Direct School Admission
Ang Mo Kio Secondary School Direct School Admission 2024
Direct School Admission (DSA) is an MOE initiative designed to give selected schools greater flexibility in student admission, so that a more diverse range of student achievements and talents can be recognised.
In April 2008, MOE approved the school’s application for niche development in the area of Symphonic Band. Since then, Ang Mo Kio Secondary School (AMKSS) has been offering discretionary admission to talented band students who displayed the passion for band music. With the introduction of the Learning for Life Programme (LLP) in Arts Education, AMKSS has offered DSA places for a wider range of performing arts from 2017. From 2019, we have broadened our DSA offerings to include the area of Sports as well. Up to 20% of the Secondary One vacancies will be offered for DSA places for Concert Band, Choir, Modern Dance, Malay Dance, English Drama, Badminton, Basketball, Football, Netball and Volleyball.
In line with the school's belief to provide a balanced and holistic education, the Co-Curricular Programmes have been designed to allow our students to experience an enriching learning journey over the four years in school, and to challenge each member to attain greater heights in their chosen interest/talent area in performing arts or sports.
Concert Band
Ang Mo Kio Secondary School Concert Band was first founded in the 1980s as a military band. It was converted to a symphonic band in 2001 and has a current strength of over 100 members. The Band has achieved Gold Awards and Certificates of Distinction for consecutive SYF Arts Presentation since 2005 and is currently led by conductors Mr Daniel Kiang and Mr Desmond Chow.
Over the years, the band has enthralled the public with different genres of music catering to different audiences at various performance venues such as Esplanade Concert Hall and Victoria Concert Hall, as well as Singapore Botanic Gardens. In 2018, the Band collaborated with NParks to bring arts to the community by performing at the Gardens by the Bay for the Singapore Garden Festival and also at Artists’ Night Out at Dhoby Ghaut Green during the Singapore Night Festival. In addition, the Band had the privilege to perform at Istana during the National Day Open House in 2017 as well as participated in various SYF events, such as the Parade of Bands (2016) and SYF Celebrations - Festival Concert at Esplanade Theatre (2019). In 2022 and 2023, the Band had the opportunity to give back to the surrounding community through their performances at the National Day Observance Ceremony at Kebun Baru Community Club.
This year, as part of Esplanade’s Limelight 2024 series, the AMKSS Concert Band was invited to perform at the Esplanade Concert Hall. This series is part of Esplanade’s efforts to recognise some of the best symphonic bands in Singapore. In addition, the Band was also selected to participate alongside several other secondary schools and the Singapore Armed Forces Band in the upcoming National Day Parade 2024.
Our comprehensive band programme aims to instil a passion for music-making in every member and inculcate lifelong learning in music appreciation. Besides acquiring the skills of playing an instrument, all band members will undergo music theory lessons such that they complement the learning and playing of band music. Our programme also seeks to provide band members with an enriching band experience through concerts, public performances, band exchanges with foreign school bands and appreciating music in general to encourage lifelong learning in arts.
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Choir
The 40-strong versatile Ang Mo Kio Secondary School Choir, comprising Soprano, Alto, and Baritone is helmed by talented chorister-conductor, Ms. Cherie Chai who is also a renown A Capella Trainer- Arranger-Producer, Music Director of professional choirs and 1st professional female vocal percussionist in Singapore. The choir achieved a Certificate of Distinction and Certificate of Accomplishment in SYF Arts Presentations in 2019 and 2023 respectively, and participated under Special Consideration in SYF 2021.
To hone our students’ vocal, personal and public presentation skills, the choir enthusiastically volunteers to perform on various public platforms; including choral exchanges with other schools, community and school events. Opportunities to upskill are explored through vocal workshops, master classes and concerts every year. Theory sessions based on the ABRSM syllabus may also be carried out for the choir members to better equip them with useful music knowledge to appreciate the range and breadth of the world music that they are exposed to.
The Choir showcases its talents at various school events such as Awards Day, AMKsian Showcase and our school’s biennial event, the Night of Music, Arts and Dance (NOMAD). Prior to the COVID-19 years, the Choir held joint concert performances at public venues, such as “The Reason We Sing” and “The Reason We Sing II” with other school choirs as well as the Voices of Singapore Festival at CHIJmes in 2019.
Besides singing, the Choir’s Executive Committee, under the guidance of the Choir Teachers and Mistress, organises activities to instill, develop and promote self-discipline, teamwork, confidence and commitment in our choristers. Every chorister has a responsibility to serve both the Choir and the community; as led by the Choir's Executive Committee based on our philosophy that every AMKsian Chorister "Ever Strives Upwards - Semper Superne Nitens!"
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Dance Club
The Dance Club specialises in 2 broad categories of dance, namely Modern and Malay Dance. Two external instructors, who are professionally-trained dancers, coach the two dance groups in the technical and artistic aspects of the dance. Through our yearly Dance auditions conducted at the start of the year, we hope to recruit members who are passionate about dance and are committed to undergo rigorous training to build on their flexibility, physical strength and stamina.
The Modern Dance group strives to nurture and develop versatile performers. Through dance, students are empowered to express their emotions and personal stories through movement and rhythm. The dance group achieved the Certificate of Distinction in 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 and the Certificate of Accomplishment in 2017 at the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation. The group also had the honour of performing for the SYF Opening Concert at Esplanade in 2016, the Istana Open House in 2022 and the Kebun Baru National Day Observance Ceremony in 2023.
The Malay Dance consists of an exuberant group of students with passion in Malay Dance. We provide opportunities for students to learn and appreciate Malay Dance and culture. We aim to develop our students to be graceful dancers and disciplined students. The group achieved the Certificate of Distinction in 2015, 2017 and 2023 and the Certificate of Accomplishment in 2019 and 2021 at the SYF Arts Presentation.
Through our dance programmes such as Schools Dance Exchange and Collaboration, we provide our students the opportunities to learn from other instructors as well as dancers from other schools. These programmes help build confidence in our students when performing on stage. Besides showcasing their skills to a variety of audiences, they will also be trained to think critically about artistic works, relate aesthetically, affectively and cognitively to the dance art form and the contexts of artistic works as well as explore and experiment with the art form.
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English Drama
The Drama Club aims to cultivate professionalism among its members through diverse theatrical performances, providing each member with opportunities to engage in various roles. Members acquire valuable acting skills, stage presence, improvisation abilities, and collaborative teamwork essential for staging short performances. Moreover, members rotate leadership roles for warm-up sessions and games, fostering confidence and leadership skills. Our Drama students also perform at school events like Awards Day and Nomad (Night of Music and Dance) which are valuable opportunities for them to showcase their talents, build confidence, improve their stage presence, and develop their skills further.
Our track record includes achieving the Certificate of Distinction in the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation in 2017 and 2019, and a Certificate of Accomplishment in 2021 and 2023. Additionally, from 2016 we have participated in re:ACT, a Theatre for Social Advocacy initiative by inwardBOUND in collaboration with charitable organisations, where secondary schools represented different causes culminating in a collective performance.
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Students may perform something scripted, devised, or improvised, and can be something learnt in school (in class or CCA). Students preparing their own performance can search for scripts of fairy tale or folk tale adaptations online or create these themselves.
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Badminton
Badminton – referred to by some as ‘The Fastest Racquet Sport in the World’ – requires agility, power, mental and physical prowess as well as endurance. Badminton places tremendous demands on those who practice the sport.
Ang Mo Kio Secondary School has made a name for herself in this tough but satisfying sport which hones delicate wrist-work skills, nimble footwork and perseverance. Team AMKSS trains thrice a week in order to help the students build badminton skills as well as their grit and persistence in getting things right.
Over the years, our team has consistently made our presence felt in the South Zone Inter School Badminton Tournament. In 2018, our B Division Boys and Girls fought hard to clinch third position. The following year, our B Division Girls achieved fourth position. In 2021, our B Girls finished third and in 2022, emerged second in the South Zone Badminton Competition. This year, the B Division team fought hard and the boys made it into the quarter-finals of the National School Games (NSG) South Zone Championship. Against a group of strong opponents, the boys learnt perseverance and resilience as they stood their ground and gave their best. The experience was an enriching and meaningful one for them.
Team AMKSS seeks opportunities that enable our players and leaders to plan, organise and implement a variety of programmes to benefit both the school and community. Annually, we organise a primary school badminton competition, the “AMKSS Invitational”, to promote the sport, encourage friendly sparring and help raise the standards of the sport amongst primary school students. In addition, players assist in the coaching of students in Ang Mo Kio Primary School as part of our partnership and outreach efforts with our community.
Volleyball
Ang Mo Kio’s Volleyball Team was established in 1999 and has grown from strength to strength over the 21 years. The Team has consistently punched above its weight at the South Zone and National competitions, finishing among the top schools in both competitions. In 2019, the B Girls and B Boys emerged 2nd and 4th respectively in the Zonal Championships. Our B Girls finished third in 2021, and emerged runners-up in the 2022 South Zone Championship. In 2023, our C Boys came in 4th in the South Zone National School Games. Our Girls team is currently coached by Mr Teo Kee Theng and our Boys team is coached by Mr Leon Wong Fong Siang. Over the years, the Team has produced talented individuals who went on to don National colours and represent the country. In 2018, one of our girls, Seah Yun Zhen Desiree was selected to represent Singapore at the 2018 ASEAN Schools Games, while our alumni, Alicia Tan Kai Yun (graduate of 2017) represented Singapore at the 2018 Asian U19 Beach Volleyball Championships in Thailand. In 2023, Nadja Kim Schmidt (graduate of 2021) represented Singapore at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
Our Volleyball programme aims to develop and sustain our students’ skills, passion and interest in Volleyball. We also strive to achieve sustained excellence in zonal and national competitions. And most importantly, we are driven to inculcate values such as teamwork, discipline and resilience in them.
Football (Boys)
Football, “The Beautiful Game”, is watched and enjoyed by millions all over the world. It is no different in Ang Mo Kio Secondary School. AMKSS Football has come a long way and made a name for herself by nurturing several players who have gone on to play at the highest level in Singapore and overseas. Singapore National Team Football players such as Shakir Hamzah and Zulfahmi Arifin are players who started their budding football journey in AMKSS. Both players were part of Young Lions squad in 2009 and 2010 respectively, progressing to the National Team which they are still a part of. Both have also gone on to play in foreign leagues in the region.
AMKSS Football team has always placed the importance of discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship in every training aspect; enabling the athletes to consistently perform at their maximum potential. Values are given utmost importance as we strongly feel that the right values should be the basic foundation in our students.
The AMKSS Football team emphasises on the sharpening of technical skills in the C Division Team. This is the period where athletes are given drills and practices to sharpen their technical skills which they have picked up in primary schools. The AMKSS Football team is currently coached by Coach Hairil Amin, an experienced coach who usually focuses on elite footballers at the youth level. Additionally, his experience in the local football scene is an added incentive for the team. The B Division Team, also coached by Coach Hairil Amin, a greater emphasis is based on tactical awareness coupled with continued development of their technical skills as well as building their strength and endurance to play at their level and match the opponents. Coach Hairil brings with him a vast amount of experience having worked with various age group teams, S-League teams and has a great ability to develop players and bring them to the next level.
Over the years, the B Division Football team has done well to get into the Top 4 placing for the South Zone Competitions as well as League 3 Championship, in 2016 and 2019 respectively. This year, the team got into the top 2 teams to qualify for the next round of League 3 Championship.
Additionally, the AMKSS Football works with primary schools such as Anderson Primary, where our students train together with the younger boys and guide them through the clinic session that is conducted by our school coaches. This promotes leadership and social skills in our students as well as building bonds with the primary school students who may look up to them as a source of positive influence. It is also one way for our boys to give back to society.
The team trains up to three times a week to help our athletes develop the necessary skill sets mentioned above and more importantly, mental resilience to face any possible challenges they face on and off the field. Our Football training programme aims to develop and sustain our students’ skills and passion in the sport, hoping to instil pursuing their sports for life interest in the future.
Basketball (Boys)
Basketball was reinstated as a full CCA in 2016. Having been a second CCA for many years, the school decided to start developing the boys from Secondary 1 due to the overwhelming interest shown by our students. The CCA stresses the importance of sportsmanship, fair play, respect, and excellence to enhance our athletes’ ability to perform at a higher level. Our team trains up to three times a week to help students develop the necessary skill sets, physical fitness and more importantly, mental resilience to face all possible challenges they will face both on and off the court.
The basketball team diligently orchestrated a series of basketball mini-competitions and friendly matches with schools across Singapore, aiming to cultivate camaraderie and enhance their competitive prowess. This strategic effort not only nurtured bonds of friendship within the basketball community but also served as a platform for honing our skills and refining our competitive edge. Additionally, the team is currently in the process of planning a mini-competition exclusively for selected primary schools, slated to occur towards the end of the year. This initiative is aimed at fostering the growth of basketball by promoting the sport among young boys and encouraging greater participation.
The team is currently coached by Mr. Nai Hai Kiat who has a wealth of experience in coaching schools as well as clubs in the local basketball league. Under his stewardship, we hope to take our boys to the next level in terms of their skills as well as game play. We also hope to develop our boys to challenge themselves with more established schools in the basketball arena. Our basketball programme aims to develop and sustain our students’ skills, passion, and interest in the sport. As we continue to strive for excellence in competitions, we are driven to develop leaders and inculcate values of discipline and resilience in all our students.
Netball
At Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, netball is not just a sport but it strives to nurture students in personal growth in terms of character building and technical skills.
Our Netball CCA emphasises the values of sportsmanship, fair play, and respect above all else. We believe in nurturing not only talented athletes but also responsible and resilient individuals who embody these principles on and off the court.
In recent years, our netballers have clinched top positions in a very challenging South Zone Inter School Netball which boasts many of the netball powerhouses in the schools’ netball scene. In 2023, our C Division team emerged as second runner up and in 2024, the B Division team secured fourth position in the South Zone competition. Additionally, our current Secondary 3 netballer, Stevlynn Carina Soh Xuan Yin represented the National Under-14 Team in the 12th International Youth Netball Challenge 2023 (IYNC) where she was exposed to a higher level of play with netball powerhouse countries such as Australia and South Africa.
Beyond competitive play, our netball programme is committed to giving back to the community. We expose our girls to planning and organising outreach initiatives such as school partnerships through netball carnivals and coaching of primary school students.
Our training programme goes beyond skills acquisition; it encourages players to think independently and creatively. By empowering them to express their opinions and explore alternative strategies, we foster a sense of confidence and adaptability that translates into effective decision-making on the court and in life. One can benefit from expert coaching, rigorous training sessions and competitive opportunities that elevate students’ potential on court. Our CCA hopes to develop fine young ladies who are ready to meet the challenges they will face in life long after they leave the courts.
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Application Procedure
1. Application for DSA-Sec can be submitted through the online DSA-Sec Portal. The application is free-of-charge and will be open from 7 May 2024, 11 am to 3 June 2024, 3pm. For more details, please refer to MOE Website.
2. Parents and students are encouraged to choose schools wisely based on the student’s aptitudes and strengths, bearing in mind the schools’ academic and non-academic requirements, and the programmes available to develop the area of talent.
3. Applicants who do not have prior experience may also apply and will be assessed based on their potential.
4. The shortlisted applicants will be informed of the day and time of their trial session at least 2 weeks in advance and latest by 7 August 2024 .
5. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a one-day face-to-face interview and trial in our school from 12 July 2024 to 23 August 2024.
6. Shortlisted applicants will be notified of their application status by 9 Sept 2024.
7. Students who are successfully admitted to the school via DSA are expected to honour their commitment to the school and participate in the activities related to the talent they are selected for from year 1-4.
8. Meeting all the criteria does not guarantee the student will be shortlisted/given an offer.
For further clarifications, you may contact any of the following staff:
For Sports matters:
Mr. K Thanaraj
thanaraj_kalliya_perumal@moe.edu.sg
Tel: 64548605 (Ext 811)
For Performing Arts matters:
Ms Cheryl Ang
cheryl_ang@moe.edu.sg
Tel: 64548605 (Ext 863)
For Admin matters:
Ms Leona Cheong
Leona_CHEONG@schools.gov.sg
Tel: 64548605 (Ext 803)