CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)

The school was established around 1854, as the Convent for the Holy Infant Jesus,[2] and as of 1862, housed a school as well as an orphanage.[3] In 1881, the school was declared an aided school.[4]

In 1929, the school opened a hostel for young women.[5] In January 1942, the school was closed and remained so until 1945.[6] In 1951, a new S$390,000 classroom block was constructed and three years later, the school celebrated its centenary.[7]

In 1972, it was announced that the government was taking over the Victoria Street site of the school, and as compensation, a new site in Toa Payoh would be given to it.[8] The school moved to its new location in Toa Payoh in December 1983, and as a result, its name was changed to Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus(Toa Payoh).[9][10]

The school became autonomous in 1994 and from 2003 to 2006, the school was moved to a holding site along Thomson Road as the Toa Payoh premises were renovated under the PRIME scheme.

"Simple Dans Ma Vertu, Forte Dans Mon Devoir" a French motto which means "Simple in my Virtue, Strong (for a female speaker) in my Duty", loosely anglicized as "Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty".

Students wear a white blouse with a Peter-Pan collar beneath a knee-length, blue pinafore with a blue belt at the waist. Underneath the prescribed uniform, bras bearing only the colours of white, light-grey, or beige may be worn. Shorts are also worn under the pinafore for added modesty. Councillors, previously known as prefects, wear a pin above the school badge. Council badges are green for junior councillors, white for councillors and 'noblesse oblige' for councillors in the executive committee. Committee members of co-curricular activities (CCA) wear a silver badge with the words 'CCA Committee' on it. The heads of the CCA wear a gold badge with the words 'CCA Leader'.[11]

During official engagements, students representing the school (councillors on most occasions) wear the formal uniform consisting of a long-sleeved white blouse, a white pencil skirt, a navy blue blazer with the school crest on the left chest, along with a navy blue tie and a pair of black court shoes.

The Express Course is a nationwide four-year programme that leads up to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination.[12]

The examinable academic subjects for Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level offered by CHIJ Secondary School for upper secondary level (via. streaming in secondary 2 level), as of 2017, are listed below.[13]

Notes:

1. Subjects indicated with ' * ' are mandatory subjects.
2. All students in Singapore are required to undertake a Mother Tongue Language as an examinable subject, as indicated by ' ^ '.
3. "SPA" in Pure Science subjects refers to the incorporation of School-based Science Practical Assessment, which 20% of the subject result in the national examination are determined by school-based practical examinations, supervised by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. The SPA Assessment has been replaced by one Practical Assessment in the 2018 O Levels.[14]

The Normal Course is a nationwide 4-year programme leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination, which runs either the Normal (Academic) curriculum or Normal (Technical) curriculum, abbreviated as N(A) and N(T) respectively.[15]

In the Normal (Academic) course, students offer 5-8 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Compulsory subjects include:[16]

• English Language
• Mother Tongue Language
• Mathematics
• Combined Humanities

A 5th year leading to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level examination is available to N(A) students who perform well in their Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination. Students can move from one course to another based on their performance and the assessment of the school principal and teachers.[15]

The Normal (Technical) course prepares students for a technical-vocational education at the Institute of Technical Education.[16] Students will offer 5-7 subjects in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Normal Level examination.[16] The curriculum is tailored towards strengthening students’ proficiency in English and Mathematics.[16] Students take English Language, Mathematics, Basic Mother Tongue and Computer Applications as compulsory subjects.[16]

CHIJ Secondary was awarded the South Zone Centre of Excellence ( CoE) for Language and the Arts in Aug 2007.