Many generations of pupils and teachers had left their footprints on these steps that led to the main school entrance through which they walked. Among the pupils was world renowned Xian Xinghai, composer of Yellow River Cantata. He was an YCS pupil from 1919-1921.
The School was founded in 1905 as a private school by a group of Cantonese businessmen who realised the urgent need to provide education for the children to immigrants from South China and to equip them with knowledge for employment. It was first located in eleven 2-storey terrace houses in Park Road (Chinatown) before moving to Club Street. YCS had played a significant role in providing comprehensive moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic education and became one of the best educational institutions of Singapore.
The far-sighted school management saw the need to provide education for the girls and the working class. As early as 1921, the girls' section was set up and night classes offered.
To keep abreast with times, the post-war YCS adopted Mandarin as the medium of teaching from 1945. Other than Chinese language and Mathematics, English was a compulsory subject. A pass in these subjects was mandatory before proceeding to the higher grade. The night classes continued its role to teach Chinese, English, Mathematics as well as abacus and epistolary art for the English school pupils and the people who could only attend after work. The school enrolment then exceeded 3000.
In 1988, the School relocated to Serangoon Avenue 3 and was renamed as Yangzheng Primary School. It became a government school and run in line with the national educational policy Singapore children, irrespective of race and religion have enrolled to the School.