SINGAPORE \u2013 Starting from the 2027 Primary 1 registration exercise, almost all schools in Singapore will open up more reserved<\/span><\/a> places<\/span><\/a> for children without prior connections<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n For 12 schools in areas such as Bukit Timah and Marine Parade, places will also be reserved for children who live more than 2km away.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Education (MOE) said the moves are intended to widen access to the schools and encourage greater mixing among pupils from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n What are the latest changes announced on Sept 10, and how will they affect school applicants? The Straits Times explains.<\/p>\n The changes will apply to Phase 2C, which is for children without prior ties to the school and where home-school distance plays a role in admission.<\/p>\n The number of places reserved for this phase will increase to 60 from 40 for almost all schools.<\/p>\n This change will not be applied to schools with smaller intakes of fewer than 180 pupils.<\/p>\n In the 2026 P1 registration exercise, there were 27 such schools out of 179 that were open for registration in 2026.<\/p>\n For 12 schools in areas such as Bukit Timah and Marine Parade where the proportion of public housing is significantly lower than the national average, the 60 reserved places in Phase 2C will be split into two tracks.<\/p>\n Thirty spots will be reserved for those who live within 2km of the school and the remaining 30 will be for those who live farther away. Within each of these two tracks, home-school distance priority will not apply.<\/p>\n \u201cSome schools have a narrower socio-economic mix of students, reflecting the profile of their immediate neighbourhoods,\u201d said MOE on Sept 10. \u201cThis is partly due to the current home-school distance priority in the P1 registration framework, where priority is determined by citizenship, followed by home-school distance, when balloting is required.\u201d<\/p>\n The other phases of registration \u2013 Phase 1, 2A and 2B \u2013 will remain unchanged.<\/p>\n Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n CHIJ (Katong) Primary<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Methodist Girls\u2019 School (Primary)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Nanyang Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ngee Ann Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Raffles Girls\u2019 Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Singapore Chinese Girls\u2019 Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n St. Margaret\u2019s School (Primary)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Tanjong Katong Primary School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Tao Nan School<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n The 12 schools are located in neighbourhoods where public housing makes up less than 40 per cent of homes within 2km of the school.<\/p>\n This is significantly lower than the national average, in which about four in five of Singapore\u2019s resident population live in public housing. So far, only these 12 schools are located in such neighbourhoods, MOE said.<\/p>\n When Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) moves from its current Barker Road campus in Newton to Tengah in 2030, it will be removed from the list.<\/p>\n MOE will periodically review the list of schools under the Phase 2C two-track scheme. But the ministry said it does not expect frequent changes to the list as housing profiles do not change drastically over a short period.<\/p>\n The 60 places reserved for Phase 2C, along with any spots left over from earlier phases, will be split equally between two tracks: children who live within 2km of the school and those who live more than 2km away.<\/p>\n There will be no home-school distance priority within either track. This means that a child who lives within 1km of the school, for instance, will not be given priority over one who lives between 1km and 2km away.<\/p>\n There is also no upper limit to the home-school distance under Phase 2C.<\/p>\n Applications for all 60 places will open at the same time.<\/p>\n If there are more Singaporean applicants than places in either track, places will be allocated through balloting.<\/p>\n Excess places in one track will be offered to applicants on the other track within Phase 2C.<\/p>\n The increase in reserved Phase 2C places will come from the earlier registration phases \u2013 Phase 2A and Phase 2B.<\/p>\n Phase 2A is for children with a parent or sibling who is a former pupil; a parent who is a member of the school advisory or management committee; or a parent who is a school staff member. Children from MOE kindergartens that are under the purview of their chosen primary school also qualify for this phase.<\/p>\n Phase 2B is for children whose parent has volunteered at the school, whose parent is endorsed by a church or clan directly connected with the school, or whose parent is an active community leader.<\/p>\n Admission in Phase 2A is based on the number of places left after Phase 1 (no cap), and what has been set aside for Phase 2B (20) and 2C (60).<\/p>\n Phase 1 is for children who have an older sibling already enrolled in the school.<\/p>\n Even so, eligible families under earlier phases will continue to have priority over Phase 2C applicants.<\/p>\n The change seeks to balance MOE\u2019s objectives of improving access for children without prior connections to the school, while continuing to recognise the contributions of alumni members and others who have supported the school and community.<\/p>\nQ: How will the 2027 P1 registration exercise change?<\/h2>\n
Q: Which are the 12 schools that will have two tracks for Phase 2C?<\/h2>\n
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Q: How were the 12 schools selected?<\/h2>\n
Q: How will the 60 places in Phase 2C be allocated for the 12 affected schools?<\/h2>\n
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Q: Will there be fewer places in the earlier phases?<\/h2>\n