinations today). Serangoon English School remained a feeder school until the eve of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore.
During the Japanese Occupation, the school was known as the Japanese Higher Normal School. It was used to train government officials under the Japanese education system.
In 1949, the school became a full school, with its first School Certificate class offering education from Primary One to Cambridge School Certificate (O-Level equivalent). In 1957, the school officially became a secondary school for the Upper Serangoon district, after ceasing primary school classes that year. In 1965, the first pre-university classes were started and girls were admitted to these classes.
In 1967, Serangoon English School relocated to Lowland Road and was renamed as Serangoon Secondary School. In that year, the school badge was modified and the old school motto, ‘Play the Game’, was replaced with ‘Knowledge is Power’. The present school song was also introduced. In 1976, pre-university classes were discontinued. In 1989, the school motto was changed again to ‘Seek, Strive, Serve’.
To mark the new millennium, in 2001, the school moved to its present premises at 11 Upper Serangoon View and continues to provide a student-centric, values-driven education. In 2018, Serangoon Secondary celebrated its 90th anniversary.
The school’s Applied Learning Programme is in the domain of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as ‘Real-world Explorations in ICT’. Its Learning for Life Programme is in the domain of community and youth leadership, known as ‘Project Ablaze: Harnessing Student Leadership in the Service of Community’.
Principals:
- Mrs D. Dawna (1928–1929)
- Mr F.C. Barraclough (1930)
- Ms M.D. Gibbs (1931–1936)
- Ms M. Hadley (1937)
- Ms K.O. Knapp (1938)
- Major C.A. Scott and Captain E.H. Wilson (1939–1940)
- Dr J. Moncur (1941–1945)
- Mr C.A. Sinnathamby (1946)
- Mr E.A.H. Ellis and Mr Martin Ogle (1947–1948)
- Mr Ralph Ellis (1949)
- Mr S.C. Ting (1950–1951)
- Mr N.I. Low and Mr S.C. Ting (1952–1955)
- Mr Peter Lim (1956–1966)
- Mr Tan Joo Kheng (1967–1971)
- Mr Peter Loh and Mr Tan Joo Kheng (1972–1978)
- Miss Ching Ah Kim (1979–1985)
- Mr Shafawi Bin Ahmad (1986–1988)
- Mr Tng Kim Guan (1989–1992)
- Mr Mohd Said Jaffar (1993–1997)
- Mr Dilbagh Singh (1998–2004)
- Mr Yeo Kuerk Heng (2005–2010)
- Mr Jaswant Singh (2011–2016)
- Mdm Tay Siok Hwa (2017–2022)
- Mr Chen Fook Pang (2023 - present)
Key Milestones
key milestones
1928 | Establishment of Serangoon English School in a two-storey building. |
1949 | Became a full school offering education from Primary One to the Cambridge School Certificate. |
1957 | Discontinued primary school classes and became a secondary school for the Upper Serangoon district. |
1967 | Renamed as Serangoon Secondary School after relocating to Lowland Road campus. |
1989 | Motto changed to ‘Seek, Strive, Serve’. |
1996 | Fifteen students travelled to the United States for a study tour. |
2001 | Relocation to current premises at 11 Upper Serangoon View. |
2014 | Accorded Learning for Life Programme, ‘Project Ablaze: Harnessing Student Leadership in the Service of Community’. |
2016 | Accorded Applied Learning Programme, ‘Real-world Explorations in ICT’. |
2018 | Received Singapore Book of Awards for setting a national record for designing biggest logo made out of fortune cookies. Staged a sell-out drama production, Constellations, that encapsulated the school spirit and aspirations of the Serangoon Family. |
School Motto
Seek to Grow, Strive to Excel, Serve with Honour
School Crest
The eagle depicted is the German eagle, which symbolises self-discipline, dignity, esteem and power. The lamp with its radiant and glowing flame symbolises knowledge acquired through studying and a student’s all-round development, well-being and balanced personality. Together, they symbolise the determination with which they seek to achieve their goals.
The colour blue signifies the two important and essential qualities of a good character: piety and sincerity. White embodies everything that is pure and wholesome, particularly purity in thought, word and deed. Orange represents strength – both in character and physique – as well as firmness of character and endurance, the spirit of determination and the ability to persevere to the very end.
School Song
We proudly sing about our school
That shines among the rest.
With youthful vigour, youthful zest,
We'll make our school the best!
Chorus
Forward, march on,
Serangoon Secondary School!
We will lift our voices and sing,
We will seek, we will strive,
We will serve with pride,
Honours to you we'll bring!
(Repeat)
Chorus
Forward, march on,
Serangoon Secondary School!
We will lift our voices and sing,
We will seek, we will strive,
We will serve with pride,
Honours to you!